The Skilled Worker visa lets you work in an eligible job for a Home Office-approved UK employer that has given you a certificate of sponsorship (CoS). Pakistani applicants apply online on GOV.UK and then prove their identity through the ID Check app or at a visa application centre. The visa can last up to 5 years and can lead to settlement.
Processing timeUsually within 3 weeks when applying from outside the UK
Validity / stayUp to 5 years, then extendable; settlement possible after 5 years
Official fees (approx.)PKR 685,905
Documents11 items
You need a confirmed job offer from an approved sponsor, a certificate of sponsorship, and a job on the list of eligible occupations.
- Salary: usually at least £41,700 a year or the going rate for your occupation code, whichever is higher. Some roles can be paid less (for example from £33,400, or under different rules for healthcare and education).
- English: at least CEFR B2, proved with an approved test, a UK qualification or an Ecctis-assessed English-taught degree.
- Maintenance: at least £1,270 held for 28 days, unless your sponsor certifies maintenance on your CoS.
- Pakistan is on the TB test list. Jobs in education, healthcare, therapy or social services need a criminal record certificate.
- Doctors, nurses and care workers should check the cheaper Health and Care Worker visa.
How to apply:
- Apply within 3 months of getting your CoS, and no earlier than 3 months before your start date.
- Complete the online form and pay the visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge.
- Prove your identity through the app or at a visa application centre. The decision usually takes about 3 weeks.
Other fees and options (not included in the fee total):
- Visa fee - more than 3 years (outside UK): 1,618 GBP
- Visa fee - Immigration Salary List job, up to 3 years: 628 GBP
- Visa fee - Immigration Salary List job, more than 3 years: 1,235 GBP
Money to show (not a fee):
- Personal savings to show: 1,270 GBP
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Converted at today's exchange rate. Embassies and visa centres may use their own rates. Estimate your total cost
This summary is for guidance. Requirements can change at short notice; always confirm on the official website before you apply.
Common refusal reasons & how to avoid them
Not a genuine visitor (Appendix Visitor V 4.2)
Under Appendix Visitor V 4.2, you must show that you will leave at the end of the visit, will not make the UK your home through frequent visits, and are coming for a permitted purpose. If your circumstances, funds or history make any of these doubtful, the application is refused.
How to fix it: Read the refusal letter carefully and address each point it raises. Strengthen evidence of your job, business, family and property in Pakistan. Make sure the visit length and purpose are sensible for your situation. Provide six months of bank statements and income proof. Write a clear cover letter explaining your plans and your reason to return. Reapply only when you can answer the specific concerns.
Third-party support not shown to be genuine (V 4.3)
V 4.3 allows a third party to pay only if they have a genuine relationship with you, are lawfully in the UK and can and will support you. Without their immigration status, finances and proof of relationship, the officer cannot accept the support.
How to fix it: Get a signed invitation and sponsorship letter from the host stating the relationship, visit dates and what they will pay for. Attach their passport or BRP copy, proof of address such as council tax bill, recent bank statements and payslips. Add relationship evidence. Include your own proof of ties and any funds you have. Make sure accommodation details match the host's address.
Living in the UK through frequent or successive visits
Appendix Visitor requires that you do not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make it your main home. If the time you spend in the UK is close to half the year, officers may decide you are effectively living there.
How to fix it: Keep visits shorter and less frequent, and spend substantial time at home between trips. Explain the reason for each past visit and show evidence of your life in Pakistan: employment, business, family and property. If you need to be in the UK regularly for work, consider whether a different visa category fits your situation better.
Deception or false representations (Part 9)
Part 9 of the Immigration Rules allows refusal where false documents, false information or failure to disclose material facts are used. Where deception is found, later applications can be refused for up to 10 years.
How to fix it: Read the letter carefully to see exactly what was considered false. If it was a genuine mistake, collect evidence showing it, such as bank confirmation of an authentic statement. Consider seeking advice from a regulated immigration adviser before reapplying. In any new application, declare the previous refusal and deception finding honestly and provide full, genuine evidence. Do not try another application with the same documents.
Intention to undertake prohibited activities (V 4.4)
Visitors must not work in the UK, including taking employment, doing work for a UK business, or providing goods and services. If your plans or documents suggest work, the application fails the genuine visitor test.
How to fix it: Separate your visit from work. Remote work for your existing Pakistani employer or clients may be allowed in limited form, so check the permitted activities guidance first. If you intend to work for UK clients or an employer, apply on the proper work route. State your real activities clearly in your application and bring only evidence that matches them.
Not a genuine student (credibility)
UK student rules require that you are a genuine student intending to study the chosen course. If you cannot explain why you chose the course, university or UK, or how it fits your career, the officer may doubt your intention.
How to fix it: Research your course thoroughly: modules, how it links to your past study or work, why this university, costs and living arrangements. Explain how the qualification helps your career in Pakistan. Practise explaining it in your own words, not memorised scripts. Keep your statement consistent with what you said before, and bring documents that support your plans.
Check your own risk
