UK immigration law provides a number of options for those migrants who are looking to come to work in the UK. Satisfying visa application rules is an important part of this process. Tier 2 (General) visas are for skilled migrants from outside the EEA and Switzerland. In order to apply you must have a valid certificate of sponsorship from a UK employer and this same employer must hold a Tier 2 sponsorship licence.

Visa application rules and Simply.Law

Taking solid legal advice is essential to successful visa applications. Simply.Law has many member immigration lawyers in the UK who are highly skilled and experienced in visa application rules. If you are looking to apply for a tier 2 (General) visa, you can connect with an immigration solicitor from Simply.Law today. You can either select a lawyer from the list on this page or send your details to Simply.Law and we will use our Simply.Law Match function to find the best lawyer for your needs.

Immigration rules for businesses

If, as a UK organisation, you want to employ an overseas migrant, there are certain rules which have to be followed in order to make sure that by doing so the migrant is not preventing a UK citizen from taking the role. Therefore, you will only be eligible to provide a certificate of sponsorship if:

• the migrant will earn £150,000 or more per year
• the job is on the shortage occupation list
• you have carried out a resident labour market test as specified

Tier 2 (General) visa application rules for applicants

There are a number of these rules to comply with if you wish to come to the UK on a tier 2 (General) visa to take a position from the UK job market. You must:

• have a firm job offer from your prospective employer
• hold a valid certificate of sponsorship from that employer
• comply with the United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) maintenance requirements, and UKBA English language requirements

Your ability to speak English will have a direct impact on how well you are able to perform your job in the UK. This is why there are certain criteria to fulfil to comply with the UKBA English language requirements if you want to come to the UK under a tier 2 (General) visa. Normally, you must have achieved at least level B1 in the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) test. However, there are exceptions to this under some circumstances. You won’t have to have level B1 if:

• you have a degree which was taught in English
• you come from a country where English is the main language spoken
• the last time you were given leave to remain it was under a tier 1 (General) or tier 1 (entrepreneur) visa, as a work permit holder, as a member of the ground staff for an overseas airline, a Jewish agency employee, as a businessperson or if you represent an overseas news agency, newspaper or broadcaster

If you want to apply for a tier 2 (General) visa, or to check that your firm is adhering to relevant immigration rules, contact Simply.Law today for a quick answer to your general visa application questions.