In the UK, we welcome people who can make a positive economic contribution to our economy.  To do this, we have a controlled immigration system.

If you want a work permit, or you want to study in the UK, you’ll need to qualify through our tier-based points system to be given a visa.  There are five levels:

• Tier 1: Highly skilled individuals who can contribute to growth and productivity
• Tier 2: Skilled workers with a job offer from an employer to fill gaps in UK labour force
• Tier 3: Low skilled workers who can fill specific temporary labour shortages
• Tier 4: Students
• Tier 5: Youth mobility and temporary workers: people allowed to work in the UK for a limited period of time to satisfy primarily non-economic objectives (such as volunteer programmes)

Employers and educational institutions have to make an application to the Home Office, explaining how you satisfy those requirements, and accept certain responsibilities for you while you’re in the UK.  In the future, some form of financial security may also be needed.

Getting help from an immigration solicitor

As you can imagine, the rules around getting a work permit and immigrating to a country can be quite strict.  In the UK, an immigration solicitor can help you follow those rules and make an application for a visa.  Legal fees often depend on how experienced the immigration solicitor is, but a first meeting is often free of charge.

Questions you might like to ask your immigration solicitor…

Who pays for my application, and how much will it cost to process?

Can I do any of the work myself to reduce the costs involved?

What happens when I get my visa, who do I need to register with?

What proof of my visa do I need to carry with me?