UK Work Visa Requirements for Indians: 2026 Checklist

The checklist below follows the Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker guidance on GOV.UK and the VFS Global UK India pages, as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For visitor and student checklists, see our UK visa hub for Indians.

What must be in place before you can apply?

Three things come from your employer before you open the online form. Without them, there is no application to make.

1. A licensed sponsor and a CoS. The job offer must come from a Home Office-approved UK employer, who assigns you a certificate of sponsorship. You must apply within 3 months of getting it.
2. An eligible occupation code. Jobs classed as higher skilled qualify. Medium-skilled jobs qualify only if they are on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List. The skill threshold went back up to RQF level 6 (degree level) on 22 July 2025.
3. A salary that meets the rules. The standard minimum is the higher of £41,700 a year or the going rate for the occupation.

A lower salary, between 70% and 90% of the going rate, is possible if you are paid at least £33,400 and one of these applies: the job is on the Immigration Salary List; you are under 26, a recent graduate or in professional training; you have a relevant STEM PhD (at least £37,500 for a non-STEM PhD); or the role is a postdoctoral position. Some healthcare and education jobs use national pay scales, with a floor of £25,000 or the going rate if higher.

Which documents do you upload for a Skilled Worker visa?

The online form asks for your parents' names and dates of birth and any criminal, civil or immigration offences, and, depending on your circumstances, your travel history for the past 10 years. Each family member needs a separate application.

How do you prove English at level B2?

The bar rose on 8 January 2026. New Skilled Worker, High Potential Individual and Scale-up applicants now need CEFR level B2 instead of B1, according to the Home Office's explanatory memorandum to statement of changes HC 1333.

GOV.UK accepts three kinds of evidence:

• A pass in a Secure English Language Test (SELT).
• A UK qualification.
• A degree taught in English, confirmed by Ecctis.

If your Indian degree was taught in English, Ecctis confirmation is the step that turns it into evidence. Exemptions exist, but our record does not list them, so check the full Skilled Worker guide before you skip a test.

How much money must sit in your account, and for how long?

You must have held at least £1,270 for 28 consecutive days, and day 28 must fall within 31 days of the date you apply. This applies unless your sponsor certifies maintenance up to £1,270 on your CoS.

• Use statements that cover all 28 days without the balance dipping below the threshold.
• Check your CoS for the maintenance certification before you assume you need your own funds.
• Keep the statement period recent: if day 28 is more than 31 days before you apply, the evidence no longer counts.

Is the Health and Care Worker checklist different?

Yes, in a few ways. The Health and Care Worker visa is for qualified doctors, nurses, health professionals and adult social care professionals with a job offer from an approved employer in the NHS, an NHS supplier or adult social care.

• Salary usually at least £25,000 or the going rate if higher; some occupation codes, such as health services managers and laboratory technicians, need at least £31,300 or the lower going rate.
• English at CEFR level B2 for new applicants.
• Care workers and senior care workers (codes 6135 and 6136) cannot apply as new applicants from overseas.
• The visa lasts up to 5 years and carries no immigration healthcare surcharge.

What happens at the VFS appointment in India?

You apply and pay on GOV.UK first and receive a GWF reference number. You then book a biometrics appointment with VFS Global, UKVI's official partner. There is no state-based jurisdiction: you can pick any centre in India, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi or Pune.

At the centre you give fingerprints and a photo. You can self-upload documents free of charge or have them scanned for a fee. Your passport is returned at the appointment. A successful applicant gets an eVisa, so you must create a UKVI account and link your passport before travelling. Most work visas can be applied for up to 3 months before the job start date, and GOV.UK gives 3 weeks as the standard processing time.

Common gaps in Indian Skilled Worker files

• A CoS more than 3 months old when you apply.
• An English result at B1, which no longer meets the requirement for new applicants.
• A savings balance that dipped below £1,270 during the 28 days.
• Salary below the threshold for the occupation code on the CoS.
• Untranslated documents in Hindi or another language.

For context, Home Office data shows 93% of Worker visa decisions for Indian nationals were grants in the year ending June 2026: 37,402 granted and 2,943 refused out of 40,345 (provisional). The figure covers all Worker routes and all Indian nationals applying outside the UK; it is not a forecast for one application.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files. Packages go from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for a reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Can Indians get a UK work visa without a job offer?

Yes, on some routes. GOV.UK lists Global Talent, the India Young Professionals Scheme, UK Ancestry and High Potential Individual among work visas you can apply for without a job offer. Each has its own eligibility rules.

How early can I apply for a UK Skilled Worker visa?

GOV.UK says most work visas can be applied for up to 3 months before your job start date. You must also apply within 3 months of getting your certificate of sponsorship.

Will I get a visa sticker in my passport?

No. Successful applicants get an eVisa, a digital record of immigration status viewed in a free UKVI account. You must create the account and link your passport before you travel.

Who can apply for the India Young Professionals Scheme?

Indian citizens aged 18 to 30 with a bachelor's degree or higher and £2,530 in savings, who are selected in the ballot. The 2026 ballots ran in February and July for 3,000 places, and GOV.UK lists no further ballots for 2026.