Republic of Kenya vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
A neutral side-by-side of immigration systems, routes and regulators. Each row links to the underlying visa page with its primary government source.
Last reviewed:
Republic of Kenya
Kenya's Directorate of Immigration Services (DIS) administers entry, residence and work authorisation under the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act, 2011. Foreign nationals work mainly under lettered work-permit classes — most commonly Class D (employment by a specific employer), Class G (trade, business or consultancy) and Class K (ordinary residents with an assured external income) — while short-term and dependent stays use the Special, Dependant's and Student's passes. Applications are filed online through the eFNS portal.
- Official portal
- Directorate of Immigration Services (Kenya)
- Languages
- English, Swahili
- Currency
- Kenyan shilling
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The UK runs a points-based work visa system anchored by the Skilled Worker route and the Global Talent route, alongside a Student route and a narrower set of family, investor and entrepreneur options. Most work routes require a Home Office–licensed sponsor.
- Official portal
- UK Home Office
- Languages
- English
- Currency
- Pound sterling
How Republic of Kenya and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland differ
| Dimension | Republic of Kenya | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|
| Total routes covered | 8 | 11 |
| Routes without employer sponsor | 5 | 7 |
| Routes leading to permanent residence | 5 | 6 |
| Typical full settlement timeline | — | Arrival → ILR (5 years) → citizenship (6 years). Faster on Global Talent / Innovator Founder (3 years to ILR). |
| Dominant skilled visa | Class D Work Permit (Employment) | Skilled Worker visa |
| Skilled visa salary minimum | — | £41,700/year |
| Skilled visa processing time | — | GOV.UK publishes 3 weeks as the typical decision window for Skilled Worker visa applications made outside the UK. |
| Skilled visa government fees | — | The UK Skilled Worker visa costs around £3,950 in government fees for a single applicant on a 3-year grant at the general rate, dominated by the £1,035/year Immigration Health Surcharge. |
| Official languages | English, Swahili | English |
| Currency | Kenyan shilling | Pound sterling |
| Primary regulator | LSK | IAA |
| Policy changes (last 12 months) | 0 | 3 |
Skilled-route head-to-head
Comparing each country’s most-used skilled-migration route side by side.
Republic of Kenya
Class D Work Permit (Employment)
- Salary minimum
- —
- Government fees
- —
- Processing time
- —
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- Yes
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Skilled Worker visa
- Salary minimum
- £41,700/year
- Government fees
- The UK Skilled Worker visa costs around £3,950 in government fees for a single applicant on a 3-year grant at the general rate, dominated by the £1,035/year Immigration Health Surcharge.
- Processing time
- GOV.UK publishes 3 weeks as the typical decision window for Skilled Worker visa applications made outside the UK.
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- Yes
Recent policy activity
Last 6 months. Each entry links to its primary government source.
- 8 April 2026United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
UK: Skilled Worker English raised to B2, CoS fee £525, Immigration Skills Charge up 32%
A run of Skilled Worker changes from late 2025 into early 2026 raised the language bar, sponsor costs, and tightened salary assessment.
UK Home Office →
Routes unique to Republic of Kenya
Routes unique to United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Visa routes side by side
Republic of Kenya (8)
Class D Work Permit (Employment)
Sponsor · To settlement · Issued and renewable in line with the employment; counts toward the residence record for permanent residence.
Class G Work Permit (Trade, Business or Consultancy)
No sponsor · To settlement · Issued and renewable in line with the business; counts toward the residence record for permanent residence.
Class K Permit (Ordinary Residents)
No sponsor · To settlement · Issued and renewable subject to continued assured income; counts toward the residence record for permanent residence.
Class A Work Permit (Prospecting and Mining)
No sponsor · To settlement · Issued and renewable in line with the licensed activity; counts toward the residence record for permanent residence.
Special Pass
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Up to 6 months maximum; not a settlement route.
Dependant's Pass
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Aligned to the sponsor status; renewable while the relationship and sponsor status continue.
Student's Pass
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Aligned to the course of study; renewable while enrolled.
Permanent Residence
No sponsor · To settlement · Permanent on grant, subject to the conditions of the Act.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (11)
Skilled Worker visa
Sponsor · To settlement · Up to 5 years on initial grant, extendable; leads to settlement after continuous residence.
Health and Care Worker visa
Sponsor · To settlement · Up to 5 years on initial grant; leads to settlement after 5 years continuous residence.
Global Talent visa
No sponsor · To settlement · Up to 5 years per grant; leads to settlement after 3 or 5 years depending on endorsement type.
Graduate visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · 2 years (3 years for doctoral graduates); non-extendable.
High Potential Individual visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · 2 years (3 years for PhD graduates). Non-extendable.
Innovator Founder visa
No sponsor · To settlement · 3 years per grant; extendable. Leads to settlement after 3 years.
Scale-up visa
Sponsor · To settlement · 2 years; extendable; leads to settlement after 5 years.
Youth Mobility Scheme visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · 2 years (3 years for specified partners such as New Zealand). Non-extendable.
Student visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Varies with course — up to length of course plus a short wrap-around.
Family visa (partner/spouse)
No sponsor · To settlement · Initial 2.5 years then extension to 5 years total; leads to settlement.
Standard Visitor visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Up to 6 months per visit; long-term visitor visas valid 2, 5, or 10 years (each stay still 6 months max).
Frequently asked questions
Which country has an easier skilled-migration route, Republic of Kenya or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?+
Republic of Kenya’s Class D Work Permit (Employment) is the dominant skilled route; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s Skilled Worker visa requires £41,700/year. “Easier” depends on your salary, sponsor situation, and nationality — see each visa’s eligibility detail.
Which immigration system has changed more recently, Republic of Kenya or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?+
In the last 6 months: 0 logged policy changes for Republic of Kenya, 1 for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. See the recent-policy section above for the details, each linked to its primary source.
Does Republic of Kenya or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have more visa routes without an employer sponsor?+
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has more: 7 of its covered routes can be pursued without an employer sponsor, against 5 for Republic of Kenya. No-sponsor routes — such as digital-nomad, self-employment, and points-based skilled migration — matter most if you do not yet have a job offer.