United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland vs Republic of Vanuatu
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:
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
Republic of Vanuatu
Vanuatu administers residence through the Department of Immigration and Passport Services, with six residence-visa grounds (partner, child, employee, self-funded, investor and leaseholder) and a permanent-resident visa. Its Development Support Program (citizenship by investment) is run separately by the Citizenship Commission and grants citizenship, not residence. Note that the EU removed Vanuatu from its visa-free Schengen list in December 2024.
- Official portal
- Department of Immigration and Passport Services (Vanuatu)
- Languages
- Bislama, English, French
- Currency
- Vanuatu vatu
How United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Republic of Vanuatu differ
| Dimension | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Republic of Vanuatu |
|---|---|---|
| Total routes covered | 11 | 7 |
| Routes without employer sponsor | 7 | 5 |
| Routes leading to permanent residence | 6 | 4 |
| Typical full settlement timeline | Arrival → ILR (5 years) → citizenship (6 years). Faster on Global Talent / Innovator Founder (3 years to ILR). | — |
| Dominant skilled visa | Skilled Worker visa | Residence Visa (Employee ground) |
| 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 | Bislama, English, French |
| Currency | Pound sterling | Vanuatu vatu |
| Primary regulator | IAA | VLS |
| Policy changes (last 12 months) | 3 | 0 |
Skilled-route head-to-head
Comparing each country’s most-used skilled-migration route side by side.
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
Republic of Vanuatu
Residence Visa (Employee ground)
- Salary minimum
- —
- Government fees
- —
- Processing time
- —
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- No
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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Routes unique to Republic of Vanuatu
Visa routes side by side
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).
Republic of Vanuatu (7)
Residence Visa (Employee ground)
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Issued for set periods (commonly one to several years) and renewable while you remain employed by the sponsoring business. Confirm the current bands on the official Department of Immigration page.
Residence Visa (Self-funded ground)
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Issued for set periods and renewable while you keep meeting the income condition. Confirm the current bands on the official Department of Immigration page.
Residence Visa (Foreign Investor ground)
No sponsor · To settlement · Issued for set periods and renewable while you hold a valid VIPA certificate and the investment continues. Confirm the current bands on the official Department of Immigration page.
Residence Visa (Leasehold Holder ground)
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Issued for set periods and renewable while you maintain the qualifying leasehold and income. Confirm the current bands on the official Department of Immigration page.
Residence Visa (Partner / Child ground)
Sponsor · To settlement · Issued for set periods and renewable while the qualifying relationship continues. Confirm the current bands on the official Department of Immigration page.
Permanent Resident Visa
No sponsor · To settlement · Longer-term permanent residence status, subject to the conditions and any renewal or reporting requirements set by the Department. Confirm the current terms on the official Department of Immigration page.
Development Support Program (citizenship by investment)
No sponsor · To settlement · Grants citizenship, not a time-limited residence; the underlying programme rules can change. Confirm the current rules with the Vanuatu Citizenship Office.
Frequently asked questions
Which country has an easier skilled-migration route, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or Republic of Vanuatu?+
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s Skilled Worker visa requires a salary of at least £41,700/year; Republic of Vanuatu’s Residence Visa (Employee ground) is the dominant skilled route. “Easier” depends on your salary, sponsor situation, and nationality — see each visa’s eligibility detail.
Which immigration system has changed more recently, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or Republic of Vanuatu?+
In the last 6 months: 1 logged policy change for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 0 for Republic of Vanuatu. See the recent-policy section above for the details, each linked to its primary source.
Does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or Republic of Vanuatu 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 Vanuatu. 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.