United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
UK Skilled Worker visa — timeline
The UK Skilled Worker route is employer-sponsored and comparatively fast. From the day a sponsor assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), a straightforward case typically takes 3–8 weeks to visa-in-hand, but finding a licensed sponsor and getting a CoS can take 2–6 months depending on occupation shortage.
Last reviewed 20 April 2026.
Minimum
~3 months
Best case, everything aligned
Typical
~6 months
Realistic plan
Maximum
~12 months
Conservative buffer
Stages
- 1
Find a role with a licensed sponsor
30–180 daysSearch the register of licensed sponsors on GOV.UK. Only ~85,000 UK employers hold a licence. Shortage Occupation List and New Entrant rates apply to sub-going-rate salaries.
Owned by: You
Delay risk: First-time sponsors often take 60+ days to confirm visa support internally.
- 2
Sponsor requests a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)
5–20 working daysThe sponsor logs into SMS, requests a CoS. Some roles require Immigration Skills Charge pre-authorisation (£1,000/year sponsored).
Owned by: Employer / sponsor
- 3
English test (if not exempt)
14–45 daysSELT required at CEFR B1 or above: IELTS for UKVI, PTE Academic UKVI, Trinity ISE, LanguageCert, OET. Exempt if national of majority-English country or have UK degree.
Owned by: You
- 4
Submit visa application
1 dayApply online within 3 months of CoS assignment. Pay application fee + Immigration Health Surcharge (£1,035/year).
Owned by: You
- 5
Biometrics + documents at VAC
7–30 days from applicationBook a UKVCAS / TLScontact appointment. Upload supporting documents online. Priority service (£500) returns a decision in 5 working days after biometrics.
Owned by: You
- 6
Home Office processing
Standard: 3 weeks. Priority: 5 working days. Super-priority: 1 working day.Most cases clear standard service within 3 weeks. Complex cases (previous refusals, criminality, sponsor compliance issues) take 8+ weeks.
Owned by: Government authority
- 7
Travel + BRP collection
30–90 days from decisionEnter the UK within the 30/90-day vignette window. Collect the Biometric Residence Permit within 10 days of arrival. eVisa transition is ongoing.
Owned by: You
Reverse plan example
If your target UK start date is 1 September 2026, you should have a signed offer by April 2026, receive a CoS by 1 July 2026, and apply with priority service by 15 July 2026 to arrive on time.
When to start
Trigger step: Start UK job search with licensed sponsor.
To land on your target date with a realistic buffer, count back the typical duration (~6 months) and add a 20–30% contingency. If your target is non-negotiable (job start date, academic year, family milestone), plan against the maximum (~12 months).