UK Skilled Worker Visa from Nigeria, Full Requirements & Salary Threshold

If you’re a Nigerian looking to relocate to the United Kingdom through the Skilled Worker Visa to advance your career and gain global exposure, this could be your best opportunity.

The UK Skilled Worker Visa has replaced the former Tier 2 (General) visa and is currently the best pathway to work and live in the United Kingdom.

The UK Skilled Worker Visa enables you to work for a licensed UK employer, bring your family, and even apply for permanent residency after 5 years, provided all criteria are met.

So what is this UK Skilled Worker Visa all about, what are the requirements, salary, benefits and application process?

This article is for the Nigerian who wants to get started with this type of exposure. Continue reading.

What is the Skilled Worker Visa?

The Skilled Worker visa, which replaced the Tier 2 (General) visa, is the primary employment visa for foreign nationals. It enables firms to sponsor non-UK nationals to work in the UK in qualified, skilled positions.

Individuals who earn 70 points by meeting specified eligibility conditions such as skill and income level, English language proficiency, and a qualifying employment offer from a UK business with a valid sponsorship licence are eligible for the visa.

The Skilled Worker visa allows a spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner, as well as dependent children, to apply to accompany the primary visa applicant to the UK as Skilled Worker dependents.

The Skilled Worker visa is valid for up to five years, following which the worker is able to apply for UK Indefinite Leave to Remain.

Key advantages for Nigerian applicants.

The Skilled Worker Visa provides Nigerians with various life-changing benefits.

• Ability to work full-time for a UK-approved firm.
• Eligibility to bring a spouse and children as dependents.
• After five years, the settlement becomes permanent (ILR).
• Opportunity to change employers or roles while remaining in the same visa category.

The United Kingdom is actively recruiting from Nigeria due to talent shortages in healthcare, information technology, education, and engineering. The official Shortage Occupations List confirms the need for Nigerian-qualified professionals.

Skilled Worker Visa Eligibility Requirements for Workers

The regulations and requirements for the Skilled Worker visa route are detailed in Appendix Skilled Worker. Applicants must earn a total of 70 points to be eligible for a Skilled Worker visa.

The applicable 70-point threshold for a Skilled Worker visa consists of 50 points for mandatory or ‘non-tradeable’ criteria (i.e., the work offer, speaking English, and the required skill level for the job on offer) and 20 points for ‘tradeable’ criteria.

1. Skilled Worker Visa Minimum Salary

The Skilled Worker path does not have a single flat minimum income. As stated in Appendix Skilled Worker and mirrored in Home Office policy, an applicant must typically be paid at least £41,700 per year or the applicable going rate for the occupation, whichever is greater, unless an allowed tradeable wage alternative applies.

In terms of salary, the candidate must receive 20 points from one of the options in Appendix Skilled Worker.

The standard criterion for salary-point options is a percentage of the occupation’s going rate.

Starting July 22, 2025, the graduate-level threshold (Option A) is £41,700 per year. Options B, C, D, and E offer lower floors of £37,500 or £33,400 if the employer and applicant meet the necessary PhD, Immigration Salary List (ISL at RQF 6+), or new entrant conditions.

Options A-E are subject to a £17.13 per hour test, based on a maximum of 48 paid hours per week.

Options F-J apply to health and care roles listed in Table 2. Option F has a cash floor of £31,300, while Options G and H set floors of £28,200 (non-STEM PhD) and £25,000 (STEM PhD), respectively.

Option I applies the same £25,000 floor to sub-degree ISL employment, while Option J applies it to new entrants in Table 2 codes.

The £17.13 hourly rate is a Skilled Worker-specific hourly floor that only applies to the most common graduate-level Skilled Worker wage options. It does not apply to Health and Care Worker wage alternatives, which are instead evaluated using lower going rates, national pay scales, or role-specific hourly thresholds outlined in Appendix Skilled Occupations.

Care worker and senior care worker positions are subject to different hourly wage regulations in Appendix Skilled Occupations, which apply independently of the Skilled Worker hourly floor.

Option K is reserved for listed health and education sector employment that has been sponsored continuously since before July 22, 2025. The salary requirement is £25,000 per year and 100% of the regular going rate or national pay scale amount. There is no hourly floor.

The applicable annual salary level is not pro-rated for part-time work. However, when permissible, the occupation’s going rate may be compared to the contracted working hours, provided that the applicable minimum salary level is still fulfilled. The advice recommends a reference week of 37.5 hours for most codes, 40 hours for hospital doctors, and 32.5 hours for state school instructors.

2. The Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)

A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is the digital document issued by your UK company after they have given you a job. It is not a paper certificate, but rather an electronic reference number with information about your employment, pay, and company.

There are two types of certificates of sponsorship: defined and undefined. Undefined CoS are used for in-country applications, such as job renewals and changes of employment. Defined COS are used for out-of-country Skilled Worker applications.

Defined CoS are used for out-of-country skilled worker visa applications. Sponsors will have to pay and apply for a specific CoS. This is a specific application to the Home Office, and details about the employment and income must be submitted. It costs £525 to assign a CoS under a Worker sponsor licence.

UKVI allocates undefined CoS to sponsors on an annual basis. The number of CoS will vary according to the size of the sponsor’s personnel and the nature of the firm. Any unused CoS will be erased from the SMS at the conclusion of each 12-month cycle. It is also possible to apply for extra undefined COS during the year.

3. Sponsored Role Requirement

Employment sponsorship requires 20 obligatory points. Both the worker and their employer (i.e. the sponsor) must meet certain requirements. The sponsor must have a valid sponsorship licence with an A grade.

The Home Office will also investigate to see if the vacancy and employment are genuine, meaning that the sponsoring organisation has a genuine need for the position.

The sponsor is also required to pay the Immigration Skills Charge, if applicable. When assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship to a worker under the Skilled Worker route, the payment is payable in full up front, unless an exemption exists.

For medium and large sponsors, the Immigration Skills Charge is £1,320 per worker for the first 12 months, with an extra £660 for each six-month period thereafter. For small or charitable sponsors, the Immigration Skills Charge is £480 for the first 12 months, with an additional £240 for each subsequent six-month period.

4. Skill requirement

Skilled Worker visas are exclusively granted to people in specific roles. The skills requirement for qualified roles increases to RQF 6 (equal to graduate-level) on July 22, 2025, with limited transitional provisions in place.

5. English Language Requirements

Applicants must demonstrate English proficiency through:

• IELTS for UKVI (General Training)
• A UK degree or recognised equivalent taught in English (confirmed by UK ENIC).

In Nigeria, authorised exam centers include Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt. Book early using the official IELTS UKVI Booking Portal.

6. Maintenance funds (personal savings)

The applicant must demonstrate that they meet the financial requirements and have the finances to support themselves, as they will not have access to public funding.

The criteria indicate that candidates must have at least £1,270 in their bank account to apply. This sum must have been available for at least 28 consecutive days, with day 28 falling within 31 days after submitting the visa application. The applicant must give evidence of their funds unless they have been in the UK with authorisation for at least 12 months on the date of application, or their sponsor agrees to cover their first-month costs of up to £1,270. The sponsor should certify this on the Certificate of Sponsorship, specifically in the’sponsor confirms’ upkeep’ area in ‘Additional data’.

As of 2025:

• Minimum personal funds: £1,270
• Dependent spouse: £285
• First child: £315
• Each additional child: £200

This money must be in your account for at least 28 days before application.

The Skilled Worker Visa Application Process.

Step 1: Get a CoS from a Licensed Sponsor.

To apply for a skilled worker visa, submit your passport, degree, English test results, job details, and proof of money after receiving a valid CoS from your company.

Employers should confirm:

• Your job is eligible.
• The pay is within the threshold.
• The position is legitimate, full-time.

Step 2: Calculating the IHS (Immigration Health Surcharge)

You must pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) to gain access to NHS healthcare.

As of 2025, the annual price is £1,035 per person. Calculate your total with the IHS Calculator – GOV.UK.

Exemption: Nurses, doctors, and carers applying for the Health and Care Worker Visa are exempt.

Step 3: Biometrics and Document Submission in Nigeria.

After completing your online form and paying your fees, you will book an appointment at TLScontact Nigeria’s Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Lagos or Abuja.

You will provide:

• Biometrics (fingerprints and photos)
• All supporting documentation.
• Tuberculosis (TB) test results from an approved clinic.

Consider paying for Priority Service at the VAC in Lagos if possible. The typical waiting period can be unpleasant, especially when your start date is close.

Long-Term Stay: Settlement (ILR) and Dependants

Bringing Your Family on a Dependent Visa

You can include your spouse and children under the age of 18 on your Skilled Worker application or add them later. Each dependent must fill out a separate online form for the Dependent Visa category.

Dependants can:

• Live and work full-time in the UK.
• Access to education and healthcare.
• Apply for ILR after 5 years if they meet the residence conditions.

Path to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after 5 years.

After 5 consecutive years on the Skilled Worker Visa, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), the UK’s equivalent of permanent residency.

Requirements:

• 5 years of continuous stay in the UK.
• The salary meets the current ILR level.
• No absences of more than 180 days in any 12 months.
• Pass the Life in the UK test.

Skilled Worker Visa Processing Time

Skilled worker visa applications can take up to 8 weeks if submitted from within the UK and up to 3 weeks if submitted from outside the UK. It may be possible to pay for expedited processing, depending on where the application is being processed. When submitting your application, you will be notified if expedited processing is possible.

Application fee (3 years or less)	£719
Application fee (more than 3 years)	£1,420
IHS Test (per year)	£1,035
TB Test	£57-£100
Priority Service (Optional)	£500

The applicant must pay the visa application fee, with the amount due dependent on factors such as whether the employment is on the Immigration Salary List.

The same fees apply to any dependents applying with the primary visa applicant.

Common Reasons For Visa Refusal

• The employer is not licensed under the Skilled Worker route.
• Insufficient funding or proof of maintenance.
• IELTS and English proof are missing.
• Job offer below the needed wage criteria.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I switch from another visa to a skilled worker visa?

If you match the qualifying requirements, you may be able to change your visa category to a Skilled Worker Visa.

How long can I stay in the UK on this visa?

The visa is normally valid for up to five years. You can apply to extend it or change to another visa before it expires.

May I apply for permanent residency?

After five years on a Skilled Worker Visa, you may be able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), assuming you meet the residency and other requirements.

What will happen if I lose my job?

If you lose your employment, you will need to locate another employer who can sponsor you or change your visa category. You will normally be offered a 60-day grace period (unless your visa expires before then) to get a new lawful status or depart the UK.

Conclusion

The UK Skilled Worker Visa is still the most reliable way for Nigerians to gain legal employment and long-term residence. However, it involves precision, patience, and accurate documentation.