How to work in the UK from South Africa: A Guide

A recent LinkedIn report has shown the UK is the top destination for migrants from South Africa, alongside India and Nigeria moving for work. The software and IT industries experienced the biggest increases in attracting highly skilled professionals.

If you’re planning a move from South Africa to the UK to work, it’s important to understand the latest information, which we break down for you here. Changes induced by Brexit to the UK’s visa scheme could open up multiple opportunities for workers from South Africa to come to the UK, such as the new ‘elite’ points-based visa, reforms to Global Talent visa, and of course the Skilled Worker visa.

What is the Skilled Worker visa? 

The Skilled Worker visa is the route that most job-seekers from overseas will use to take up work opportunities in the UK. It requires a job offer from a registered and licensed employer that provides a certificate of sponsorship to ‘sponsor’ the employee from abroad. The job offer must be confirmed before you can apply for the visa. You can stay in the UK for up to five years in the same job with the same employer, and the visa can then be extended.

Eligibility criteria 

There are many eligibility criteria that must be met for the Skilled Worker visa, such as:

• Salary requirements
• Knowledge of English
• Job offer from list of eligible roles
• Proof of finances to support yourself

Once you’ve applied for a role, your employer will check that you meet the requirements. If you do, they will provide you with a ‘certificate of sponsorship’, which acts as an electronic record of your eligibility. It will also include a reference number, which you will need to make a visa application. Applications must be made at least three months before you intend to start work.

Salary requirements for the Skilled Worker visa

The job you take must be paid the ‘going rate’ for the specific role, and this can vary depending on the type of role you are taking. Generally, the minimum salary you can be paid is £41,700. Different salary caps apply for those working in healthcare or education sectors for example.

However, there are some exceptions to these rules. You may still be eligible to apply if the salary is lower than the ‘going rate’. These exceptions could apply if you:

• Are 26 years old or younger
• Are applying for a job on the shortage occupation list
• Hold a PhD qualification in Science, Maths, Technology or Engineering

Eligible job roles

All applicants will need the occupation code from their job offer, to check to see whether their role would be eligible for the Skilled Worker Visa. You can also search for the code using the ONS tool here if you don’t have one from an employer, by searching for similar jobs and matching the job description to the role you would be carrying out.

The government also keeps an update list of eligible job roles, which you can check here.

Shortage occupation list 

As mentioned above, taking a job that is on the shortage occupation list is one exception to the minimum salary rule. Jobs on this list can be paid less and still grant eligibility for the Skilled Worker visa because there is a shortage of UK employees for these roles. There is also a lower application fee for people filling these job shortages.

From 6th April 2021, new roles were added to the shortage occupation list, such as:

• Modern foreign language teachers
• Pharmacists
• Senior care workers
• Lab technicians 

You can check the most up to date shortage occupations list here.

Ability to support yourself in the UK 

As with most visas in the UK, during the period of leave granted you will not be able to apply for state support on the Skilled Worker visa, known as the ‘no recourse to public funds’ condition. Therefore, the Home Office will be looking for proof you (and any dependants you want to bring with you) can support yourselves whilst living in the country.

Therefore you’ll need to show you have at least £1,270 in your bank account for at least the last 28 days.

To do so, you may need to provide:

• Bank statements 
• Savings accounts details
• Proof of the above for a dependant partner

Knowledge of English 

You must be able to prove your ability to speak English to the B1 level, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. This means the person can “understand the main points of clear standard input on matters regularly encountered in work, leisure, school etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise when travelling in the area where the language is spoken.”

You can prove your level of English knowledge by:

• Taking an English Language test at a registered provider
• Showing proof of qualifications taken at a UK school before the age of 18, such as A Levels or GCSE’s or equivalents
• Having studied at degree level in English at a UK university

If you studied in English but abroad, you will have to apply separately to Ecctis for proof that your degree is equivalent to a UK undergraduate, masters or PhD. This is a separate verification service that costs from £140 + VAT.

How much does a Skilled Worker visa application cost?

Charges to apply for the Skilled Worker visa can differ quite widely depending on your circumstances. You will be told how much you will need to pay when you apply. 

If you are applying from South Africa to work in the UK for up to three years, it will cost £819 per person.

If you are applying to stay for more than three years, the visa will cost £1,618 per person.

You will also need to the Immigration Health Surcharge each year you are in the UK, which costs £1035.

If your job is on the shortage occupation list, you will pay £628 for a three year stay, or £1,235 for over three years.

Making the application 

You must apply online and be able to prove your identity by having your biometric information taken, including fingerprints and a photograph for your residence permit. You must also send all your supporting documents. A decision can be made within 3-4 weeks, but can also take longer if extra verifications need to be made.

Temporary Worker Visas

There are multiple temporary worker visas that you may be eligible for, depending on your job role and description in specific sectors. Most grant leave for between 12 and 24 months, except the Seasonal Worker Visa, which enables the applicant to stay in the UK for up to six months. Some of these temporary visas are:

• Religious Worker visa 
• Charity Worker visa
• Creative and Sporting visa
• Government Authorised Exchange visa

There are varied eligibility requirements needed for each and should be checked carefully before an application is made.

Global Talent visas

Designed for people who are leaders or potential leaders in specific fields, the Global Talent visa does not require any certificate of sponsorship or confirmed job offer from an employer. Instead, the applicant must have endorsement from a third party body approved by the Home Office. It also gives you more freedom to be an employee, self-employed or even a director of a company.

You must be a leader or potential leader in one of the following:

• Academia or research 
• Arts and culture
• Digital technology 

There are also no language or minimum salary requirements for this visa.

Ancestry Visa

As South Africa is part of the Commonwealth, citizens can apply for a UK Ancestry visa if one of your grandparents was born in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man. You can also claim ancestry if your parents were adopted and if your grandparents were not married.

You must be over 17 and planning to live and work in the UK for up to five years. Once again you will not have access to public funds, so you must also prove you can support yourself.

New ‘elite’ visa 

Though this visa doesn’t yet exist at the time of writing, the UK government have announced plans to potentially introduce a new ‘elite points-based visa’ from March 2022. The visa would be aimed at bringing more technology entrepreneurs to the UK.

According to announcements, the visa will include a ‘scale-up’ stream, allowing people with an offer from a ‘high-growth business’ to qualify for a fast-tracked version of the visa. Furthermore, unlike the Skilled Worker visa, it won’t be subject to sponsorship or any endorsement.

If you’re from South Africa and looking to take up a job in the UK, there are multiple options you can take to get the visa you need.

Getting professional immigration advice from an advisor is highly recommended. Get in touch with our supportive team today.