You can apply for a Tier 2 (General) visa if:
you’ve been offered a skilled job in the UK
you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
Getting sponsored
You need to have a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed sponsor before you can apply to come to the UK to work.
The work you do in the UK must relate to the work of your sponsor organisation.
How long it will take
You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day you’re due to start work in the UK. This date is listed on your certificate of sponsorship.
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks when you apply from outside the UK.
You can check the guide processing times to find out how long getting a visa might take in your country.
For people in UK switching employers there are 3 options:
Premium Same Day Appointment (Decision made on day of appointment)
Priority Postal (1-2 weeks)
Postal (4-8 weeks)
How long you can stay
You can come to the UK with a Tier 2 (General) visa for a maximum of 5 years and 14 days, or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 1 month, whichever is shorter.
Your stay must start no more than 14 days before the start date on your certificate of sponsorship.
You can apply to extend this visa for up to another 5 years, as long as your total stay is not more than 6 years.
What you can and can’t do
You can:
work for your sponsor in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship
do voluntary work
study as long as it doesn’t interfere with the job you’re sponsored for
travel abroad and return to the UK
bring family members with you
You can’t:
own more than 10% of your sponsor’s shares (unless you earn more than £159,600 a year)
get public funds
apply for a second job until you’ve started working for your sponsor
For general information and should you be looking at options for switching sponsors (IT professionals) and working on a project basis at contractor rates do get in touch. Consult@mavisas.co.uk or 07376290621.
Thanks for reading
Mason Alexander