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How is the Skilled Worker visa different from the Tier 2 General visa?

On 1 December 2020, the Tier 2 General visa was replaced by the Skilled Worker visa. The main changes are:

The minimum skill threshold has been lowered from RQF level 6 (degree equivalent) to RQF level 3 (A Level equivalent)
The minimum salary threshold has been reduced from £30,000 to £25,600
The Resident Labour Market Test has been abolished
There are ‘defined’ and ‘undefined’ Certificates of Sponsorship
The monthly cap on restricted CoS which applies to some Tier 2 applications has been suspended

Applicants under this route still need to prove that they have the ability to speak English at level B1 level (lower intermediate)

Read more about this and other questions in our

Skilled Worker (for businesses) section.

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Disclaimer

Given the fast pace of change, we would stress that this information is designed to be informative, not advisory and represents our understanding of English law and practice as at the date indicated. We would always recommend that you should seek specific guidance on any particular legal issue.

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