The UK Skilled Worker Visa for Hospitality Workers

The UK Skilled Worker Visa covers more jobs than most people realize. Restaurant managers, chefs, and other hospitality professionals are currently eligible for this visa route. While it's true the visa targets jobs requiring high levels of training, it's broader than many assume.

The UK hospitality industry continues to grapple with ongoing worker shortages. This creates real opportunities for international workers who want to build careers in the UK. The government recognizes this need and actively includes hospitality roles in the Skilled Worker Visa program.

In this guide, we'll walk through the UK labor market dynamics and explain exactly what hospitality workers need to know about visa opportunities and challenges. We'll also break down the UK Skilled Worker Visa requirements in plain language.

What Is the UK Skilled Worker Visa?

The UK Skilled Worker Visa allows foreign nationals with specific skills and experience to work in the United Kingdom for up to five years. The government designed this visa to attract highly skilled workers who can fill shortages in certain sectors of the UK labor market, including hospitality.

Some hospitality and service jobs may not traditionally seem "highly skilled," but they often require significant expertise. Culinary arts, hotel management, and event planning all demand specialized knowledge and experience. Many hospitality jobs are also considered in-demand in the UK, which means they may appear on the shortage occupation list. This designation makes it easier for applicants to meet the visa requirements.

The Skilled Worker Visa system is designed to be flexible and adaptable. It allows a wide range of workers to come to the UK to fill critical roles and contribute to the country's economy. This flexibility benefits both workers seeking opportunities and employers who need qualified staff.

Who Qualifies for the UK Skilled Worker Visa?

To qualify for a UK Skilled Worker Visa, foreign nationals must earn at least 70 points by meeting specific requirements. Here's how the points system works:

Mandatory Requirements:

• Job offer from a UK employer (20 points): The job offer must meet relevant skill level and salary requirements. This includes a minimum salary threshold of £25,600 per year, £10.10 per hour, or the "going rate" for that occupation: whichever amount is higher. Different salary levels carry different point values.
• English language requirement (10 points): You must pass an approved English language test or have a degree taught in English. Applicants from English-speaking countries get an exemption from this requirement, including those from the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
• Maintenance funds (10 points): You must prove you have the financial means to support yourself while living in the UK.

Additional Points You Can Earn:

• Higher salary (10 points): Salary of £23,040 to £25,599 or at least 90% of the going rate for the profession, whichever is higher.
• Job in a shortage occupation (20 points): Your job must appear on the list designated by the Migration Advisory Committee.
• Education qualification (10 points): You hold a Ph.D. in a subject relevant to the job.

Applicants must also show proof that they can financially support themselves during their stay, as Skilled Worker Visa holders cannot access public funds or benefits.

What Jobs Qualify for the UK Skilled Worker Visa?

The Skilled Worker Visa is typically associated with roles such as engineers, doctors, or IT specialists. However, the program encompasses a much broader range of professions, including many within the hospitality sector. Some lesser-known job titles that qualify for the UK Skilled Worker Visa include:

• Production managers and directors in construction
• Managers and proprietors in agriculture and horticulture
• Hotel and accommodation managers and proprietors, including caravan park owners, hotel managers, and landladies (boarding, guest, lodging house)
• Restaurant and catering establishment managers and proprietors, including café owners, fish & chip shopkeepers, operations managers (catering), restaurant managers, and shop managers (takeaway food shop)
• Publicans and managers of licensed premises
• Leisure and sports managers, including amusement arcade owners, leisure center managers, social club managers, and theater managers
• Travel agency managers and proprietors
• Hairdressing and beauty salon managers and proprietors
• Conference and exhibition managers and organizers, including conference coordinators, event organizers, events managers, exhibition organizers, and hospitality managers
• Glassblowers
• Dance choreographers
• Landscape architects
• Garden designers

If you don't see an exact match for your role, consider adjusting job titles to align with eligible categories. For example, you might change "cook" to "chef," "lawn mower" to "landscape architect," or "gardener" to "garden designer."

You can view the complete list of eligible jobs on the UK government website.

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What Steps Should Employers Take to Sponsor a UK Skilled Worker Visa?

If you're an employer interested in recruiting international talent, you'll need to take these steps:

1. Obtain a Sponsor License: Apply for and obtain a Sponsor License from the Home Office. This license allows you to legally employ foreign workers and sponsor their visa applications. Without this license, you cannot hire international workers through the Skilled Worker Visa route.
2. Confirm your job is eligible: Check that the role appears on the eligible occupations list and meets minimum skill and salary requirements.
3. Apply online and pay the fee: The fee varies based on the type of license you need to obtain:

• Stay up to three years: £610
• Stay more than three years: £1,200
• Job on the Shortage Occupation List (up to three years): £464
• Job on the Shortage Occupation List (more than three years): £928

4. Issue a certificate of sponsorship:Assign a certificate of sponsorship to each foreign worker you want to employ. Once you assign the certificate, the worker has exactly three months to apply for their visa. Missing this deadline means starting the process over.
5. Meet ongoing sponsorship duties: Once the worker applies for their visa, they'll need to provide extensive documentation to support their application. This includes proof of their qualifications, work experience, and financial resources. Sponsors must keep detailed records of their employment and report any changes to the Home Office promptly.

The Home Office uses each job's Standard Occupational Code (SOC) to assess whether a position qualifies for the Skilled Worker Visa route. Choosing the wrong code can lead to visa denial, so employers should double-check classifications carefully.

Understanding the UK Labor Market for Hospitality Workers

Hospitality drives a huge part of the UK's economy. The industry employs millions of people and contributes significantly to the country's economic output. But finding and keeping qualified workers has become a major challenge.

Two major factors contributed to the shortage: COVID-19 and Brexit.

• During the pandemic, restaurant and pub sales dropped 80% in April 2020 compared to the year before. Many restaurants never reopened.
• Hotel revenue fell by 90%, and air travel arrivals dropped 98% that same month.
• Before Brexit, roughly 700,000 hospitality workers in the UK were from EU countries — around 15% of the workforce [link: UK Hospitality Workforce Report].
• The end of freedom of movement made it harder and more expensive for EU citizens to work in the UK.

To help the sector recover, the government expanded Skilled Worker Visa eligibility to include more hospitality roles and even offers tax incentives for employers hiring international workers.

Check your eligibility today to learn more about how Boundless can help with your Skilled Worker Visa and other UK immigration needs. You can also speak with our team to discuss your specific situation and get personalized guidance for your immigration journey.

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