The Tier 2 (General) is the route for skilled workers who have been offered a job by a UK-based organisation. The organisation must hold a Tier 2 Sponsorship Licence.
To apply for a Tier 2 General working visa the applicant needs:
- An offer of a suitably skilled job from a UK based Company that holds a Sponsorship Licence
- The employer must issue a Certificate of Sponsorship
- The salary must meet the UK Visas and Immigration threshold specific to the job role under the codes of practice
- The applicant must meet the Maintenance requirement unless the employer is an A rated company
- The applicant meets the English level requirement
The employer needs to have carried out a Resident Market Labour Test to ensure that a member of the UK resident workforce was not suitable for the job. However, it is not needed in all cases.