UK Work Visas

Herrington Carmichael has dedicated Immigration lawyers; our specialists work with individuals and businesses to ensure they are legally covered on their career journeys in the UK.

UK Work Visas

There is a variety of work visas and routes into the UK that give you the legal right to live and work, or to work under various circumstances. Some lead to settlement in the UK while others do not. Take a look at the different work visas to see which works best for you.

For businesses, we offer comprehensive immigration legal services to ensure your hiring of migrant workers is compliant, efficient and as simple as possible.

If you are unsure of which visa to pursue, you would like help with completing the application with the best chance of success, or both, get in touch with us and we can set up a 10 minute free consultation call where we can get a better understanding of your situation and guide you from there.

Skilled Worker Visas enable individuals to lawfully live and work in the UK in an eligible skilled role.

To qualify, applicants must have a confirmed job offer from an employer that holds a valid Sponsor Licence. The sponsoring employer must be authorised to issue Certificates of Sponsorship and able to demonstrate that the role is genuine and skilled.

Visa holders can work, volunteer, undertake additional part‑time employment, and pursue studies while in the UK. Dependants of the main applicant may also accompany or join them under this route.

The Skilled Worker Visa provides a pathway to settlement and, ultimately, British citizenship.

Read our FAQs on Skilled Worker Visa here.

The Senior or Specialist Worker Visa has replaced the former Tier 2 (Intra‑Company Transfer) Long‑Term Staff route. It is designed for senior managers and specialist employees who are being assigned to a UK branch or connected entity of an overseas organisation to undertake specific, skilled work on a temporary basis.

This visa allows eligible employees to work in the UK and bring their dependants with them. However, it is important to note that this route does not lead to settlement in the UK.

Length of Stay

Under the Senior or Specialist Worker Visa, applicants may stay in the UK for:

Up to 5 years in any 6‑year period, or
Up to 9 years in any 10‑year period for high earners.

These limits apply cumulatively across all periods spent in the UK under this route

Read our FAQs on Senior or Specialist Worker Visa here.

The Permitted Paid Engagement Visa is designed for individuals who have been formally invited to the UK to undertake a short‑term paid assignment in their field of expertise. This route is available to recognised professionals who have been asked to carry out specific engagements by a UK‑based organisation or client.

Eligible visitors may stay in the UK for up to one month to complete the engagement. This visa cannot be extended, and applicants must meet the strict criteria demonstrating that the work is pre‑arranged, relevant to their professional expertise, and permissible under the visitor rules.

Read our FAQs on Permitted Paid Engagement Visa here.

The High Potential Individual visa is an exciting category designed to enable those who have been awarded an eligible degree‑level qualification from an institution featured on the Global Universities List within the last five years.

This flexible route allows individuals to live and work in the UK without sponsorship, offering a stay of 2 or 3 years, depending on the level of qualification. Eligible applicants may also bring their dependent partner and children, provided they meet the relevant requirements.

While this visa does not lead directly to settlement, it offers an excellent opportunity to gain UK experience. At the end of the visa period, individuals may switch into another immigration category that can lead to long‑term residence, should they wish to remain in the UK.

Read our FAQs on High Potential Individual Visa here.

The International Sportsperson Visa is designed for elite athletes and highly qualified sports coaches who are internationally recognised and able to make a significant contribution to the development of their sport at the highest level in the UK.

As this is a sponsored immigration route, the UK‑based club, team, or organisation must hold a valid Sponsor Licence. Applicants may apply under either the short‑term route (up to 12 months) or the long‑term route (more than 12 months), depending on the nature of their engagement.

Securing an International Sportsperson Visa involves a two‑stage process:

Governing Body Endorsement – The applicant must first obtain an endorsement from the relevant UK sports governing body confirming their international standing and the value they bring to the sport.
Visa Application – Once endorsed, the applicant can apply for entry clearance or permission to stay under the International Sportsperson route.

Read our FAQs on International Sportsperson Visa here.

The Minister of Religion Visa is designed for individuals who have been sponsored to undertake pastoral or other religious duties within a UK‑based faith organisation. This route is intended for authorised religious workers who will lead or support worship and carry out key roles within their religious community.

Applicants must meet the 70‑point requirement, which is assessed across three categories:

Attributes (including a valid Certificate of Sponsorship)
English Language, and
Financial Maintenance.

Successful applicants may be granted permission to stay for up to 3 years and 1 month, or for the duration stated on their Certificate of Sponsorship plus an additional 14 days, whichever is shorter. After the initial grant of leave, individuals may apply to extend their stay, subject to meeting the relevant requirements.

Read our FAQs on Minister of Religion(T2) Visa here.

Key contact

Usof Shah

Legal Director

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What our clients say about us

We have also greatly benefited from the excellent work of Usof Shah, Immigration Director, whose expertise has been instrumental in helping our members address critical skills shortages in the construction industry. Usof has provided clear, actionable guidance on immigration laws, empowering our members to legally employ skilled foreign workers and sustain their businesses. His commitment extends beyond traditional legal services - he has delivered live webinars and offered free advice to some of our SME members, which was highly valued and, in several cases, helped save their companies. This combination of deep legal expertise, accessibility, and genuine care for clients' success sets him apart from others in the field.

Throughout my UK career, I came across many solicitors and solicitor firms. But Herrington Carmichael is the best so far. Their quick response, wider knowledge, and straightforward decisions come with a very competitive advisory fee. I can easily recommend them, and I did. Their success rate for me is 100%. In a nutshell, they are brilliant.

The individual deals with my requirements and makes sure I fully understand what he is advising and what the best way to proceed is.

Responsive, commercial, and able to explain immigration requirements in clear, simple terms.

The individuals we work with stand out for being approachable, knowledgeable, and responsive. Usof Shah, in particular, has been extremely professional, helpful, and practical in his advice.

Usof Shah stands out for his strong combination of technical expertise, commercial awareness, and responsiveness. He is able to explain complex immigration matters in a clear and practical way while remaining highly approachable and solutions-oriented throughout the process. What differentiates him from competitors is the level of personal attention and ownership he brings to matters. He is proactive, detail-oriented, and demonstrates a strong understanding of the operational and business needs of his clients rather than approaching matters from a purely technical perspective. I have particularly valued his responsiveness, clear communication, and ability to manage matters efficiently under tight timelines. He consistently provides pragmatic advice and maintains a high level of professionalism, which creates a strong sense of confidence and reliability throughout the engagement.

Usof Shah and his team stood out for their professionalism, responsiveness, and clear communication.

Herrington Carmichael’s team stands out for its strong expertise in immigration matters, combined with a highly personalized and responsive service. Over the past few years, they supported me and three members of my family, managing each of our individual cases efficiently and professionally. Compared to other firms, they are notably more organized and responsive.

Thank you for helping me to apply the exceptional assurance and I got the application succeed very quickly.

Usof was a pleasure to work with and his wealth of knowledge on the topic of immigration law was evident. We collaboratively delivered a successful webinar to hundreds of construction professionals on the post-Brexit immigration system and Usof was able to answer complex questions on the spot, demonstrating his attention to detail and professionalism. We would not hesitate to recommend Usof and Herrington Carmichael.

Usof Shah has been a great source of information and guidance both in setting up to become a sponsor and also in getting candidates sponsored.

The team provides useful guidance and support on the pitfalls and processes of being a sponsor. The team helps set everything up to become a sponsor as well as assisting with processing CoS applications.