Eligible for sponsorship
Check if a job (based on its occupation code) is eligible for sponsorship
The University can only employ people with permission to work in the UK. For many overseas nationals, this will mean obtaining a visa under one of the UK's immigration routes. Whether a visa is required, and the type of visa, will depend on the person's individual circumstances, but the Skilled Worker route (formerly Tier 2), Global Talent route (formerly Tier 1) and Government Authorised Exchange route (formerly Tier 5) are the visa routes most relevant to the University.
EEA nationals who started living in the UK by 31 December 2020 may still be able to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme.
Please see the HR website and GOV.UK Apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (settled and pre-settled status) for more information.
With status under the EU Settlement Scheme it’s important that all personal details (name, address, passport information etc.) are kept up to date with the UKVI. Please see GOV.UK Update your UK Visas and Immigration account details for further information.
The Skilled Worker visa replaced the Tier 2 (General) visa in December 2020 and allows international staff to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job. This visa route is sponsored which means a Certificate of Sponsorship is required for the visa application. Managers and sponsored staff must adhere to strict record and reporting duties throughout the period of sponsorship.
People who wish to come to the UK, switch to or extend their stay in the UK on this route must meet the relevant eligibility requirements. The job advertised by the University must also be a genuine vacancy.
If eligibility and requirements cannot be met, the University will not be able to provide sponsorship. In this situation, you may wish to explore alternative visa options via UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
If you wish to be sponsored for the Skilled Worker visa, your HR Recruitment Administration Officer will support you through the sponsorship process. If it is demonstrated that all eligibility criteria and requirements are met, a Certificate of Sponsorship will be assigned to you. You will then be responsible for applying for your visa.
If you are already an employee at the University and you wish to switch into, extend under or apply for a change of Skilled Worker visa, you can start the process by submitting the following HR Request:
As a current employee, you will also be able to access our internal University SharePoint site with details on the Skilled Worker visa: HR Visas and Immigration for staff and visitors
There is no action is required for existing Tier 2 visa holders working in the same job you are sponsored for. If you need to extend your visa or undertake a change of employment, this will be progressed under the Skilled Worker requirements.
The job you undertake at the University must be within an eligible SOC 2020 occupation code and must meet the relevant salary threshold. The job must also be skilled to at least level 3 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (equivalent to A-level standard). Typical eligible jobs for the University of Southampton are listed in Tables 1-2 of the Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations - Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
70 points are needed to meet the eligibility requirement, which are made up of 50 points for mandatory or ‘non-tradeable’ criteria, and 20 points for ‘tradeable’ criteria. The mandatory criteria are set out in the table below. All applicants on the Skilled Worker route must score 50 points from this table:
| Points Type | Description | Points Available |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsorship | You must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the role, assigned by the University. | 20 |
| Job at appropriate skill level | Your job must be in an eligible occupation code. | 20 |
| English language | You must prove you can read, write, speak and understand English to at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale | 10 |
You must also score 20 points for salary and other attributes from only one row in the table below. Where reference is made to the ‘going rate’, this means the salary for the occupation code.
Different salary thresholds apply depending on whether you are new to the Skilled Worker visa, or whether you held and continue to hold a Skilled Worker visa which was issued under the rules in place before 4 April 2024. Please see the below sections for details.
If you did not hold a Skilled Worker visa under the immigration rules in place before 4 April 2024, the below options apply to you. This includes if you are moving to the UK from overseas or if you are switching to the Skilled Worker visa from a Graduate, Global Talent, Student or any other visa within the UK which is not Skilled Worker:
| Option | Salary Requirements |
|---|---|
| Option A: Salary only |
Salary offered equals or exceeds both:
|
| Option B: Relevant PhD |
PhD in a subject relevant to the job and salary offered equals or exceeds :
|
| Option C: Relevant PhD (STEM) |
PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job and salary offered exceeds:
|
| Option D: Immigration Salary List |
The job is listed in the Immigration Salary List and the applicant’s salary equals or exceeds both:
|
| Option E: New Entrant |
Applicant is a new entrant to the labour market and salary offered equals or exceeds:
|
If you hold a Skilled Worker visa which was granted under the immigration rules in place before 4 April 2024, the below options apply to you.
| Options | Salary Requirements |
|---|---|
| Option F: Salary only |
Salary offered equals or exceeds both:
|
| Option G: Relevant PhD |
PhD in a subject relevant to the job and salary offered equals or exceeds:
|
| Option H: Relevant PhD (STEM) |
PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job and salary offered exceeds:
|
| Option I: Immigration Salary List |
The job is listed in the Immigration Salary List and salary equals or exceeds both:
|
| Option J: New Entrant |
Applicant is a new entrant to the labour market and salary offered equals or exceeds:
|
| Option K: Listed Health or Education Occupation |
The job is in a listed health or education occupation and the applicant’s salary equals or exceeds both:
|
The Skilled Worker has various requirements. Some requirements differ depending on the kind of job you will be sponsored for.
The ATAS requirement was expanded to the Skilled Worker visa in May 2021 and is a scheme aimed at preventing the transfer of information, knowledge or technology which could develop, advance or support an Advanced Conventional Military Technology and Weapons of Mass Destruction programme or their means of delivery. It is a type of vetting scheme administered externally by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (UK Government Department).
If you meet all the following criteria, you will be subject to the ATAS requirement:
Relevant subjects include: Subjects allied to Medicine, Biological Sciences, Veterinary Sciences, Agriculture and related subjects, Physical Sciences, Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Engineering, Technologies.
Please see the Immigration Rules Appendix ATAS for the breakdown of subjects.
Exempt nationalities: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United States of America.
If you are not an exempt national, HR will contact your manager to confirm certain details relating to your job and the funding, and pass this onto you. You will then need to apply for ATAS clearance online and wait for the application outcome.
If you are granted ATAS clearance, you will be emailed your ATAS certificate from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. The University will also be sent a copy of your ATAS certificate directly.
The University will not assign a Certificate of Sponsorship until the ATAS certificate has been received directly from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.
Note: If you change your job or research project/area, a new ATAS certificate may also be required before you can start the new job or piece of research.
If you are applying from outside the UK or have been in the UK for less than a year at the date of application, you must show you have enough funds to support yourself (and any family members) when you move to the UK.
The University will certify this requirement is met for both you and your family on your Certificate of Sponsorship. This is known as 'certifying maintenance' which means the University will, if needed, provide you with a loan to support yourself during your first month in the UK and a loan to support your family members during their first month in the UK. Please note the loan is subject to all eligibility and requirements being met and will be up to the maximum amount specified in the guidance.
Please see the following links for further details:
For some jobs, you will need to provide a criminal record certificate from the relevant authority in any country in which you have been present for 12 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the past 10 years, while aged 18 or over.
Please see the following links for further details:
Unless you are an exempt national or have proved you have already proved you meet the English Language requirement at level B1 in previous successful visa application, you will need to demonstrate how you have met this requirement. There are many ways you can do this:
Please see the following link for further details:
Timescales vary depending on your circumstances and which requirements apply.
HR will only assign a Certificate of Sponsorship when satisfied that eligibility and requirements are met. Please allow 12 weeks for checks to be made by HR and for you to gather information to submit your visa application.
Once the visa application is submitted, the usual visa processing times are:
Outside the UK = 3 weeks
Inside the UK = 8 weeks
When you apply for the Skilled Worker visa, you will need to pay for the following:
Application fee
The fee differs for a COS up to three years and for a COS over three years.
Please see the following link for further details:
Immigration Health Surcharge
To use the National Health Service (NHS) you will need to pay the Healthcare surcharge for each year of your visa, as part of your visa application.
Please see the following links for further details:
Other fees
You and your dependants may also need to pay for the following:
Reimbursement of fees
If your visa application is successful, the University may be able to assist you by reimbursing your visa application fee and other costs associated with making your visa application.
In addition, the University also offers an interest free loan provision, to assist with costs of visa application fees and associated costs for both employees and their dependents.
For further details and full eligibility criteria, please see the University’s ‘Visa and Immigration Costs Assistance’ policy.
Your partner and children can apply to join you in the UK as your ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible. If their application is successful, their visa will end on the same date as yours as the main applicant.
Please see the following link for further details:
If you need to apply to extend your Skilled Worker visa, switch into Skilled Worker or if your job changes, you will need a new Certificate of Sponsorship in order to apply for a new visa. You cannot use a previous Certificate of Sponsorship assigned to you.
Current employees will need to complete and submit the Extend or switch to Skilled Worker or Global Talent visa to notify HR if you require a new Certificate of Sponsorship to extend, switch or change a job under Skilled Worker.
If you are changing to a new job within a different occupation, you are not allowed to start that new job until your visa has been granted. Additionally, if the ATAS requirement applies, you are not allowed to start a new research project until a new ATAS certificate has been granted.
Strict record keeping duties and reporting duties apply where your visa is sponsored by the University. Please ensure you are familiar with the following responsibilities so you know when you notify HR of any changes:
To report a change in circumstance as either a manager of a sponsored employee or as the sponsored employee, please contact Ask HR as soon as you become aware of the change. Internal members of the University can also visit the University of Southampton HR UKVI SharePoint site to explore further details for Skilled Worker.
The Global Talent Visa (GTV) allows the most highly skilled individuals within a certain eligible field to come to the UK as either a leader or potential leader.
If you wish to apply for the Global Talent visa for endorsement paths 1 or 3 described below, your Recruitment Administration Officer will initiate this process with the HR Staff Visa team. If all eligibility is met, the team will provide you with a supporting letter required for your endorsement application. You will then be responsible for applying for your endorsement and visa.
If you are already an employee at the University and you wish to switch into the Global Talent visa, you can start this process by submitting the following HR Request:
As a current employee, you will also be able to access our internal University SharePoint site with details on the Global Talent visa: HR Visas and Immigration for staff and visitors
The GTV is an alternative to the Skilled Worker visa for eligible international applicants including EU and EEA nationals (excluding Irish nationals), with more flexibility and without the requirement for University sponsorship. Under GTV, there is no minimum salary requirement, no language requirement, and as GTV is non-sponsored, the University does not have the same additional reporting requirements as Skilled Worker.
There are two stages for the application for GTV: endorsement stage and the visa itself. The applicant decides whether to apply for the endorsement first and then the visa, or to apply for both endorsement and the visa at the same time. The application must be made online and depending on the endorsement route, the University may need to provide supporting written confirmation.
There are three fields the individual can be endorsed if they are leader or potential leader:
The six Home Office engaged endorsing bodies are as follows and differ depending on which of the above fields the individual applies under (see Eligibility for further details):
For the field of Academia and Research, there are four routes for endorsement:
Individuals who are at least 18 years of age can apply for this visa if they are endorsed as a leader or potential leader in one of the three fields noted above.
Under ‘Academia or Research’ the individual will need to be a leader or potential leader in one of the following four fields: Science, Medicine, Engineering or Humanities. The endorsement routes for ‘Academia or Research’ are as follows and are subject to eligibility:
Route 1 - Academic and research appointments
Fast-track endorsement for individuals who have accepted a position at an approved UK higher education institution (HEI) or research institute with responsibility either for academic, research or innovation leadership and development, or for directing or leading an individual or team in a research or innovation project or programme of work.
Endorsing bodies: The British Academy, The Royal Academy of Engineering, The Royal Society
Route 2 - Individual fellowships
Fast-track endorsement for individuals who have been awarded an individual fellowship on the list approved by the British Academy, Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society. The fellowship must be current or within the last 5 years.
Endorsing bodies: The British Academy, The Royal Academy of Engineering, The Royal Society
Route 3 - Endorsed funders
Fast-track endorsement for researchers and specialists whose name or job title is specified in a successful grant application from an endorsed funder approved by UKRI. In order to be eligible, researchers must be hosted or employed by an eligible institution approved by UKRI.
Endorsing body: UK Research and Innovation
Route 4 - Peer review
Standard endorsement for individuals submitting an application for full peer review.
Endorsing bodies: The British Academy, The Royal Academy of Engineering, The Royal Society
Please see the following links for further details, including eligibility criteria for each endorsement route:
Subject to eligibility, an applicant’s partner and children can apply to enter or stay in the UK. Please see GOV.UK Apply for the Global Talent visa - Your partner and children for further details.
There is normally a two-step process which the applicant can either apply for separately for each stage or at the same time. Step one is the endorsement and step two is the visa itself. Applications must be made online.
Depending on the endorsement route, applicants will also need to provide supporting documents. For example, under Academic or Researcher and UKRI routes, a letter is required from the Director of HR. The HR Operations team will support with providing this letter if all statements can be verified by the employing department.
Please see the following link for further details on the application process:
The endorsement decision is normally made within eight weeks, unless a fast-track route is available in which case it will take one week.
Once the visa application is submitted, the usual visa processing times are:
Outside the UK = 3 weeks
Inside the UK = 8 weeks
There is a fee for each of the following which the applicant pays for:
For the full breakdown of fees, please see GOV.UK Apply for the Global Talent visa
Reimbursement of fees
If successful, the University may be able to assist with the Visa application fee and other costs associated with making a visa application. For further details and full eligibility criteria, please see the University’s ‘Visa and Immigration Costs Assistance’ policy.
International students who have completed an eligible course at a UK higher education provider can apply for the Graduate visa to continue to stay in the UK and work. Applicants must have a valid Tier 4 or Student visa, and must be in the UK when applying for the Graduate visa.
The maximum period for this visa is:
This visa cannot be extended but eligible individuals may be able to switch to another visa such as Skilled Worker.
This route is non-sponsored which means applicants do not need a job offer to apply for this route, there are no minimum salary requirements, and there is no cap on numbers. This also means individuals with this visa can switch jobs, and work flexibly, and the University does not have additional reporting requirements for changes to individual’s circumstances.
Please see GOV.UK Graduate visa for further details including eligibility, cost and how to apply.
University of Southampton students can also visit The Student Hub | Visa and Immigration | Working after your studies for further details.
European staff who live outside the UK but travel back and forth to the University to work, and who have been doing this prior to 31 December 2020, may be deemed 'Frontier Workers'. They can apply for a Frontier Worker Permit to evidence their right to continue working in this way. A frontier worker will not require sponsorship by the University.
A person will be deemed a Frontier Worker if they:
A digital permit will be issued rather than a physical document. It will be valid for 5 years, or 2 years for retained rights if they are currently not working, and can be extended as long as work in the UK is continuing.
There is no application fee and the application can be made from inside or outside the UK. Please see GOV.UK for further details.
This section provides a summary of the different visa routes that may be available for a visitor to the University who is coming to the UK from overseas.
For more detailed information please see Guidelines - Visa Routes for International Visitors
Conditions: No access to public funds; no work (unless allowed under a Permitted Activity); research as part of a permitted activity is subject to the ATAS condition.
Maximum Stay: Six months. A multiple entry visa for 2, 5 or 10 years is available (each visit duration maximum is six months)
Payment: No salary. Only reasonable travel and subsistence expenses.
Visitor must be able to prove they are highly qualified in their area of expertise (usually PhD), currently working in that field of expertise at an academic institution overseas and not filling a normal vacancy.
Conditions: No access to public funds; no work (unless allowed under a Permitted Activity); research as part of a permitted activity is subject to the ATAS condition.
Maximum Stay: 12 months
Payment: No salary. Only reasonable travel and subsistence expenses.
Please see the following links for further details:
Under the Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) route, the University can sponsor people coming to the UK, on a temporary basis, to take part in one or more of the following activities:
Sponsored researchers include academics, researchers, scientists, research engineers or other skilled research technology specialists.
The role they are filling must be supernumerary (i.e. in addition to the faculty's normal requirements).
Conditions: No access to public funds; work/activities only permitted in the occupation the visitor is being sponsored for; supplementary work permitted, subject to eligibility criteria; research is subject to the ATAS requirement.
Maximum Stay: 24 months
Payment: Must be in receipt of funding paid by their host, overseas employer, or an independent UK or non-UK funding body. Funding must be in place for the full duration of the visit and must comply with UK National Minimum Wage. Evidence of funding is required.
Please see GOV.UK Government Authorised Exchange visa (Temporary Worker) for further details.
Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) is a scheme administered by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and is aimed at preventing the transfer of information, knowledge or technology which could develop, advance or support an Advanced Conventional Military Technology and Weapons of Mass Destruction programme or their means of delivery. ATAS is a type of vetting scheme and we have a legal requirement to protect our research both as a University and internationally.
For Students and ATAS please see the Student and Academic Administration pages.
A check for the ATAS requirement must be made for the sponsored Skilled Worker and Government Authorised Exchange routes for new, switch and extension visa applications. A check must also be made if an individual changes research subject or role.
An individual will be subject to the ATAS requirement where all of the following apply:
If the individual is subject to the ATAS requirement, they must apply for and obtain a valid ATAS certificate before a Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) is assigned by the University of Southampton. The individual must include a copy of the ATAS certificate with their visa application. If this is not included, their application will be refused, and the University's sponsor licence will be at risk.
The ATAS certificate will confirm that the applicant is permitted to apply for a University-sponsored Skilled Worker or Government Authorised Exchange visa. The ATAS Certificate does not guarantee the visa application will be successful.
HR Operations will liaise with the manager and individual regarding ATAS as part of the COS process.
The ATAS Condition may apply for visiting researchers coming to the University on a UK Visitor visa and will be undertaking science and academic activities as part of a permitted activity, including:
Please see GOV.UK Find out if you need an ATAS certificate for further details.
It is the visitor's University host’s responsibility to check whether they are subject to the ATAS condition.
If the individual is subject to the ATAS condition, they must apply for and obtain a valid ATAS certificate before being registered as a University visitor and before starting the research. It is recommended that the visitor obtains an ATAS certificate prior to travelling to the UK. Once a valid ATAS certificate has been issued, the individual must provide this to their University host and the host must attach this to the Visitor HR Request (New or Extension). If an individual is subject to the ATAS condition, and the ATAS certificate is not provided, the HR request will not be able to be submitted and access to systems will not be granted.
Relevant SOC (Occupation) codes (sponsored routes only)
Please see ATAS Requirement - Immigration Rules Appendix ATAS: Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) - Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) for the list.
Relevant Subject areas
Please see Academic Subjects relevant to ATAS - Immigration Rules Appendix ATAS: Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) - Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) for the list with CAH3 codes.
Exempt nationalities
Individuals who are nationals from countries in the EEA and Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and USA, do not need to meet the ATAS requirement or the ATAS condition. Please see When you don't need an ATAS certificate - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) for the full list.
Where ATAS applies, the individual will need the following from the University (to be provided by line manager/host) to include in their ATAS application:
There is no cost for the ATAS certificate.
For further information including timeframes and how to apply, please see GOV.UK Academic Technology Approval Scheme
Internal members of the University can also visit the University of Southampton HR UKVI SharePoint site to explore further details for ATAS.
The ability to attract, successfully recruit and retain talented individuals from a global market is important to the achievement of our University Strategy. The University therefore provides assistance with the costs incurred in making visa and immigration applications, where this is a requirement of working for the University.
Assistance is provided through reimbursement of eligible costs incurred and/or through provision of an interest-free loan. These provisions may be combined to provide an overall package of assistance (e.g., reimbursement of an employee’s visa application fees and associated costs, plus an interest-free loan to assist with dependents’ visa application fees and associated costs).
The University cannot pay directly for visa and/or immigration applications or associated costs.
For more information on how to make a visa reimbursement claim or request an interest-free loan, visit our SharePoint page.
For general information please contact Ask HR in the first instance. They will try to answer your query, sign post you to the relevant information or escalate it to another HR team to action or respond to.
For questions about the visa application process and for general immigration advice please contact the UKVI. Please see GOV.UK for contact information.
Internal members of the University can also visit the University of Southampton HR UKVI SharePoint site to explore further details on each of the visa types above.
Visa Reimbursement
POLICY - Visa and Immigration Costs Assistance
Sponsored worker and sponsoring line manager responsibilities
GUIDELINES - Tier 2 / SWR Employee Responsibilities
GUIDELINES - Tier 2 / SWR Line Manager Responsibilities
Maintenance
Global Talent Visa
GUIDELINES - Global Talent Visa
T5 visitor and supervisor responsibilities
GUIDELINES - Tier 5 / Temporary Worker - Government Authorised Exchange Visitor Responsibilities
GUIDELINES - Tier 5 / Temporary Worker - Government Authorised Exchange Manager Responsibilities
Brexit information for EU nationals
GUIDELINES - Brexit information for EU Nationals
International visitors
Guidelines - Visa Routes for International Visitors
Temporary Work - Government Authorised Exchange - COS Personal Details Form
Check if a job (based on its occupation code) is eligible for sponsorship
Identify a job’s occupation code.
Check the minimum going rate for a job (i.e., the going rate for the occupational code)
Check if the job qualifies for a PHD salary discount (including STEM PHD)
Check the minimum salary requirements for the ‘New Entrant’ option
Check if the job is listed as a shortage occupation and what the going rate is for that job
Check what rules apply to you if your COS was issued before 4 April 2024 and you have held continuous permission under the Skilled Worker visa since
To view the most up to date guidance on the Skilled Worker Visa
To view the most up to date guidance on the Global Talent Visa
To view the most up to date guidance on the Graduate Visa
To view the most up to date guidance on the High Potential Individual (HPI) Visa
To view the most up to date guidance on ATAS