How to move to the UK with a Skilled Worker visa

PTE Author
PTE Author
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Reading time: 5 minutes

Would you like to live and work in the UK? You’re not alone. The number of people who apply to work in the UK rises year after year. But if you’re planning to move to the UK, you’ll need a visa. There are lots of different types of visas available – and one of the most popular is the Skilled Worker visa.

Let’s take a look at the details of who can apply, the English language requirements, and the test you have to take in order to show you have the right level of English for the Skilled Worker visa.

1. What are the latest UK work immigration trends?

Apart from a pandemic-related dip in 2020, immigration to the UK has been steadily rising for the last decade. In 2021, there were 239,987 work-related visas granted – a 110% increase on the previous year, and a 25% increase on 2019. 

Of these 239,987 visas, 63% were Skilled Worker visas. This type of visa saw the largest growth from 2019 at an increase of 33%. That means that, of all the people moving to the UK to work, the majority of them (almost two thirds, in fact) apply for the Skilled Worker visa. 

India, the Philippines, Nigeria, the United States and Pakistan were the top five countries of origin for people who were granted Skilled Worker visas in 2021. 

2. What is the UK Skilled Worker visa?

The UK Skilled Worker visa is a visa that allows you to come to the UK and work for an approved company. You can live in the UK for up to five years before you need to renew your visa. You can apply for the visa up to three months from your starting date of work, and you should receive a decision in around three weeks if you’re outside the UK. The visa application fee is between £610 and £1,408, depending on your personal circumstances. 

If you work in healthcare – for example as a doctor or a nurse – you can apply for the Health and Care Worker visa instead, which is cheaper to apply for, and doesn’t require you to pay an annual immigration health surcharge. 

3. What kinds of workers can apply?

An extensive number of careers and professions are covered by the Skilled Worker visa, from architects to bakers, and hairdressers to chefs. You can see if your profession is eligible by checking the full list of occupations. 

In order to meet the requirements to be eligible for a Skilled Worker visa, you’ll need to make sure not only that your job is eligible for the visa, but also that your employer has been approved by the Home Office. 

You also need to ensure that you’ll be paid at least the minimum salary for the type of work you’ll be doing in the UK. You’ll be expected to earn:

  • £25,600 per year

  • £10.10 per hour

  • the ‘going rate’ for the type of work you’ll be doing

Whichever of these three options is the highest, that’s the information you’ll use for your visa form. 

However, if your job is on the list of Skilled Worker visa shortage occupations, you will only have to be paid 80% of the job’s usual going rate. 

4. What are the English requirements for the UK Skilled Worker visa?

In order to apply for the Skilled Worker visa, you’ll need to show that you have recently passed a secure English language test at the right level to be able to live and work in the UK. There is a list of countries that are exempt, but everyone else will need to show that they speak English to at least a B1 level on the CEFR scale. It’s a key requirement when it comes to a successful visa application! 

The only exemption is if you have a qualification at degree level in English (either a Bachelors, Masters or PhD); if you have a degree, you don’t need to sit an English test. 

5. What is PTE Academic UKVI?

PTE Academic UKVI is an English test which is approved by the UK Home Office for visa applications. It tests you on all four language skills: writing, speaking, reading, and listening. 

To sit the test, you will attend an official test center, where you will take PTE Academic UKVI on a computer. The entire test is computer-based, and takes around two hours. After sitting the test, you will typically receive your results within 48 hours. 

6. How can you get the score you need in PTE Academic UKVI?

In order to meet the requirements of the Skilled Worker visa, you will need to score a minimum of 43 on your PTE Academic UKVI test. The best way to make sure you get the score you need is to prepare as thoroughly as possible for the test: 

Get to know the test format

It’s really important to get to know the test format very well before you sit PTE Academic UKVI. The test content is exactly the same as PTE Academic. The test is split into three sections: Speaking and Writing, Reading, and Listening. There are 20 different types of questions across the three different sections. Each question type follows a specific structure. It’s important to learn about the different question types. You will need to use specific techniques for each question to make sure you get the highest possible score.  

Learn how the questions are scored

In the test, different questions are scored in different ways. On some questions, you’ll be marked on whether you’ve given a correct answer. But in others, your score will be affected by how closely you followed the instructions (i.e. did you go over the word limit) and the quality of your response, which is affected by things like pronunciation and oral fluency. You can find out how we score each question in our test format guide.

Study with official preparation materials

There are lots of different preparation materials for PTE Academic UKVI. You will be able to prepare using Scored Practice Tests which will allow you to sit a mock test and see what score you would receive. This will tell you what questions and skills you need to work on.

There’s also the Official Guide to PTE Academic, a textbook which offers an in-depth guide to the test and gives you detailed advice on the techniques and strategies you will need to get the right score. The PTE Academic Question Bank has over 300 questions for you to practice with. Explore our preparation materials in our preparation guide.

Take a preparation course

Lots of people prepare for PTE Academic UKVI on their own, but others find it helpful to do a preparation course. You could also do the six hour online speaking course run by Pearson partner Macquarie University. Or, look for a preparation course near you.

With the right preparation, you’ll be sure to get the score you need to apply for your UK Skilled Worker visa and achieve your dream of living and working in the UK!

Learn more about PTE Academic UKVI

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    Hundreds of new words are added to the dictionary each year, and it often takes months of consideration to decide which ones. But when the pandemic began in 2020, many words we’d never heard of suddenly became part of our day-to-day vocabulary – think words like “furlough”, “stay at home order”, and COVID-19 (which was only invented in February 2020). With this, dictionaries raced to add new entries, and helped us to define our “new normal”. So, what are some of the words that got added last year? Let’s explore 10 new words you’ll need:  

    1. Adulting 

    Definition: The action of becoming or acting like an adult 

    In December 2020, the Oxford English Dictionary added the word “adulting.” It’s often used by young people when they talk about doing tasks that are essential to every-day life – like cooking meals, buying insurance, or paying taxes.  

    How to use it: My roommates and I are adulting all the time. We clean the whole house every Saturday! 

    2. Awe walk 

    Definition: Taking a walk outside and making an effort to look at the things around you 

    “Awe walk” hasn’t been added to the Cambridge Dictionary yet – but they have noticed it’s been used quite a bit. The word “awe” means a feeling of respect. So when someone says they will take an awe walk, it means they’ll notice – and feel grateful for – all the small things around them. 

    The word was actually coined by the authors of a psychological study, which found older people who took awe walks felt more positive and less stressed over time.  

    How to use it: Today on our awe walk we noticed a tree we’d never seen before.  

    3. Contactless 

    Definition: not having to physically touch or interact with people, or relating to a technological system for payments, where information is transmitted over short distances without physical contact

    “Contactless” delivery became a popular option for shoppers during the pandemic. People who choose contactless delivery get their groceries or food delivered to the doorsteps, but don’t have to go out to receive them. Merriam-Webster added the word to their dictionary in April, right at the beginning of the pandemic. Contactless is also referred to when talking about contactless payment technology.

    How to use it: Our family started to shop at a new grocery store, because we wanted the option to have contactless delivery.  

    The limit on contactless payments has increased. 

    4. Doomscrolling 

    Definition: the action of constantly scrolling through and reading depressing news on a news site or on social media, especially on a phone  

    Dictionary.com added “doomscrolling” in summer 2020. And, we’ve all done it. Doomscrolling is when you become obsessed with staying up to date with bad news. It’s a combination of the noun “doom” and verb “scroll” – and was made popular by the journalist Karen Ho last year.  

    How to use it: I was doomscrolling on Twitter today while reading about Covid-19 cases. I think it’s why I feel so anxious now.  

     

    5. PPE

    Definition: an abbreviation for personal protective equipment 

    Many of us first heard the word “PPE” at the beginning of the pandemic, and the word was added by Merriam-Webster last April. PPE is the abbreviation of personal protective equipment. This is the clothing people wear to protect themselves from danger. Masks, gloves, face shields, and goggles are all examples of PPE. 

    How to use it: Many healthcare professionals and essential workers did not have access to PPE at the beginning of the pandemic.  

     

    6. Quarenteen

    Definition: a teenager during the COVID-19 pandemic  

    Do you know a “quarenteen?” It’s another word that’s been observed by Cambridge Dictionary – but hasn’t been added quite yet. If it is added, quarenteen will be a homophone for the word “quarantine.” It’ll also be a compound noun of “quarantine” and “teenager.”  

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    7. Thirsty 

    Definition: Having a need for attention or approval  

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    How to use it: My brother is thirsty. He posts so many photos of our dog Jellybean on Instagram because he wants her to be a dog model.

     

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    How to use it: My co-workers say they’re WFH on Slack everyday.

    So, what’s your favorite new word? We recommend keeping up on all the new words added to dictionaries throughout the year –  it’s a great way to expand your vocab!  

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  • Image- Asian woman using a laptop 800px
    Part 2: Reading test introduction
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    Reading time: 4 minutes

    Part 2 of PTE Academic will take 32-41 minutes and will test your reading skills. This single-timed section contains 15-20 questions that test both independent and integrated skills.

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    Multiple-choice, Choose Single Answer

    For the first question type, you will need to complete is Multiple-choice, Choose Single Answer question, which is designed to test your reading skills.

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    Multiple-choice, Choose Multiple Answer

    The second question type will be similar to the previous. Multiple-Choice, Choose Multiple Answer will test your reading skills.

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    The third question type to test reading skills will be to re-order paragraphs.

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    Reading: Fill in the Blanks

    Your reading skills will be tested in the fourth question type, Reading: Fill in the Blanks. You will do 4-5 of these questions.

    For this question, you will be provided with a text prompt of up to 80 words. There will be 3-5 missing words from the text.

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    You will earn 1 point for every blank that is filled in correctly for this question.

    Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks

    The last question type will test your reading and writing skills. Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks is an integrated skills question type.

    You will be shown a text prompt of up to 80 words with up to five blank spaces.

    To complete the question, select one of the five options in each drop-down list to fill in the blank spaces.

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    If you have already attempted PTE Academic, were not happy with your score, and would like to improve, we recommend reviewing your test performance to see where you can improve.

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    You can also read more about Part 3: Listening Test Introduction to learn everything you need for PTE Academic.

    Want more prep ideas?

    Plus, explore Smart Prep, which combines all our practice materials in one place, so it's easier for you to stay on track with your PTE preparation.

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  • Image- Writing journal 1080px
    Writing: Self-improvement
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    Reading time: 4 minutes

    As part of the PTE Academic, you must demonstrate a certain set of core English skills to maximize your score.

    To help you do your best in Part 1: Writing we’ve put together some tips.

    Summarize Written Text

    In the Summarize Written Text question type, you will be scored based on the content, formal requirements, grammar, and vocabulary.

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    • Do not include examples or supporting evidence in your summary.

    • Use words from the text but try to use synonyms where possible.

    • Use noun phrases where possible to show that you can use certain features of academic vocabulary in your writing.

    When completing the question type, make sure you write only one sentence. If you write more, points will be lost.

    A good sentence for this question type is 20-35 words long. If you write a short sentence, it will not capture all the meaning. Remember to check the word count in the box below your answer.

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    • Does my sentence start with a capital letter and end with a full stop? If you spell everything in capital letters or all of the words are in lower case, you will score zero.

    • Did I use run-on sentences? If you have, change them to a compound or complex sentence.

    Make sure to use grammatical structures that you feel you can write correctly. Usually, a complex structure is required for summarizing text.

    Don’t forget, always take time to check your grammar and vocabulary before clicking “next” or the 10 minutes is up.

    When checking your answer, look for articles, especially ‘the’, prepositions, tenses, plurals, and subject-verb agreement as well as your own common errors. Check that you have not written a run-on sentence. If so, turn it into a compound or complex sentence.

    Write Essay

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    This question type will test grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and written discourse skills. It is important to manage time, as you will need enough time to plan, write and proofread the essay, all within 20 minutes.

    You will be scored on the content and formal requirements of the question, as well as your grammar, general linguistic range, vocabulary range, and spelling.

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    • Address the prompt. If not, you will score zero.

    • Be well-planned and organized.

    • Demonstrate critical thinking to show a logical approach to the essay topic.

    • Include 4 paragraphs: an introduction, 2 body paragraphs each developing an idea, and a short conclusion summarizing your ideas.

    • Include examples, explanations, and facts to support the point of view you are expressing.

    • Be between 200-300 words long. Try to write just over 200 words and use the time to check the quality of your writing. If you write less than 200 or more than 380 words, you will score zero.

    Use the same method of taking notes as the Summarize Written Text question type.

    Your introduction can be linked to the body paragraphs with an overview. Then, the first body paragraph can be linked to the second body paragraph with a cohesive device.

    More information on cohesive devices can be found at the below links:

    Then for a conclusion, link it by writing In conclusion, To conclude.. etc.

    In your writing, try to use complex sentences as you will score more points. Make sure to vary language by using synonyms, antonyms, and academic vocabulary.

    The use of appropriate idiomatic expressions or colloquialisms will help you score well, but do not use too many as your writing will not be entirely academic.

    Lastly, when it comes to spelling, make sure to spell each word correctly. Making more than 1 spelling mistake will mean you will score zero for this question.

    Always remember to proofread your writing to make sure there are no errors before clicking next.

    Want more prep ideas?

    Explore Smart Prep, which combines all our practice materials in one place, so it's easier for you to stay on track with your PTE preparation.

    • Smart Prep is a clear path to test day, guiding you through the official paid and free resources available for your test

    • It can be accessed whether you’ve booked a test or not – just create, or sign in to your myPTE account

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    Ready to get started?