At First Law Solicitors, we provide precise, results-driven legal advice for international professionals and UK employers navigating the complex landscape of UK work visas.
Our solicitors assist individuals, companies, and HR teams in securing sponsorship, maintaining compliance, and achieving long-term immigration stability under the United Kingdom’s Points-Based Immigration System (PBS). We combine legal accuracy with commercial foresight, ensuring that every visa application aligns with both Home Office rules and your professional goals.
The UK’s work visa routes allow overseas professionals to work, establish, or expand a business in the United Kingdom under regulated sponsorship or endorsement programmes.
The main categories include:
Our solicitors assess which route best fits your qualifications, job offer, and long-term objectives, ensuring that every application meets the strict Home Office eligibility criteria.
The Skilled Worker Visa remains the principal route for employment in the United Kingdom.
Since July 2025, the Home Office has applied new salary and skill thresholds to ensure that sponsorship is limited to genuinely skilled roles.
Our solicitors cross-check every application against the relevant Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) 2026 codes to prevent mismatches, which remain one of the most common causes of refusal.
The Global Business Mobility (GBM) framework allows overseas companies to transfer senior staff, specialists, or expansion managers to the UK.
Key routes include:
These visas do not lead directly to settlement, but our solicitors provide long-term strategy planning to transition eligible staff into settlement pathways such as the Skilled Worker or Innovator Founder routes once business operations are established.
This route provides streamlined access for doctors, nurses, and health professionals working for NHS trusts, care homes, and registered providers.
Health and Care visas are exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge, and the Home Office continues to maintain reduced salary thresholds to support recruitment in the sector.
At First Law Solicitors, we work closely with employers, ensuring every Certificate of Sponsorship is fully compliant and that dependants’ applications meet current financial and document standards.
Employer compliance remains a major focus for the Home Office in 2026.
All sponsors must maintain robust HR systems and accurate records for every sponsored employee, including contact details, absences, and right-to-work checks.
We conduct Sponsor Licence Compliance Audits and prepare your team for unannounced Home Office inspections, ensuring continued eligibility and protection from licence suspension or revocation.
Under the Data Use and Access Act 2025, the Home Office now monitors digital employment records and cross-references them with HMRC Real-Time Information feeds, making accurate record-keeping more important than ever.
From 1 January 2026, all new visa holders are issued digital immigration status (eVisas) instead of physical Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs).
Dependants of work visa holders can accompany or join the main applicant in the UK, provided they meet the relationship and financial maintenance requirements.
Following the July 2025 reforms, dependants are restricted for certain RQF Level 3–5 occupations, particularly in the care sector. Our solicitors provide strategic advice to ensure family applications are submitted correctly and synchronised with the main sponsor’s status.
Strategic Oversight: Every visa application is handled by a qualified solicitor who understands the commercial realities behind each move.
End-to-End Management: From sponsorship to final visa approval, we manage every stage with precision and accountability.
Digital Compliance: Our secure online portal uses Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES) and Digital ID Verification (IDV) under the DUAA 2025 framework for complete Home Office compatibility.
Long-Term Strategy: We design multi-year immigration plans to help employers retain global talent and professionals achieve permanent residence or British citizenship.
At First Law Solicitors, we do more than process applications; we protect your future in the United Kingdom.
If you require expert legal advice on employment sponsorship, Skilled Worker visas, or corporate immigration compliance, contact First Law Solicitors today.
Call 0044 161 224 4066
Complete our secure online enquiry form to arrange a private consultation with an immigration solicitor.
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