How to Get a UK Skilled Worker Visa as a Nigerian in 2026 — Step by Step From Application to Arrival

The UK Skilled Worker visa is currently one of the most structured pathways for Nigerians who want to live and work in the United Kingdom legally. It’s not a lottery. It’s not a golden ticket. But if you understand how it works, it’s a very real route.

This post breaks down the process clearly, what you need, what it costs, what takes time, and what trips people up.

What the Skilled Worker Visa Actually Is

The Skilled Worker visa replaced the old Tier 2 General visa. It allows you to work in the UK for an employer who is licensed to sponsor overseas workers. You can’t apply without a job offer, the job offer is the first step, not the visa.

The visa ties you to your sponsor employer. If you leave that job, you have 60 days to find a new sponsoring employer or you have to leave the country. This is important to understand going in.

Step 1 — Get a Job Offer From a Licensed Sponsor

Your UK employer must hold a Sponsor Licence from the Home Office. Not every UK company has one. Before you apply for a role, check whether the company appears on the UK government’s register of licensed sponsors: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/register-of-licensed-sponsors-workers

The job must meet a minimum salary threshold. As of 2024/2025, the general threshold is £38,700 per year or the going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher. Some shortage occupations have lower thresholds.

Healthcare roles (NHS), education, engineering, IT, and construction are among the sectors with the most active UK sponsorship.

Step 2 — Receive Your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)

Once an employer offers you the job and decides to sponsor you, they issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). This is not a physical document; it’s a reference number that the employer generates through the UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) sponsorship management system.

The CoS contains details about your job, the title, salary, start date, and occupation code. You’ll need this reference number to apply for the visa.

Step 3 — Check the Points Requirement

The UK Skilled Worker visa uses a points-based system. You need 70 points. Here’s how they’re assigned:

Job offer from approved sponsor — 20 points (mandatory)
Job at required skill level (RQF Level 3 or above) — 20 points (mandatory)
English language requirement met — 10 points (mandatory)
Salary meets general threshold — 20 points
Job is in a shortage occupation — 20 points (alternative route if salary is lower)
PhD relevant to the job — 10 points (optional)
PhD in STEM — 20 points (optional)

The mandatory points total 50. You get the remaining 20 through salary or a shortage occupation status.

Step 4 — Meet the English Language Requirement

Nigerian applicants often qualify automatically. If you hold a degree from a Nigerian university (where the language of instruction is English) and the degree is recognised by ECCTIS (formerly UK NARIC), you may be exempt from taking a Secure English Language Test (SELT).

Alternatively, you can take an approved SELT such as IELTS for UKVI, Pearson PTE, or LanguageCert.

Step 5 — Apply Online

Applications are made through the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) online portal at https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/apply

You’ll need:

Your CoS reference number
A valid Nigerian international passport
Proof of English language ability
Proof of financial maintenance (you need to show you have at least £1,270 in your bank account, or your employer certifies they’ll cover this, called a Maintenance Undertaking)
Job title, salary, and occupation code (from your CoS)
Your fee payment

Step 6 — Pay the Visa Fee and Healthcare Surcharge

This is where a lot of people get a shock.

The visa application fee for a Skilled Worker visa depends on the duration:

Up to 3 years: £719
More than 3 years: £1,420

The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), your contribution to NHS access, is currently £1,035 per year. For a 3-year visa, that’s £3,105 on top of the application fee.

Total upfront cost for a single applicant applying for 3 years: approximately £3,824. This does not include biometrics appointment costs or the flight.

Some employers pay the visa fee and IHS on your behalf as part of the relocation package. Ask during negotiation.

Step 7 — Book Your Biometrics Appointment

After submitting your application, you’ll book a biometrics appointment at a UKVCAS (UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services) centre. In Nigeria, these are in Lagos and Abuja. You’ll provide your fingerprints and photograph.

You’ll also upload your supporting documents — passport data page, photograph, proof of finances, degree certificate, and employment documents, through the UKVCAS portal or in person.

Step 8 — Wait for the Decision

Standard processing takes around 3 weeks from your biometrics appointment. Priority processing (additional fee) is around 5 working days if available. Super-priority (same or next business day decision) is available at a higher cost and depends on appointment availability.

Step 9 — Travel and Arrive

Once approved, you’ll receive a vignette sticker in your passport (valid for 30 days for entry) and a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or, increasingly, an eVisa linked to your UKVI account. You must enter the UK within the vignette validity window.

On arrival, your BRP will be ready for collection at the address you specified, or you’ll access your eVisa digitally.

Things That Can Go Wrong

Salary below threshold — double-check your CoS details against current SOC code requirements before applying
Financial maintenance not met — have the funds in your account for at least 28 consecutive days before applying
English evidence not accepted — get your degree ECCTIS-checked if there’s any doubt
Document inconsistencies — your name must match exactly across passport, degree, and employment documents

Also useful:

How to Get a UK Skilled Worker Visa as a Nigerian in 2026 — Step by Step From Application to Arrival