Work and Business Visas

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Skilled Worker visa

A Skilled Worker visa lets you live and work in Scotland for a set period of time. To apply for it, you need a job offer that’s on the list of eligible jobs. It also needs to be from an approved employer.

Check if:

• Your job offer is on the eligible jobs list for a Skilled Worker visa (gov.uk)
• Your employer is on the approved employer list (gov.uk)

If an approved employer has offered you a job, they’ll check you meet the visa rules. They’ll give you a certificate of sponsorship to prove this.

On the 22 July 2025, the rules for Skilled Worker visas changed. To get a new Skilled Worker visa, your job must need a degree-level qualification. Jobs that don’t need a degree-level qualification are no longer on the jobs list.

There are exceptions. You can apply for jobs that do not need a degree-level qualification if they’re on at least one of these lists:

• Immigration salary list (gov.uk)
• Temporary shortage list (gov.uk)

If you get a visa in this situation, you will not be able to bring your family to the UK as dependents.

If you already live in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa, these new rules do not affect you. You’ll be able to extend your visa based on your current job.

Find out more about Skilled Worker visas (gov.uk)

Innovator Founder visa

You can apply for an Innovator Founder visa if you want to set up and run an innovative business in the UK. You must have an original business idea which is different from anything else on the market. The business must be viable, with potential for growth.

You also need an endorsement from a Home Office-approved endorsing body.

Find out more about the Innovator Founder visa from Scotland’s Migration Service for Employers and Investors (migrationservice.scotland.org)

Global Talent visa

You can apply for a Global Talent visa to work in the UK if you’re a leader or potential leader in one of the following fields:

• Academia or research
• Arts and culture
• Digital technology

You need to apply for an endorsement to get this visa, unless you’ve won an eligible prestigious prize. The list of eligible prizes was expanded on the 11 November 2025.

Find more information on Global Talent visas (gov.uk)

Find out more about the Global Talent visa from Scotland's Migration Service for Employers and Investors (migrationservice.scotland.org)

 

Health and Care Worker visa

A Health and Care Worker visa lets medical professionals work for the National Health Service (NHS) or an NHS supplier.

On the 22 July 2025, the rules for Health and Care Worker visas changed. If you live outside the UK, you can no longer apply to be a Care Worker or Senior Care Worker.

You can still apply for these jobs if you’re in the UK on a different visa and want to switch to a Health and Care Worker visa.

However, if you want to be sponsored by an employer in the adult social care sector, you must work for them for at least three months before you can apply to switch your visa.

Find out if you can apply for a Health and Care Worker visa (gov.uk)

Learn more about working for the NHS in Scotland (careers.nhs.scot)

Find more information about working in adult social care in Scotland (learn.nes.nhs.scot)

If you have a problem with your job, you can get help.

Read guidance on problems with your employer if you have a health and care worker visa (citizensadvice.org.uk)

Seasonal Worker visa

A Seasonal Worker visa lets you work in the agriculture sector in Scotland. You can work for a short period of time in:

• Horticulture - for example, picking fruit, vegetables or flowers
• Poultry

To apply for a Seasonal Worker visa, you must be over 18 and have both:

• A certificate of sponsorship reference number from a UK sponsor
• Enough money to support yourself

You can get a sponsorship reference number from an ‘approved scheme operator’ – sometimes known as an agency. Approved scheme operators are companies that the government has authorised to arrange seasonal worker visas. The approved scheme operator will arrange a farm for you to work at.

You should not pay any money to the approved scheme operator. You only need to pay for the cost of your visa.

Find out if you can apply for a Seasonal Worker visa (gov.uk)

Get more information on the application process for the Seasonal Worker visa (workrightscentre.org)

You have certain rights if you're working and you have a Seasonal Worker visa.

Find out about your rights if have a Seasonal Worker visa (sasa.gov.uk)

If your rights are not being protected, you can get help.

You can get free practical, emotional and financial support from RSABI (rsabi.org.uk)
You can also get free advice and support from the Worker Support Centre (workersupportcentre.org.uk)