Working in Scotland: Visa Routes

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Skilled worker jobs

If you want to come to Scotland on a Skilled Worker visa, you must have a job offer that’s on the list of eligible jobs. The job offer must also be from an organisation licensed to sponsor workers.

Degree level qualification applicants

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.

Check if: 

• Your offer is on the eligible jobs list for a Skilled Worker visa (gov.uk)
• Your employer is on the list of organisations who can sponsor workers (gov.uk)   

Non-degree level qualification applicants

You can apply for jobs that don't 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.

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

Health and care worker jobs

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 (job codes 6135 and 6136).

You can still apply for these jobs if you’re switching to a Health and Care Worker visa from another visa. 

If you want to come to Scotland on a Health and Care Worker visa, you must have a job offer from an approved UK health and care sector employer. The job offered must also be eligible for a Health and Care worker visa

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

You can see healthcare job adverts (apply.jobs.scot.nhs.uk)

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

Approved employers for the Health and Care worker visa

Approved employers are also known as sponsors.

Approved employers are:

• The NHS
• Organisations providing medical services to the NHS
• Organisations providing adult social care

You can find a full list of approved employers in the Health and Care visa guidance (gov.uk)

Occupation code

The job offered must also be eligible for a Health and Care worker visa. Your job will have a 4-digit occupation code. You can use the code to check if your job is eligible. If you already have a job offer, ask your employer for your occupation code.

You can find the list of occupation codes for a Care Worker visa (gov.uk)

Problems at work if you have a Health and Care Worker visa

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

Read the guide on problems with your employer if you have a Health and Care Worker visa (citizensadvice.org.uk)

Working with a student visa

If you have a student visa you might be able to work. Whether you can work and what hours you can work depends on the type of student sponsor you have.

You can check what your work conditions are on your visa.  It’s important to know your work conditions before you start working. 

Find out about working if you have a Student visa (ukcisa.org.uk)

Find out more about Student visas (gov.uk)

Working for yourself or starting a business

Your visa will have rules about what you can and cannot do. For example, if you have a Skilled Worker visa you must work for the employer who has sponsored you. This means you cannot normally work for yourself or start your own business. 

If you want to work for yourself or start your own business you must check the rules for your visa type. You can only work for yourself or start a business if your visa allows it. If you breach your visa rules, your immigration status can be affected. 

If your visa lets you work for yourself or start your own business, there might be certain rules you must follow. 

Check the rules for a Skilled Worker visa (gov.uk)

Check the rules for a Graduate visa (gov.uk)

Find out about working if you have a Student visa (ukcisa.org.uk)

You might be able to switch visa if your visa does not let you work for yourself or start your own business. This depends on your situation. Check what visas might be available to you (gov.uk)

If your visa lets you start a business or work for yourself, find information on:  

• Working for yourself (gov.uk) 
• Starting a business (bgateway.com)

You can get immigration advice to set up your business in Scotland from Scotland's Migration Service for Employers and Investors (migrationservice.scotland.org)