- Prepare evidence and lettersUsually the longest partWeeks to months
- Apply online to the Home OfficeEndorsement fee£561
- Endorsing body decidesDepends on the endorsing body2 to 8+ weeks
- Apply for the visa£205 visa fee plus healthcare surchargeWithin 3 months
We help with Stage 1 only
This guide sets out the published GOV.UK rules beyond Stage 1 so you can plan ahead. Our service covers the Stage 1 endorsement application. Figures and rules checked on GOV.UK on 17 October 2026. Fees can change, so confirm them on GOV.UK before you pay.
| Global Talent | Skilled Worker | |
|---|---|---|
| Job offer | Not required | Required, from a Home Office approved employer |
| Sponsor or endorsement | Endorsement from an endorsing body, or an eligible prize | Certificate of sponsorship from the employer |
| Minimum salary | None for the visa | £41,700 or the going rate, whichever is higher (some exceptions) |
| Who assesses eligibility | Endorsing body at Stage 1, then the Home Office | Employer assigns the certificate, then the Home Office |
| English at first application | Not required | Required, B2 for new applicants from 8 January 2026 |
| Length of each grant | Up to 5 years, chosen by the applicant | Up to 5 years |
| Settlement | After 3 or 5 years, depending on endorsement | Usually after 5 years |
| Tied to an employer | No, there is no sponsor | Yes, a new application is needed to change job or employer |
| Main applicant fee | £766 (£561 endorsement + £205 visa) | £819 to £1,865, depending on length and location |
| Healthcare surcharge | £1,035 a year adult | £1,035 a year adult |
| Usual visa decision time | 3 weeks outside the UK, 8 weeks inside | 3 weeks outside the UK, 8 weeks inside |
Job offer and sponsor
Skilled Worker is tied to an employer. Global Talent is not.
For a Skilled Worker visa you must have a confirmed job offer before you apply. Your employer must be approved by the Home Office and must give you a certificate of sponsorship with details of the role. The job must be on the list of eligible occupations. Appendix Global Talent has no sponsor or certificate of sponsorship requirement. From 8 January 2026, new Skilled Worker applicants must show English at B2 level. Instead of a sponsor, Global Talent applicants need an endorsement letter from an endorsing body, unless you are the named winner of an eligible prize.
- Skilled Worker: approved employer, certificate of sponsorship and an eligible occupation.
- Global Talent: endorsement from an endorsing body, or a listed prize.
- Global Talent permits work, including self-employment, except as a professional sportsperson or sports coach.
Salary rules
Skilled Worker has a salary floor. Global Talent has none.
On the Skilled Worker visa you must usually be paid £41,700 a year or the going rate for your occupation code, whichever is higher. A lower minimum of £33,400 a year may apply in some cases outside healthcare and education. Healthcare and education roles use national pay scales. Appendix Global Talent sets no minimum salary for the visa. It does require that you have earned money in the UK in your field during your last period of permission before you apply to settle.
GOV.UK: Skilled Worker visa, your job Appendix Global Talent endorsement rulesWho decides
An employer sponsors one. An endorsing body assesses the other.
For Skilled Worker, your employer decides whether to offer the job and assign a certificate of sponsorship, and the Home Office decides the visa. For Global Talent, the Home Office sends your Stage 1 application to the endorsing body for your field, such as Tech Nation, the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the British Academy, UKRI or Arts Council England. The endorsing body assesses you against its published criteria. The Home Office then decides the Stage 2 visa application. For digital technology, an endorsement decision usually takes 5 to 8 weeks.
GOV.UK: Global Talent, digital technology How to apply for Stage 1 endorsementWe help with Stage 1, the endorsement application. Not endorsed yet? Talk to us about your evidence.
Book a free 30-minute callLength of stay
Both routes can grant up to 5 years at a time
A Skilled Worker visa can last up to 5 years before you need to extend it, and you can extend as many times as you like while you meet the requirements. On Global Talent you can live and work in the UK for up to 5 years at a time. You choose the length, and extensions can be 1 to 5 years. There is no overall limit on total time on Global Talent.
Immigration Rules: Appendix Global TalentSettlement
Global Talent may be faster to settlement
Global Talent holders may apply for indefinite leave to remain after 3 years if endorsed by the Royal Society, British Academy, Royal Academy of Engineering or UKRI, endorsed under exceptional talent by Arts Council England or Tech Nation, or granted through a listed prize. Those endorsed under exceptional promise usually need 5 years. Skilled Worker holders usually need 5 years. Time spent on Skilled Worker is one of the routes that can count towards the Global Talent qualifying period. For settlement applications made on or after 26 March 2027, the English requirement on these routes rises from B1 to B2 for speaking and listening.
- Global Talent: 3 or 5 years, depending on endorsing body and criteria.
- Skilled Worker: usually 5 years.
Family
Partners and children can come on both routes
On both routes your partner and children may join you or stay with you as dependants if they meet the requirements. On Global Talent, each dependant pays £766 plus the healthcare surcharge, and dependants may work. On Skilled Worker, each family member pays the same visa application fee as the main applicant plus the healthcare surcharge, and may need to show personal savings.
GOV.UK: Global Talent visaFees and decision times
What each route costs on GOV.UK
The Global Talent fee is £766 in total: £561 for the endorsement and £205 for the visa. The Skilled Worker fee depends on where you apply and how long your certificate of sponsorship covers. From outside the UK it is £819 for up to 3 years and £1,618 for more than 3 years. From inside the UK it is £943 and £1,865. Lower fees of £628 and £1,235 apply to jobs on the immigration salary list. Both routes also charge the healthcare surcharge of £1,035 a year for adults and £776 a year for under 18s. Skilled Worker applicants may also need £1,270 in personal savings. A later settlement application costs £3,226 per person on both routes. Both routes usually decide visa applications within 3 weeks from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside.
Switching
Moving between the two routes inside the UK
You can switch from Skilled Worker to Global Talent while in the UK if you hold an endorsement or an eligible prize. Switching costs £766 plus the healthcare surcharge, and a decision usually takes 8 weeks. You can also switch from Global Talent to Skilled Worker if you have an eligible job offer and meet the English requirement. You cannot switch to either route from a visit visa, short-term student visa, Parent of a Child Student visa, seasonal worker visa or domestic worker visa. For a personal decision about switching, ask an immigration solicitor.
GOV.UK: Switch to a Global Talent visa Switching to Global Talent from Skilled WorkerRelated guides
Keep reading
Guides applicants usually read next on this topic.
The UK Global Talent visa: what it is and how Stage 1 endorsement works
The Global Talent visa needs no job offer or sponsor and lets your family join you. Stage 1 is the endorsement application, where an endorsing body decides whether you are a leader or a potential leader in your field.
Read related guideGlobal Talent endorsement requirements: what each endorsing body asks for
Each endorsing body sets its own Stage 1 tests, so the requirements for a software founder, a researcher and a theatre director are very different.
Read related guideGlobal Talent endorsement documents: a checklist for each endorsing body
Each endorsing body has its own document rules, from page limits to who can write your letters.
Read related guideApplying from outside the UK. Facts for applicants comparing UK work routes, checked against GOV.UK on 17 October 2026.
Article FAQ
Questions to settle before you spend time or money.
Use these answers to check the practical risks, documents, and decisions connected to this topic.
Do I need a job offer for the Global Talent visa?
No. Appendix Global Talent has no job offer or sponsorship requirement. Most applicants need an endorsement from an endorsing body instead, unless they have won an eligible prize.
Can I switch from Skilled Worker to Global Talent without leaving the UK?
Yes, if you hold an endorsement or an eligible prize. You apply to switch before your current visa ends. The fee is £766 plus the healthcare surcharge, and a decision usually takes 8 weeks.
Does time on a Skilled Worker visa count towards Global Talent settlement?
Skilled Worker is listed in Appendix Global Talent as one of the routes whose time can count towards the 3-year or 5-year qualifying period, if all other settlement requirements are met. Ask an immigration solicitor about your own dates.
Which route is cheaper?
For the main applicant, Global Talent costs £766 in total. Skilled Worker fees range from £819 to £1,865, or £628 to £1,235 for immigration salary list jobs. Both charge the healthcare surcharge of £1,035 a year for adults.
Can I change employer on a Global Talent visa?
Global Talent has no sponsor, so your permission is not linked to one employer. Appendix Global Talent permits work including self-employment, except as a professional sportsperson or sports coach. On Skilled Worker you must apply to update your visa to change job or employer.
Stage 1 help
Thinking about moving from Skilled Worker to Global Talent?
We help only with the Stage 1 endorsement application. Check how your profile compares with the published criteria for your endorsing body.
Which field is your work in?