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Visa and immigration

De Montfort University (DMU) welcomes overseas applicants to apply for vacancies. There are a number of visa routes which will allow the visa holder to work in the UK. The decision to grant an applicant the relevant work visa in the UK is made by the home office. If is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure the right to work documents have been shared with DMU’s HR/Recruitment Team. Failure to display the relevant right to work/work visa can result in the offer being withdrawn.

Skilled Worker Route 

As of 1 December 2020, the Skilled Worker visa route replaced the Tier 2 (General) visa route. This visa will allow applicants to stay and work in the UK to do an eligible job with an approved employer. Non-UK/non-Irish citizens are subject to immigration control and the new Points Based System (PBS). DMU is an A-rated sponsor, this allow us to apply for your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).

Applicants must score a minimum of 70 points; the table below will give you more information:

Characteristics

Points

Job offer from DMU

20

Job at appropriate skill level (minimum qualification RQF Level 3/ A-level)

20

Speaks English (Level B1)

10

Minimum Salary requirements 

20

The applicant may request for their immediate family members to come to the UK on their visa (partner/children). 

All skilled jobs will have a related SOC code. The HR/Recruitment Team will review the job description and determine the relevant SOC code. All Lecturing roles will fall under SOC Code 2311 - Higher Education Teaching Professionals. Further information is shown below in relation to the salary requirement for this role.

Minimum Salary Requirements:

The offered salary for a role could attract 0, 10 or 20 points which will count towards the points required under the Points Based System for a Skilled Worker Visa as explained above.

Higher Education Teaching Professionals (SOC Code 2311)

This SOC code covers the following:

  • Fellow (university)
  • Lecturer (higher education, university)
  • Professor (higher education, university)
  • Tutor (higher education, university)
  • University lecturer

From 4 April 2024, the going rate for individual SOC codes has changed. Therefore, If you are appointed to one of the above roles  the Home Office have deemed the ‘Going Rate’ for all of these roles to be £47,700 based on a 37.5 hour week. As DMU operates a 37 hour  week your offered salary must not be below £47,064 per annum, therefore any roles appointed to Grade G, Spinal point 39 onwards will automatically meet the minimum salary criteria.

For roles appointed below Grade G, Spinal point 39, the minimum salary would not be met unless:

  • The individual holds a STEM PhD relevant to the job; In which case they are required to meet 80% of the minimum salary which is £37,651 (Currently Grade F, Spinal point 31 or above) or
  • The individual holds a non-STEM PhD relevant to the job; In which case they are required to meet 90% of the minimum salary which is £42,357 (Currently Grade G, Spinal point 35 or above) or
  • The individual meets the criteria as a ‘ New Entrant’, In which case they are required to meet 70% of the minimum salary which is £32,944 (Currently Grade E, Spinal point 26 or above)

For further information on the Skilled Worker Visa please check the gov.uk website.

Do you have the right to work in the UK?

We recommend that you assess your suitability for a skilled worker or any other visa on ‘Check if you need a UK Visa’.

Not all roles are eligible for sponsorship, this is determined by UKVI based on the nature of the work, the skill level and or/the salary. If the role is likely to be eligible, we recommend that you assess your individual eligibility before applying for the position.

If you do not meet the criteria above for sponsorship or the role is not eligible for sponsorship, we welcome applications from candidates who are eligible to obtain a UK visa via another route. Further help and support will be provided by the university’s HR team upon the job offer, however we recommend you assess your suitability to obtain an alternative visa before making an application. 

Global Talent Visa

The Global Talent visa was formally known as the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa is a non-sponsored visa route and has two stages.

The onus of on the applicant to ensure they have a letter of endorsement from a competent body and submit their visa application. Once you receive your visa, it your responsibility to share your right to work with DMU’s HR/Recruitment team. Without the approved visa, the applicant cannot commence their employment.

Stage 1: Applicant must receive endorsement from a competent body. 

Stage two: Applicant submits visa application. For more details relating to the Global Talent Visa Route, click here.

Student Visa 

The Student visa was formally known as the Tier 4 (General) student visa. Applicants who have already acquired the Student Visa are only permitted to work a maximum of 20 hours per week across all jobs you may be undertaking during term time.

Working more than the maximum number of 20 hours is a serious matter and will be an immediate breach of the conditions of your visa. The university is required to report any such breaches to UK Visas and Immigration. 

An applicant on a Student Visa will be required to submit the following evidence to meet the requirement to work for De Montfort University:

  • Biometric card 
  • A print out from the education institution website or material published by the institution setting out the timetable for your course of 
  • A copy of a letter or email addressed to you or DMU as employer from the education institution confirming term time dates of the course

Temporary Worker - Government Authorised Exchange visa (T5)

An applicant could qualify for the temporary worker visa if they fall in to one of the following scenarios:

  • A formal project or collaboration (funded by their overseas employer or a finding body)
  • Work based training/internship or placement
  • A knowledge transfer role
  • Applicant to carry out a series of lectures that does not amount to a teaching post
  • External examiner

Eligibility:

  • UK Sponsor to supply a Certificate of Sponsorship reference number
  • Sufficient money to support themselves whilst in the UK

This visa will be valid for a maximum of 2 years and cannot be extended beyond this date. For more information click here. 

Frontier Worker Permit

A Frontier Worker permit lets you come to the UK to work while living elsewhere. You can only apply for a Frontier Worker permit if you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, and you: 

  • live outside the UK 
  • worked in the UK by 31 December 2020 
  • continued working in the UK at least once every 12 months 

The Frontier Worker permit is free of charge. Family members are not permitted to enter the UK on your permit. 

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

As of 21 May 2021, research staff will be required to hold an ATAS certificate before applying for visas to undertake research activities in the UK.

For EU citizens (excluding Irish citizens) who entered the UK before or on the 31 December 2020, please visit our Brexit Information for prospective staff page for more information relating to your right to work in the UK.