United Kingdom
AI/ML Engineer Visa Route
Skilled Worker Visa
The UK Government's AI Action Plan and the concentration of AI labs in London make AI/ML one of the easiest Skilled Worker routes — salaries comfortably exceed all thresholds.
Minimum Salary
£45,000
Processing Time
3–8 weeks
Path to PR
~5 years
Job Offer
Required
Language requirement:
B1 CEFR
Eligibility requirements
- 1Degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics or equivalent; MSc/PhD in ML preferred
- 2Job offer from a UK-licensed sponsor — major AI labs, banks and tech giants all hold licences
- 3Minimum salary of £45,000 (well above the general threshold; market rates often exceed £80,000)
- 4Demonstrable experience: Python, PyTorch/TensorFlow, model training and deployment
- 5English at B1 CEFR level
- 6No serious criminal convictions
Document checklist
- Valid passport
- Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)
- Degree and/or ML certifications (Google ML, AWS ML Specialty)
- Portfolio / GitHub profile demonstrating ML projects
- English language evidence
- TB test certificate (if applicable)
- Bank statements showing £1,270 (unless employer certified)
Step-by-step process
- 1
Build a portfolio of ML projects, open-source contributions and/or published research
- 2
Apply for AI/ML Engineer or Data Scientist roles at UK AI labs, fintechs and enterprises
- 3
Receive job offer and Certificate of Sponsorship
- 4
Apply online for Skilled Worker visa on GOV.UK, paying the fee and IHS (£1,035/year)
- 5
Attend a UKVCAS biometrics appointment
- 6
Receive decision (typically 3 weeks from outside the UK)
Official source
Always verify requirements directly with the official United Kingdom immigration authority.
Visit official pageSame role, other countries
Full comparison →For information only. Always verify with a regulated immigration adviser. Visa rules change frequently.