Nanny Visa UK: How To Bring a Nanny Or Au-Pair To The UK

Overview Of The UK Nanny Visa

This UK Nanny Visa (also known as the UK Domestic Worker Visa) is available for those wishing to visit the UK, who have an employer, if they meet the following criteria:

• The applicant lives outside of the UK.
• The applicant is a domestic worker in a private household.
• The applicant has worked for their employer for at least 12 months.
• The applicant meets other traditional criteria.

The title ‘Domestic Worker’ applies to the following:

• Nannies.
• Cleaners.
• Cooks.
• Chauffeur.
• Person(s) providing personal care for their employer and their employer’s family.

Under this visa, migrant workers can:

• Travel to and from the UK to complete their stage.
• Change employers to a different job working as a domestic worker in private households because the applicant does not stay longer than a total of 6 months.

Under this visa, migrant workers cannot:

• Worker in any role other than as a domestic worker in a private household.
• Access public funding.
• Live in the UK for extended periods through frequent visits.

UK Nanny Visa Fees

UK Domestic Worker visas cost £726 to apply for, and successful applicants can visit the UK with employers for up to 6 months; however, the applicant will need to return home after this period, and this visa is not extendable. The Domestic Worker Visa is best applied for up to three months before their travel date to the UK; a decision should be made on any application within three weeks of your application being received if it is sent from outside of the UK.

Can Nannies Be Sponsored Via The Skilled Worker Route?

If an employed nanny needs to stay in the UK for longer than 6 months, they can apply to extend with a Skilled Worker visa.

The list of eligible occupations for this visa includes occupation code 6116, which covers nannies and au pairs. This occupational code only allows extension of employment via a Skilled Worker visa. To apply directly for a Skilled Worker visa, applicants may be eligible for code 6114 – Childminder.

The Skilled Worker visa can be extended, unlike the domestic worker visa, and it can even be used to acquire indefinite leave to remain after five years have passed.

The employer does require a sponsor licence, which is okay for businesses that may wish to hire a nanny; however, most private households will not have one. The cost of a sponsor license to be an approved UK employers costs £611 for small businesses and charities or £1,682 for medium and large organisations.

Be aware, however, that a nanny can’t switch from an Overseas Domestic Worker visa to a Skilled Worker visa once they are in the UK.

Nanny Visa Requirements UK

There are two visa options for overseas nannies in the UK

Requirements for Nannies on Overseas Domestic Worker Visas

Most overseas nannies will apply for the Overseas Domestic Worker visa, and this visa type will require its applicants to adhere to relevant criteria. Domestic worker visa requirements are as follows:

• The applicant must be over 19 years old.
• The applicant must have worked for their employer for 12 months or more.
• The applicant needs to carry out their job in the same household as their employer, or at least do so in one they use very regularly.
• The applicant must be travelling to the UK with their employer.
• The applicant needs to work as a full-time domestic worker in a household in the UK where their employer resides.
• The Domestic Worker applicant needs to intend to depart the country at the end of the six months of the visa.
• The worker needs to have sufficient funds to support themselves for the duration of their stay.
• The applicant must be paid at least the minimum wage in the UK, which is:
  • 18 to 20-year-olds: £8.60 per hour.
  • 21 and over: £11.44 per hour.

Applicants for a nanny visa will also need to show information regarding their employer, as follows:

• Proof showing that the employer is a British citizen who typically resides outside of the UK and is visiting the UK for no longer than 6 months.
• Alternatively, proof must be available that the employer is a foreign national who is visiting the UK for less than 6 months.

The applicant also needs to provide documents proving the work conditions and that the employer will meet the following requirements:

• The employer will pay the national minimum wage, at least.
• The employer will not force the employee to work excessive hours.
• The employer will provide the employee with holiday pay as agreed.
• The employer will provide the employee with substantial notice if employment ends.

Skilled Worker Visa For Nannies – Requirements

If the worker intends on extending their stay in the UK as a nanny using a Skilled Worker visa, they will meet eligibility rules if they meet the following criteria:

• The applicant must have received a Certificate of Sponsorship from their employer. This means that the employer must be a Home Office-approved sponsor licence holder for this type of visa.
• The applicant needs to have a role with the employer as a childminder, nanny, au pair, or childcare assistant.
• The applicant needs to receive a salary of £41,700 per year, or at least £11.44 per hour, whichever of these two is the highest. However, if the applicant is under 26 years of age, they only need to be paid 70% of the usual going rate for the job.
• The applicant must be able to read, speak, and write English to a level B1 or higher (CEFR).
• The applicant needs to have at least £1,270 for 28 days or more in finances to support themselves during their UK stay.

UK Nanny Visa Application Process (Domestic Worker Visa)

Overview

For an applicant to successfully apply for an Overseas Domestic Worker visa as a nanny, they will have to complete several steps. These steps are as follows:

1. The applicant needs to collect all of the necessary paperwork and supporting documents for the application. This includes proof of information from their employer.
2. Next, they must complete and submit the application form online. This needs to be done from outside of the UK and up to 3 months before the date they intend to travel to allow plenty of time for the visa to be approved.
3. The visa application fee of £726 must be paid.
4. The applicant will now need to book and then attend an appointment with their local UK Visa Application Center, also known as VAC. This is done to provide biometrics, such as fingerprints and a photograph.
5. The applicant will now need to upload any documents they need to provide to the Home Office in support of their application, as requested.

The majority of these applications can take up to three weeks to be processed. However, the processing time does depend on the country from which the applicant is applying.

In some cases, location-dependent, it may be possible for the applicant to pay an additional £500 fee for a priority service that grants a decision in five working days. Alternatively, a super-priority service may be available, in addition to the application fee, for £1000 for a decision to be granted in a single working day.

Documents You Will Need To Provide To Apply For A Domestic Worker Visa

When the applicant applies for a Domestic Worker visa as a nanny, they will need to provide the following documentation alongside their application:

• A current passport or other form of valid travel ID.
• Proof that the individual can support themselves during their trip. This could be bank statements or a payslip for the previous six months.
• A completed and signed ‘Appendix Domestic Worker Statement. This must be signed by both the employer and the applicant.
• A letter from the employer that confirms the applicant’s job title, that the applicant is a permanent employee, as well as the length of the employee’s employment with them.

The applicant will also require a blank page in their passport, on which the visa will be placed.

Additionally, the applicant also needs to provide at least one document that covers the same period of employment. This can be any one of the following:

• Confirmation of health insurance being paid.
• Confirmation of tax having been paid.
• A pay slip or a bank statement that shows the payment of the employee’s salary.
• A work visa, residence permit, or an equivalent passport endorsement that is from the country in which the employee is currently employed by the employer.
• A visa, or an equivalent passport endorsement if the employee and employer have travelled together in the past.

All of the above documents will need to be provided in a certified translation if they are not in English or Welsh.

The applicant may need to provide extra documentation, depending on their specific circumstances.

Nanny Visa UK Validity Period

Employees working as nannies on the Domestic Worker visa will only be able to stay in the UK for six months. When the employer leaves the country, the employee must also leave. Alternatively, if the employer is still in the country for over six months, the employee still needs to leave the country once the visa expires at the end of the six months.

This visa can technically be extended, yet the total overall time spent in the UK on this visa can be no longer than six months. It can be extended if it is granted for less than six months; otherwise, the applicant would have to leave the UK and make an entirely new application.

This visa is temporary; therefore, it does not lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain. Those who have been on this route before the pre-2012 rules may be able to get Indefinite Leave to Remain.

However, if a nanny applies through a Skilled Worker visa, this is different. On a Skilled Worker visa, a nanny can stay in the UK for up to 5 years as long as they are still working for the same employer. If they change employers or jobs inside the UK, they will need to update or extend the visa. This visa can also be extended as many times as required as long as the applicant still meets the requirements, and after 5 years, the applicant may be eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

IAS Can Help With UK Nanny Visas

There are many things that applicants for a nanny visa and their employers need to consider. Choosing between the Domestic Worker visa and the Skilled Worker visa options is one of the considerations, and understanding the eligibility criteria is key.

If an applicant does not meet the criteria for a Skilled Worker visa, but their employer will be in the UK for over six months, knowing how this would work with a Domestic Worker visa is critical. This is where IAS can help. IAS has a team of expert lawyers and legal advisers who can help employers and employees understand how a nanny visa will work for them.

Whether you need help with understanding the differences, deciding which visa is best for your circumstances, filling out the application, or more, IAS lawyers can help. Give IAS a call today at +44 (0)333 414 9244 and get started with the application for your nanny visa.