What documentation do I need to supply?
Similar to the skilled worker route, you will be required to satisfy the relevant Points Based System criteria.
Certificate of Sponsorship
In order to apply for a Chef visa, you must be issued with a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) by an approved Home Office-licensed sponsor.
You will not be able to submit an online application for a Chef visa without the relevant CoS reference number, which will be stated on the CoS.
The CoS is an electronic record, rather than a physical document, and it will include information such as your contact details, job, salary, employment start date and a brief explanation of how you will meet the Chef visa eligibility requirements.
Eligible job offer
All eligible Chef roles must meet the relevant Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Code criteria. This will be job code 5434 under the SOC 2020 occupation codes.
English language requirement
You will be required to satisfy the English language requirement by passing a Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) test at Level B1 in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
You will be exempt from meeting the English language requirement if you are from a majority English-speaking country as listed within the Immigration Rules.
Salary
You will usually be required to receive a minimum salary of at least £38,700 per year unless you have previously been sponsored as a Chef in the UK.
Maintenance requirements for a Chef visa
You must show that you have personal savings of at least £1,270, which must have been held for at least 28 days before the date of your application.
However, if your sponsor is an ‘A-rated sponsor’, they can certify your maintenance up to the end of your first month of employment in the UK. If your sponsor certifies maintenance on the CoS, you will not be required to provide any evidence of your finances.
Furthermore, you will not be required to meet the maintenance requirement if you have had permission to stay in the UK for more than 12 months.