Is ETA a UK work visa?
No. ETA is an electronic permission for visitors, not employment. Work needs Skilled Worker or another route.
Passport Atlas
United Kingdom travel, immigration and PR
Post-Brexit Britain uses ETA for visa-free visitors, a points-based work route for jobs, and ILR for settlement. A six-month visit cannot be switched to work.
TravelImmigration
Openness rank
#131
Entry openness
86
Visa free
1
Briefing updated
2026-09
Country profile
Capital
London
Population
68.3 million
Area
244,820 km²
Currency
British pound GBP
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC+00:00
Foreign-born
11.8 million · 2024
Migrant share
17.1%
Ethnic groups · 2011
- White87.2%
- other3.7%
- Black/African/Caribbean/black British3%
- Asian/Asian British: Indian2.3%
- mixed2%
- Asian/Asian British: Pakistani1.9%
Foreign-born counts are UN international migrant stock via the World Bank (mostly 2024). Ethnic groups follow each country's published categories — most do not census by skin colour. Indicative only.
Entry visas and immigration pathsPassport visa-free listPaperwork and passport photosVisa siteImmigration site
Who this handbook is for
For visits and study, Skilled Worker sponsorship, Global Talent, and families counting five years to ILR.
How to visit, and for how long
Many previously visa-free passports now need ETA before travel. Chinese passports usually need a Standard Visitor visa. Visits are typically six months, with no work and no in-country switch to a work visa.
How to work or reside
The main work route is Skilled Worker (sponsor, skill and salary floors), plus Global Talent, Graduate and Health and Care. Students may move to Graduate, policy permitting. Dependants can join subject to funds.
PR and citizenship
Most work routes reach ILR at five years with continuous residence, salary and English. Citizenship is often about 12 months after ILR (different for some spouses). Long absences reset the clock.
Time to PR：Usually 5 years; some 3; long residence 10
How popular passports enter
FAQ
Can a visitor switch to a work visa in the UK?
Usually no. Visitors leave; a licensed sponsor applies, then you re-enter in the new category.
Does a Chinese passport need a visa?
On this site’s matrix the result is “Visa required”. confirm length of stay with the destination. The port and mission are authoritative.
Does a US passport need a visa?
On this site’s matrix the result is “eTA”. typical stay on the matrix is 180 days. The port and mission are authoritative.
Related destination guides
Ireland
CanadaHandbooks summarise public sources so you can cross-check the visa matrix and policy playbooks. They are not legal advice. Quotas, stay lengths and visa-free lists move — confirm with the destination government and its missions before you travel or file.