Skilled Worker Visa Eligibility and Salary Rules Explained

To qualify for a Skilled Worker visa, you need a job offer from a licensed sponsor, a Certificate of Sponsorship, and a role that meets both the skill level and salary requirements set by the Home Office. These requirements are not negotiable. If your job or salary does not meet the threshold, your visa application will be refused, regardless of your qualifications or the employer's willingness to sponsor you.

The salary rules can seem complicated because they are not a single fixed amount. Different jobs have different minimum salary requirements, and there are additional rules for people switching from other visa routes, for roles on the shortage occupation list, and for applicants with certain qualifications. Understanding which salary threshold applies to your situation is essential before you accept a job offer or submit a visa application.

The basic skill level requirement

The job you are being sponsored for must be at RQF level 3 or above. This corresponds roughly to A-level standard in the UK education system. The Home Office uses a list of eligible occupation codes, each of which is assigned a skill level. If your job's occupation code is not on the eligible list, you cannot be sponsored under the Skilled Worker route, no matter what salary is offered.

The occupation code is chosen by your employer when they create your Certificate of Sponsorship, and it must genuinely reflect the work you will be doing. The Home Office can refuse applications where the occupation code does not match the actual job duties, or where the role has been artificially inflated to meet the skill requirement.

Some roles that might seem skilled are not eligible because their occupation code is not on the approved list. This particularly affects certain jobs in retail, hospitality, and customer service, even when those roles require experience or training. The eligible occupation list is maintained by the Home Office and is updated periodically based on labour market assessments.

The general salary threshold

For most applicants, the minimum salary is whichever is higher out of £38,700 per year or the going rate for the occupation code. The going rate is a figure set by the Home Office for each occupation code and is meant to reflect typical salaries for that type of work in the UK. It varies widely depending on the job.

If your occupation code has a going rate higher than £38,700, you must be paid at least the going rate. If the going rate is lower than £38,700, you must still be paid at least £38,700. Both thresholds must be met in full.

This threshold applies to people applying from outside the UK for a new Skilled Worker visa and to people switching into the Skilled Worker route from certain other visa categories. The salary used for this calculation is your gross annual salary before tax and does not usually include bonuses, allowances, or other variable payments unless they are guaranteed and clearly documented.

Pro-rata calculations for part-time work

If you are working part-time, your salary is assessed on a pro-rata basis. This means the Home Office calculates what you would earn if you worked full-time hours and checks whether that figure meets the threshold. For example, if you work 30 hours per week and the standard full-time working week is considered 37.5 hours, your actual salary is uplifted proportionally to determine whether it meets the minimum.

Part-time work is allowed under the Skilled Worker route, but the pro-rated salary must still meet the required threshold. This can make part-time roles harder to qualify for, especially in occupations where the going rate is already close to the minimum salary level.

Lower salary thresholds for certain applicants

There are circumstances where a lower salary threshold applies. If you are under 26 years old, or if you are in a job on the shortage occupation list, or if your job is in certain healthcare or education roles, or if you hold a PhD relevant to your job, different calculations apply.

For applicants under 26, the minimum salary can be reduced to £30,960 or 70 per cent of the going rate for the occupation code, whichever is higher. This reduction recognises that younger workers may be earlier in their careers and earning less than more experienced colleagues in the same role.

Jobs on the immigration salary list, which replaced the previous shortage occupation list, may also qualify for a reduced threshold. The immigration salary list includes occupations where there is evidence of labour shortages in the UK, and the reduced threshold makes it easier for employers to recruit internationally for these roles. The list is reviewed periodically, and jobs can be added or removed based on economic conditions.

If you hold a PhD in a subject relevant to the job, the minimum salary can be reduced to 90 per cent of the going rate, with a floor of £34,830. If your PhD is in a STEM subject (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics), the reduction is to 80 per cent of the going rate, with the same floor. These reductions are intended to make it easier to recruit highly qualified people in fields where advanced education is valued.

Switching from a Student visa or Graduate visa

If you are in the UK on a Student visa or a Graduate visa and applying to switch to a Skilled Worker visa, slightly different salary rules apply. The minimum salary is usually £30,960 or the going rate for the occupation code, whichever is higher. This lower threshold is designed to reflect the fact that recent graduates may be entering the job market at a lower salary than more experienced workers.

This concession is only available if you are switching from a Student or Graduate visa. If you are switching from a different visa route, or if you leave the UK and apply from abroad, the standard higher thresholds apply.

How salary is calculated

The salary figure your employer records on your Certificate of Sponsorship must be your guaranteed gross annual salary. This includes your basic salary and any guaranteed allowances that are part of your employment package. It does not usually include bonuses, overtime, or commission unless those elements are contractually guaranteed and paid regularly.

If part of your pay comes in the form of allowances, such as a London weighting or a guaranteed housing allowance, these can sometimes be included, but only if they are clearly set out in your contract and paid as part of your regular salary. One-off payments, performance-related bonuses, and non-cash benefits such as accommodation or a company car are generally excluded.

Some applicants are surprised to find that their total earnings package, which might sound generous, does not meet the threshold when only the guaranteed salary component is counted. This distinction is important, and it's worth confirming with your employer exactly what figure they intend to record on your Certificate of Sponsorship before you assume you meet the requirement.

Regional variations and cost of living

The salary thresholds are the same across the entire UK. There is no adjustment for regional cost of living differences. A job in London is assessed using the same salary rules as a job in a less expensive part of the country. This can create difficulties in high-cost areas where entry-level salaries for skilled roles may not always reach the required threshold, even though the role itself is eligible.

Employers in expensive regions sometimes struggle to meet the salary requirement for roles that would otherwise qualify. Conversely, in regions with lower average salaries, the threshold may exclude perfectly legitimate skilled roles simply because local wage levels do not align with the national minimum.

Jobs that don't meet the salary threshold

If your job offer does not meet the minimum salary requirement, you cannot qualify for a Skilled Worker visa in that role, even if the occupation code is eligible and the employer is a licensed sponsor. There is no mechanism to waive the salary threshold based on individual circumstances, cost of living, or the employer's willingness to pay more in future.

Some employers are unaware of the exact salary rules and may offer a role in good faith without realising the salary is too low. Others may assume that because the role is skilled and valuable, the visa will be granted regardless of the salary level. Neither assumption is correct. The salary threshold is a hard requirement.

Common mistakes

One common error is assuming that the general threshold of £38,700 is the only figure that matters. In reality, the going rate for your specific occupation code often determines the minimum, and for many occupations, the going rate is higher than £38,700. Applicants sometimes accept a job offer that pays £38,700 or slightly above, only to discover that their occupation code requires a higher salary.

Another mistake is including variable or non-guaranteed elements of pay when calculating whether the threshold is met. Unless bonuses or allowances are contractually guaranteed and paid regularly, they usually do not count. Relying on optimistic interpretations of what can be included leads to refused applications.

People also sometimes misunderstand the rules for part-time work, assuming that as long as they earn the threshold amount, the number of hours does not matter. The pro-rata calculation means that working fewer hours requires a proportionally higher hourly rate to meet the threshold, and this is not always feasible.

What happens if your salary changes

If your salary increases after your visa is granted, you do not need to notify the Home Office immediately. However, when you apply to extend your visa, the salary at that point must still meet the applicable threshold. If your salary has decreased, or if the threshold has increased in the meantime, you may no longer qualify for an extension.

Employers are required to notify the Home Office if there is a significant change in your salary or job role. A substantial decrease in salary could raise questions about whether the original sponsorship was genuine, and it may trigger compliance checks.

Eligibility beyond salary

Meeting the salary requirement is necessary but not sufficient. You must also demonstrate that you meet the English language requirement, typically by passing an approved English test or holding a degree taught in English. You need to show that you have sufficient funds to support yourself, although this requirement is waived for many applicants if they have been in the UK for a certain period or if the sponsor certifies they will cover your costs.

You must also not fall foul of any general grounds for refusal, such as having a serious criminal record, providing false information in previous applications, or breaching immigration rules during a prior stay in the UK. The Home Office assesses all of these factors together, and failing any one of them can result in refusal even if the job and salary are compliant.

Frequently Asked Questions