Key Takeaways
- The standard minimum salary for a Skilled Worker visa is £41,700 per year or the occupation’s going rate, whichever is higher.
- From 22 July 2025, sponsored roles must generally meet the RQF Level 6 (graduate-level) skill threshold.
- Around 180 occupation codes were removed from the eligible list following the July 2025 changes.
- A Temporary Shortage List allows some RQF Level 3–5 occupations to continue to be sponsored until at least 31 December 2026.
- New entrant rates and Health and Care Worker rates provide lower salary thresholds in qualifying circumstances.
- Both the general salary threshold and the occupation-specific going rate must be met. The higher of the two always applies.
The Skilled Worker visa is the main route for employers in the UK to sponsor overseas nationals for skilled roles. It’s also one of the routes most affected by recent immigration changes: salary thresholds increased significantly in April 2024, the skill level requirement was raised in July 2025, and the list of eligible occupations has contracted considerably.
This guide sets out the current salary requirements as at May 2026, explains how the going rate system works, and covers the exceptions that apply to certain categories of worker and employer.
The General Salary Threshold
The general minimum salary for a Skilled Worker visa is £41,700 per year or the going rate for the specific occupation code, whichever is higher. This threshold replaced the £38,700 figure that applied from April 2024, following further changes introduced in July 2025.
The hourly equivalent of the general threshold is £17.13 per hour. Where a role is part-time, the salary must be pro-rated from a full-time equivalent that would meet the general and going-rate thresholds, and the hourly rate must still clear the applicable minimum.
The Going Rate: Why the Threshold Alone Is Not Enough
Every sponsorable occupation has an assigned SOC 2020 occupation code. Each code has a going rate, which is the median salary for that occupation as determined by the Office for National Statistics. To sponsor a worker, the employer must pay whichever is higher: the general threshold of £41,700 or the going rate for that specific occupation code.
This means that for higher-paid occupations (many professional and technical roles, for example) the going rate will exceed the general threshold and become the effective minimum. Employers must check the going rate for the specific code they intend to sponsor under before making any offer.
The RQF Level 6 Skill Requirement
From 22 July 2025, the Skilled Worker route requires that sponsored roles meet the RQF Level 6 skill threshold. That’s equivalent to a bachelor’s degree or professional qualification of equivalent level. This reversed a temporary lowering of the threshold that had been in place since 2022.
The practical effect was significant: around 180 occupation codes were removed from the list of eligible roles. Care workers were among the roles closed to new overseas sponsorship. Specifically, these were codes 6135 and 6136, which had seen large-scale overseas recruitment.
Workers who were already sponsored in below-RQF-6 roles before 22 July 2025 can extend their visa or change employers under transitional arrangements, provided they maintain continuous residence in the UK. However, new applications for those roles are no longer possible.
The Temporary Shortage List
To mitigate the impact of the RQF Level 6 change on sectors facing genuine skills shortages, the government published a Temporary Shortage List of occupations between RQF Levels 3 and 5. Roles on this list can still be sponsored, but the salary minimum for those roles is £25,000 per year rather than the general £41,700 threshold, subject to the going rate for the specific occupation code.
Occupation codes are listed on the Temporary Shortage List until at least 31 December 2026, but the Home Office can remove codes earlier if it considers that not enough is being done to recruit from within the resident labour market in those sectors. Naturally, employers relying on Temporary Shortage List codes should monitor the list regularly.
Reduced Salary Thresholds: New Entrants
The new entrant rate allows certain workers to be sponsored at 70% of the going rate for their occupation, subject to a floor. A worker qualifies as a new entrant if they are:
- Under 26 at the date of application
- In the first two years of a post-study work placement
- Switching from a student visa to the Skilled Worker route
- In a role on the Immigration Salary List in their first two years of employment
The new entrant discount doesn’t last indefinitely though. It applies for a maximum of four years of sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route in total, after which the full going rate applies.
Reduced Salary Thresholds: Health and Care Workers
Roles within the Health and Care Worker visa route operate under a separate salary structure. This covers doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, and certain social care roles.
The thresholds for these roles are set by reference to NHS pay scales and sector-specific going rates, and in some bands start at around £31,300 per year.
Transitional protections continue to apply for Health and Care workers sponsored before certain rule changes. This maintains their ability to extend and switch employers under previous salary conditions.
What About Tradeable Points?
The Skilled Worker route operates on a points-based system, but salary requirements and skill level are non-tradeable. So, they can’t be offset against other characteristics such as a job offer in a shortage occupation or speaking English. Meeting both the general threshold and the going rate is an absolute requirement.
Practical Implications for Employers
Before assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship, employers must confirm three things:
- That the occupation code is still eligible under the current rules
- That the salary offered meets or exceeds the going rate for that code
- That the salary also meets the general minimum threshold of £41,700 (or the applicable lower rate if the new entrant or Health and Care Worker provisions apply).
Here are the steps you need to take:
- Check the current list of eligible SOC 2020 occupation codes on the Home Office’s official appendices to the Immigration Rules.
- Verify the going rate for the specific occupation code. This is published in Appendix Skilled Occupations.
- Confirm whether the Temporary Shortage List, new entrant rate or Health and Care Worker rate applies to the specific role.
- Ensure salary is paid directly to the worker and is not offset by deductions for accommodation, equipment or other costs, which can invalidate the sponsorship.
- Take specialist advice if you’re uncertain which code applies to the role. A wrong code is a common and costly mistake.
Speak to an Immigration Solicitor Today
Osbourne Pinner’s immigration team advises employers across London and Harrow on all aspects of the Skilled Worker visa route, from identifying the correct occupation code and checking salary compliance through to applying for sponsor licences and managing Home Office compliance audits. We work with employers in a wide range of sectors, including professional services, healthcare, technology and hospitality.
Please note that this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. We always recommend speaking to a qualified solicitor for advice tailored to your specific circumstances.
If you need advice on Skilled Worker visa salary requirements or want to check whether a role is eligible for sponsorship, our immigration solicitors can help.
We offer a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your situation. You can speak with us via video call or visit our offices in Harrow, Canary Wharf, Piccadilly Circus or Manchester. To arrange your consultation, call 0203 983 5080, email [email protected] or complete the form below.
