Skilled Worker Visa: Salary Thresholds & ‘Going Rates’ – Do You Still Qualify?

To get a Skilled Worker visa as a new applicant, your salary must normally be at least £41,700 a year or the “going rate” for your job’s SOC 2020 occupation code, whichever is higher. Only guaranteed basic pay counts. The going rate is adjusted for your hours, and it can be reduced to 70%, 80% or 90% if you are a new entrant or hold a relevant PhD. Most new jobs must also be at degree level (RQF 6). This guide explains how to find your going rate and check whether a job qualifies.

Updated November 2026. Checked against the Immigration Rules (Appendix Skilled Worker and Appendix Skilled Occupations) as updated on 29 October 2026.

The salary rules at a glance

You must meet both figures in your option: the minimum salary and the share of the going rate. The higher one is what you need to be paid. If you are applying for a sponsor licence as an employer, these are the figures your certificates of sponsorship will be checked against.

What is the going rate?

Each SOC 2020 occupation code has its own going rate, published in the tables in Appendix Skilled Occupations. For most jobs, it is based on median UK pay for that occupation, with a minimum of £17.13 an hour. The rates assume a 37.5-hour week. Our immigration lawyers in London check these figures for sponsors every week.

The general threshold of £41,700 is never adjusted for hours. The going rate is. So for a part-time or long-hours job, you work out the going rate for the actual contracted hours, then compare it with £41,700.

Formula: annual going rate ÷ 37.5 × your weekly contracted hours.

How to find your going rate, step by step

1. Find the right SOC 2020 code. Choose the code that matches the job’s actual duties, not its title. The Home Office checks this, and an exaggerated or wrong code is a common reason for refusal, and challenging a refusal is slower than getting it right first time.
2. Look up the code in Table 1 of Appendix Skilled Occupations. It shows the full going rate, the 90%, 80% and 70% figures, and whether the job is eligible for PhD points.
3. Adjust for hours using the formula above.
4. Compare with the minimum salary for your option. You need whichever is higher.
5. Check that the pay counts. Only guaranteed basic gross pay is included.

Worked examples

These use the going rates in Appendix Skilled Occupations as at November 2026.

• SOC 2134, programmers and software development professionals. The going rate is £54,700 (£28.05 an hour). A full-time developer needs at least £54,700, because that is higher than £41,700. On a 30-hour week, the going rate becomes £54,700 ÷ 37.5 × 30 = £43,760, which is still above £41,700, so £43,760 is needed. A new entrant needs 70% of the going rate, which is £38,300 for a full-time job.
• SOC 2136, IT quality and testing professionals. The going rate is £41,200. That is below the general threshold, so a full-time job must pay at least £41,700.
• SOC 2431, management consultants and business analysts. The going rate is £50,200 (£25.74 an hour), so a full-time role must pay at least £50,200.

Going rates can change when the Immigration Rules are updated, so always check the current table before you assign a certificate or apply.

What counts as salary?

Only guaranteed basic gross pay counts. Employers in the north can see our Bradford visa guide for local support. The following are excluded:

• overtime, shift pay and bonuses
• allowances, such as accommodation allowances
• benefits in kind
• one-off payments
• employer pension and National Insurance contributions
• payments to cover immigration or business costs

An allowance such as London weighting can count only if it is guaranteed and treated like basic pay for tax, National Insurance and pension. The salary must also meet the going rate in every pay period, not just on average across the year.

Who counts as a new entrant?

You can use the 70% new entrant rate (with a £33,400 minimum) if one of these applies:

• you are under 26 on the date you apply
• you are switching from the Student route after a UK bachelor’s degree or higher, or from the Graduate route
• you are working towards a recognised UK professional qualification or chartered status
• you are moving into certain postdoctoral research roles

New entrant rates are time-limited. Your total time on the new entrant rate, including time on the Graduate route, cannot exceed four years. After that, you must meet the full rules when you apply for an extension.

Skill level: the RQF 6 rule and the Temporary Shortage List

Since 22 July 2025, new Skilled Worker jobs must generally be at RQF level 6 (degree level). About 180 occupations below that level were removed from the route for new applicants.

There are two exceptions for jobs at RQF 3 to 5: the Immigration Salary List and the Temporary Shortage List. The Temporary Shortage List is due to close. A job on it qualifies only if the certificate of sponsorship was issued before 31 December 2026, and these roles cannot bring dependants such as a spouse or partner. Being on the Temporary Shortage List does not reduce the salary needed.

Being on the Immigration Salary List gives a lower minimum salary (£33,400) and lower visa fees, but no discount on the going rate.

If you were already in the route before 22 July 2025

Transitional rules protect many existing Skilled Workers:

• If your first certificate of sponsorship was assigned before 4 April 2024, and you have had Skilled Worker permission continuously since, lower thresholds apply (from £31,300, or less with a discount). These are based on lower going rates in Table 2. They apply to applications made before 4 April 2030.
• If you joined the route between 4 April 2024 and 21 July 2025, the £41,700 threshold applies when you extend. However, you can stay in a job below RQF 6 that was eligible under the old rules.

Transitional rules are technical. If you are changing employer or job, take advice before the new certificate is assigned.

Other costs and requirements

• English language: new applications made from 8 January 2026 require English at level B2. If your last grant was as a Skilled Worker at B1, B1 still applies when you extend.
• Immigration Skills Charge: for certificates assigned on or after 16 December 2025, medium and large sponsors pay £1,320 for the first 12 months, then £660 for each further six months. Small and charitable sponsors pay £480, then £240.
• Settlement: Skilled Workers can currently apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years. On 2 November 2026 the government confirmed an “earned settlement” model, with a default of 10 years and 5 years for those earning over £50,271. It is not yet in force. See our article on the future of ILR for the latest position.

Proposed changes to watch

The Migration Advisory Committee has recommended changes to the salary rules, including moving going rates back to the 25th percentile and replacing the new entrant discount with a flat £33,400. As at November 2026 the government has not adopted these recommendations, so the rules above still apply.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum salary for a Skilled Worker visa in 2026?

For most new applicants, £41,700 or the going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher. Lower minimums apply to new entrants, relevant PhD holders, Immigration Salary List jobs and some health and education roles.

Where can I find the going rate for my SOC code?

In the tables in Appendix Skilled Occupations of the Immigration Rules, published on GOV.UK. Table 1 covers most new applicants.

Can overtime or bonuses help me meet the threshold?

No. Only guaranteed basic gross pay counts.

Does the going rate change for part-time work?

Yes. The going rate is adjusted for your contracted hours, but the £41,700 general threshold is not. You need whichever is higher.

Can my employer pay me less if I am under 26?

Yes, if you qualify as a new entrant. You need at least 70% of the going rate and at least £33,400, for up to four years in total.

Our immigration solicitors advise sponsors and applicants on Skilled Worker applications, extensions and changes of employer. See our pricing for fixed fees, or call 0330 341 4757.

Please note: This article is general information about UK immigration law as at November 2026. The Immigration Rules change often. It is not legal advice. Prime Legal Solicitors is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, SRA No. 834471.