UK Skilled Worker Visa Salary Rules: Thresholds and Going Rates

For most new Skilled Worker applications, the salary must meet both the general threshold and the going rate for the sponsored occupation. Under the standard salary option, that usually means at least £41,700 a year and the full going rate for the relevant occupation code, using whichever figure is higher. Some applicants may qualify under a different salary option, but each has its own conditions. This guide covers salary rules checked on 28 October 2026; it is not an immigration decision.

The application also has separate requirements for an eligible job, an approved sponsor, a valid Certificate of Sponsorship and English-language ability. Passing a salary comparison by itself does not establish eligibility.

If your sponsored role has ended or the sponsor can no longer sponsor you, see our UK Skilled Worker job-loss guide for the sponsor-reporting and permission-update steps. This salary page covers qualifying a new offer, not the notice period after a job ends.

Start with the job's occupation code

The Scale-up Worker route has a different sponsor-growth test and a six-month sponsorship boundary, followed by its own PAYE earnings conditions. See the separate Scale-up Worker visa guide before comparing the route; do not apply Skilled Worker salary options to a Scale-up application.

Short-term horticulture and specified poultry jobs use a separate UK Seasonal Worker visa route, with different sponsors, seasonal limits and pay rules. The Seasonal Worker route does not provide a general path to permanent work.

Ask the employer which four-digit SOC 2020 occupation code is on the proposed Certificate of Sponsorship. The code needs to match the duties, skill level and job description; a similar job title can have a different code or eligibility. GOV.UK says the employer must sponsor an eligible role and meet the applicable minimum-wage and working-time rules.

Use the official Skilled Occupations tables to check the code, whether the role is eligible, the applicable going rate and any occupation-specific salary figures. The tables are updated over time. Do not use an old rate copied from a previous offer or a generic salary website in place of the live table.

Apply the standard salary test

Under option A, the offer must meet both tests:

The required figure is the higher of the two. For example, if a role's current full-time going rate were £45,000 for a 37.5-hour week and the sponsor stated 40 weekly hours, the illustrative pro-rated going rate would be £48,000 (£45,000 × 40 ÷ 37.5). The standard comparison would then use £48,000, because it is above £41,700. This example shows the method only; £45,000 is not a claim about any particular occupation's current rate.

For the relevant tables, the going rate is generally based on 37.5 hours and is pro-rated using the weekly hours stated by the sponsor. The Immigration Rules also set particular arrangements for healthcare and education roles, uneven working patterns, and other cases. Follow the notes attached to the correct table and salary option.

The general threshold and the going rate answer different questions. The general threshold is a route-wide floor for the salary option being claimed. The going rate is occupation-specific and is tied to the SOC 2020 code and working pattern. A salary can be above £41,700 and still fail because it is below the adjusted going rate; conversely, a high going rate does not remove the general threshold. Apply both tests independently, then use the higher required figure. For example, a hypothetical £50,000 offer does not pass the standard test if that role's relevant pro-rated going rate is £52,000.

Do not treat an hourly rate copied from a vacancy as a substitute for the annual comparison. The annual table figure, stated weekly hours and applicable table notes determine the comparison. Where an employer offers variable hours, compressed hours or a pattern that changes across weeks, ask the sponsor how it will record the arrangement and confirm which rule applies. The Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) should accurately describe the job and hours; changing the hours in a personal spreadsheet does not amend the sponsorship record.

When a lower salary option may apply

The Immigration Rules list other salary options. The following are examples from the current rules for the relevant occupation tables; meeting the salary figures alone is not enough:

Healthcare or education roles, extensions or updates, applications under older transitional rules and settlement can use different requirements. The full points options and conditions are in Appendix Skilled Worker; do not select an option just because its salary floor is lower. For the current public-facing eligibility explanation, see GOV.UK's guide to when salary can be lower.

Health and Care Worker applicants have a separate occupation list and salary guidance; see the Health and Care Worker application guide before applying the general Skilled Worker thresholds to a health or care job.

Transitional salary options need a separate check

The current Immigration Rules also contain options with lower general thresholds for certain workers who meet transitional provisions. These are not open alternatives that any new applicant can choose. The relevant option depends on matters such as when the worker's first CoS was assigned, whether the worker has held continuous Skilled Worker permission, the occupation code and the applicable rule at the date of application. Some transitional options retain a full going-rate test; others specify a percentage discount. Check the F–K provisions and their cross-references in the live Appendix rather than applying the A–E figures above to an extension or update.

This date distinction matters when a person changes employer, changes occupation code, extends permission or applies under a route with older salary protection. A previous grant or payslip alone does not establish that a transitional rule applies. Ask the sponsor to identify the rule and record the relevant CoS and permission dates, then compare those facts with the current text of the Immigration Rules. If the transition does not clearly fit, use the applicable standard rule or obtain regulated immigration advice before relying on a lower figure.

Healthcare and education occupations

Some eligible health and education jobs use national pay scales or occupation-specific salary tables instead of the ordinary going-rate method. The correct comparison can depend on the job, UK nation, grade or scale point, working hours and the salary option. Do not transfer an NHS or school pay figure from another region, employer or grade without checking that it corresponds to the sponsored post and the table GOV.UK directs you to use.

For these roles, obtain the occupation code and the sponsor's proposed pay details, then check the relevant table and its notes. Minimum-wage and working-time rules remain separate requirements. A published pay scale may help explain how the employer calculated salary, but the sponsor still needs to certify accurate role and pay information. An annual package total that includes unsalaried benefits should not be assumed to equal the qualifying salary.

Check which pay counts

The Immigration Rules generally count guaranteed basic gross pay and other guaranteed payments treated in the same way for tax, pension and National Insurance. They exclude items such as overtime, bonuses, employer pension contributions, most allowances, benefits in kind and one-off payments. Certain deductions or payments to the sponsor can also affect the salary considered. Check the detailed rules and what the sponsor has entered on the Certificate of Sponsorship rather than adding every item in a remuneration package together.

Pay must also satisfy the applicable pay-period rules. A headline annual salary is not a substitute for checking the guaranteed pay and hours in the sponsorship details.

Check the salary calculation the sponsor will certify

Before making a comparison, write down four inputs: the occupation code, the applicable salary option, the weekly hours in the proposed CoS and the qualifying guaranteed salary. Then record the source table and the date you checked it. This creates a small audit trail that helps explain why a particular threshold was used if the job, hours or rules change before filing.

The figures should be considered as the rules define them, not as a broad “total compensation” number. Do not add employer pension contributions, benefits in kind or discretionary rewards to make a shortfall disappear. If pay is reduced by a deduction, the contract includes a repayment to the sponsor, or the salary varies by pay period, ask the sponsor how that is treated under the current rules. The detailed rules specify which payments count and how recurring pay is assessed; a recruitment advert may not give enough information to answer those questions.

Also separate contractual salary from the minimum-wage check. A role can meet the visa salary threshold but still raise a separate issue if the pay or hours do not comply with employment law. The sponsor must meet the route's sponsorship duties and the job must satisfy applicable pay and working-time requirements. This guide does not calculate National Minimum Wage compliance, validate a contract or determine whether the occupation code matches the duties.

If the offer changes after the sponsor has assigned the CoS—for example, the hours increase, the guaranteed salary falls, or the job duties change—ask the employer whether a new or updated sponsorship action is required. Do not assume that an earlier arithmetic comparison continues to apply to materially different job terms. Keep the written offer, job description, CoS details and any sponsor explanation together so the numbers can be reconciled.

A practical check before relying on an offer

1. Get the proposed SOC 2020 occupation code and job description from the sponsor.
2. Check the live eligibility and going-rate table for that code and the relevant UK nation.
3. Confirm the weekly hours and apply the rule for the correct occupation table.
4. Compare the qualifying guaranteed salary with the general floor and adjusted going rate for the salary option being claimed.
5. Ask the sponsor to confirm the occupation code, salary option and pay details that will appear on the Certificate of Sponsorship.
6. Check the other route requirements, including sponsorship, job eligibility and English, separately.

Keep a simple comparison record with the date checked, the GOV.UK occupation table, the relevant salary-option paragraph and the sponsor's stated hours and qualifying salary. This does not replace the application evidence or the sponsor's duties. It makes differences easier to spot if an occupation table changes, a CoS is revised or the employer quotes an amount that includes excluded pay.

The application date and sponsorship dates can affect which rule applies. GOV.UK notes that lower thresholds may apply to some extensions, updates and workers covered by transitional provisions. If your case is not a straightforward new application, first establish whether the application is an extension, update, change of employer, change of occupation code or a first application. Then read the corresponding rule, rather than selecting the row with the lowest threshold in a summary table.

If you are moving to the UK, tax residence and visa permission are separate questions. Our Moving to the UK tax guide covers residence, split-year treatment and the Foreign Income and Gains regime; it does not assess immigration eligibility.

Frequently asked questions

The Home Office rules and occupation tables can change. Confirm the current table, salary option and sponsor details immediately before relying on a figure. This guide is general information, not legal advice or a decision about permission to work in the UK.

Official sources

• GOV.UK: Skilled Worker visa — Your job
• GOV.UK: Skilled Worker visa — When you can be paid less
• Home Office: Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Worker
• Home Office: Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations