What is the minimum salary for a Skilled Worker visa?
Short answer
£41,700 a year, or the going rate for your occupation code if that is higher — whichever is greater. The general threshold rose to that level on 22 July 2025. New entrants are assessed against a lower floor of £33,400, and health and care roles have their own separate thresholds.
There is no single number that answers this for everyone, because the Skilled Worker route applies two tests and you must clear both. Your salary has to be at least the general threshold of £41,700 a year, which has applied since 22 July 2025, and at least the published going rate for your occupation code. Where the going rate is higher than £41,700, the going rate is the figure that binds.
The lower thresholds, and who gets them
- New entrants — recent graduates, younger workers, and people switching from a Student visa — are assessed at 70% of the going rate or £33,400, whichever is higher.
- Immigration Salary List occupations, which replaced the old shortage occupation list in April 2024, attract a 20% discount against the going rate. Crucially, that discount does not reduce the general salary floor — you still have to clear it.
- Health and Care Worker roles in the NHS and eligible adult social care have separate thresholds set for those sectors, which are lower than the general figure for many medical occupations.
What counts as salary
The pay must be genuine. Tips, gratuities and overtime that is not guaranteed cannot be counted towards the threshold. Allowances can count only where they are part of the standard contract and are not conditional on doing extra work. Alongside the salary test, the job must sit in an eligible occupation code at or above RQF level 3 (A-level equivalent), your sponsor must hold a valid licence, and you must show English at B1 CEFR and hold £1,270 in your account for 28 consecutive days unless your sponsor certifies maintenance.
Two things worth planning for. You must continue to meet the salary threshold at the point you apply for settlement after five years, so a move to a lower-paid role can put ILR at risk. And if your role, occupation code or pay changes materially, your sponsor must report it and you may need a new visa — take advice before accepting a change. The immigration route wizard can help you sanity-check whether Skilled Worker is the right route at all.
Related guides
Skilled Worker Visa Overview
The Skilled Worker visa is the main route for people from outside the UK to work in the country. It replaced the Tier 2 (General) visa in December 2020 as part of the post-Brexit points-based immigration system. To be eligible, you generally need a job offer from a UK employer with a valid Skilled Worker sponsor licence, and your role and salary must meet the required thresholds.
9 min
Health and Care Worker Visa
The Health and Care Worker Visa is a sub-route of the Skilled Worker visa designed specifically for doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, and senior care workers taking up eligible roles with the NHS, an NHS-commissioned service provider, or an adult social care employer. It offers reduced fees and an immigration health surcharge exemption.
6 min
Certificate of Sponsorship Explained
A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is a virtual document — essentially a reference number — assigned by a licensed UK employer to a specific overseas worker. It is required for most work-based visa applications under the points-based system. Without a valid CoS, a work visa application cannot proceed.
5 min
Settlement and Indefinite Leave to Remain
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) — also called settlement — gives you the right to live, work, and study in the UK for an indefinite period without immigration restrictions. ILR is a significant step on the pathway to British citizenship and provides much greater security than any time-limited visa. However, ILR can be lost if you spend extended periods outside the UK.
8 min
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