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UK confirms updated Skilled Worker salary thresholds and going rates

🇬🇧 United KingdomWork Permits1 recorded versionLast change 26 Jul 2026
ConfidenceVery high · 100%

Current rules

The Skilled Worker route specifies salary thresholds for various options (A-K) to be awarded 20 points, in addition to mandatory points for sponsorship (20 points), job at an appropriate skill level (20 points), and English language skills (10 points). The salary options range from £41,700 (Option A) to £25,000 (Options H, I) depending on qualifications (e.g., PhD, STEM PhD), job nature (e.g., Health and Care ASHE salary job, Immigration Salary List), or new entrant status, and must also meet a percentage of the going rate for the occupation code. For Health and Care ASHE salary jobs, options F-J offer lower salary thresholds for points, applicable before 4 April 2030 for those granted permission under rules before 4 April 2024 with continuous permission since then, or for specific occupation codes in Table 3 or 3a of Appendix Skilled Occupations.

Overview

The Home Office has published revised general salary thresholds and occupation-specific going rates for the Skilled Worker route.

Who is affected by the latest change

  • People applying for a UK Skilled Worker visa
  • Skilled Workers extending their permission where the updated salary requirements apply
  • UK employers sponsoring Skilled Workers
  • Applicants whose salary is close to the applicable threshold
  • Applicants relying on a PhD, new-entrant or Immigration Salary List salary discount
  • Workers whose occupation has a specific going rate

What changed in the latest version

Before

Before 22 July 2025: * The standard minimum salary for a Skilled Worker visa was £38,700. * The specific minimum salaries for different jobs were based on older pay data. * Some applicants could qualify with lower salary thresholds. * The Skilled Worker route included a wider range of jobs at lower skill levels.

After

The Skilled Worker route specifies salary thresholds for various options (A-K) to be awarded 20 points, in addition to mandatory points for sponsorship (20 points), job at an appropriate skill level (20 points), and English language skills (10 points). The salary options range from £41,700 (Option A) to £25,000 (Options H, I) depending on qualifications (e.g., PhD, STEM PhD), job nature (e.g., Health and Care ASHE salary job, Immigration Salary List), or new entrant status, and must also meet a percentage of the going rate for the occupation code. For Health and Care ASHE salary jobs, options F-J offer lower salary thresholds for points, applicable before 4 April 2030 for those granted permission under rules before 4 April 2024 with continuous permission since then, or for specific occupation codes in Table 3 or 3a of Appendix Skilled Occupations.

These detailed rules clarify the specific salary criteria and other conditions necessary for individuals to qualify under the Skilled Worker route. Employers must now ensure not only that a job meets the general skill level but also that the proposed salary aligns with the updated thresholds, which vary significantly based on the applicant's qualifications and the job's sector. Individuals who are currently students in the UK and wish to switch to the Skilled Worker route face specific timing and course completion conditions, meaning careful planning is required. The restrictions on switching from certain visa categories to the Skilled Worker route prevent some individuals from transitioning directly, necessitating a review of their current immigration status before applying.

Explained simply

Imagine you want to work in the UK. The rules about who can get a 'Skilled Worker' visa have changed a bit. If you're from Afghanistan, you can't apply for this visa to come to the UK anymore. If you want to work in health or care, there's a new special list of jobs and bosses that makes it easier to get the visa, but they have to be very specific roles. And if you're a student in the UK, you can't just switch to this work visa whenever you like; you usually need to have finished your course or be well into a university degree before you can apply for the work visa to start.

Frequently asked

Version history

  1. v2Effective 22 Jul 2025EffectiveHigh impact
    UK confirms updated Skilled Worker salary thresholds and going rates

    The UK's Skilled Worker route, which allows employers to recruit individuals for work in the UK and offers a path to settlement, has detailed eligibility requirements. Applicants must obtain 70 points, including 50 mandatory points for sponsorship, job skill level, and English language proficiency, plus 20 additional points based on salary and qualifications. Salary thresholds for these additional points vary, ranging from £41,700 to £25,000 depending on factors such as holding a PhD or working in a 'Health and Care ASHE salary job'. New rules clarify validity requirements for Certificates of Sponsorship, conditions for students switching to this route, and specify restrictions for applicants previously holding certain types of permission to stay, alongside an exclusion for Afghan nationals seeking entry clearance.

Timeline

  1. Annual review published

    20 Jul 2026

    Updated going rates laid before Parliament.

  2. Reform package raises thresholds

    4 Apr 2024

    General threshold and going rates increased.

Other routes in this country

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