Skilled Worker visa: what salary threshold applies now

A Skilled Worker visa — the UK's main work visa — needs a job offer from an employer with a sponsor licence. One of the key conditions is salary.

What is the general threshold?

Your pay must be at least the higher of two figures: £41,700 a year, or the going rate for your job — the standard salary for that occupation. Each occupation code has its own going rate, set out in a separate table. So even a well‑paid role cannot pay below £41,700, and where the going rate is higher than £41,700, that is the figure to meet.

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When is the threshold lower?

Some applicants have a lower threshold of £33,400 a year, which applies to those who do not meet the usual requirements but do not work in healthcare or education. For prison officers, the threshold is the higher of £31,300 or the lower going rate for their job. Lower rules can also apply when you extend a visa or change jobs.

Separate rules for health and education

For healthcare and education workers, salary is based on national pay scales rather than the general threshold. This covers, for example, nurses and teachers on public pay rates.

What else matters?

Whichever threshold applies, your pay cannot be below the National Minimum Wage — the legal minimum per hour. The employer must meet both requirements at once. Before applying, check the annual threshold, the going rate for your occupation code and the minimum hourly rate — all the figures are on the visa page on gov.uk.

What else affects the visa?

Salary is not the only condition. The job must be on the list of eligible occupations and meet the required skill level, and the employer must hold a valid sponsor licence and issue a certificate of sponsorship. You also have to prove your knowledge of English and usually pay the immigration health surcharge, which gives access to the NHS.

Because thresholds and going rates are reviewed from time to time, both worker and employer should check the current figures on the visa page on gov.uk rather than rely on last year's values. A miscalculated salary is a common reason for refusal, so check the annual threshold, the going rate for the occupation code and the minimum hourly rate together.

In short: aim for the higher of £41,700 a year or the going rate for your job, without forgetting the minimum hourly rate. Some applicants have a lower threshold of £33,400. Always check the current figures on the visa page on gov.uk before you apply.