UK Skilled Worker visa salary thresholds 2025/2026

Since April 2024, the general minimum salary for most Skilled Worker visa applicants is £38,700 per year. This applies to the majority of roles across technology, engineering, finance, and professional services. If your role falls into one of these categories, your job offer needs to meet or exceed this figure.

But the rule is not simply "earn £38,700 and you qualify." You must be paid either the general threshold or the going rate for your specific occupation code — whichever is higher. If your occupation carries a going rate of £45,000, that is the minimum you need regardless of the general floor. The £38,700 threshold only matters when it exceeds your occupation's going rate, which for many common roles it does not.

The going rate is the salary the Home Office considers standard for a UK worker in your specific occupation. Every eligible job on the Skilled Worker route is mapped to a Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code, and each SOC code has a corresponding going rate published annually by the Home Office. You must earn at least whichever is higher: the general threshold or your occupation's going rate.

For roles in technology, management, and finance, going rates frequently exceed £38,700 — making the occupation-specific figure the binding constraint. For some other occupations the going rate is lower, but the general threshold still applies. You can check which SOC code is likely to apply to your role using the VisaAtlas SOC Code Intelligence tool.

Some applicants qualify for a reduced threshold under the new entrant rules. The new entrant rate is set at 70% of the going rate for your occupation, subject to a minimum floor of £30,960. If you qualify, you only need to meet this reduced figure rather than the full going rate or general threshold.

You may qualify as a new entrant if you are under 26 at the time of application, are switching from a Student or Graduate visa, are in a postdoctoral position, or are joining a recognised graduate training programme. This is a time-limited concession — most people can use the new entrant rate for a maximum of the first four years of their career in the UK, after which the full thresholds apply.

The health and social care sector operates under a different set of rules from the general Skilled Worker route. Care workers and home carers have a much lower minimum salary floor — currently £23,200 per year — which sits significantly below the general £38,700 threshold. However, care employers must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and care workers must be employed directly rather than through a third-party labour provider. These conditions are strictly enforced.

For nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals employed by NHS and private healthcare organisations, pay is typically governed by Agenda for Change bands. A newly qualified Band 5 nurse earns around £29,970 — below the general threshold, but within the health and care sector rules for that occupation code. Always verify the current going rate for your specific job code, as the Home Office updates salary tables annually. The VisaAtlas Sponsorship Fit checker can help you map your role and salary against current thresholds.

Care worker (£24,500/year): Falls under health and care sector rules — the general £38,700 threshold does not apply. Eligibility depends on meeting the going rate for care occupation codes and the employer being CQC-registered. Likely eligible under current rules.

Registered nurse, Band 5 (£29,970/year): Covered by health and care sector rules, not the general threshold. Meets the going rate for nursing occupation codes under current Home Office tables. Eligible.

Software engineer (£42,000/year): Exceeds the £38,700 general threshold. Going rates for most software engineering SOC codes sit in the £35,000–£44,000 range depending on the specific code. At £42,000, both tests are met. Eligible.

Junior accountant (£34,000/year): Below the general £38,700 threshold. Going rates for accounting occupation codes vary but typically sit around £30,000–£38,000 for junior roles. This salary may meet the going rate but fails the general threshold — not eligible unless the applicant qualifies as a new entrant, in which case the floor drops to approximately £30,960.

Going rates are updated annually, so always verify the current figures before making any decision. The steps are: confirm the SOC code that applies to your role; check the current going rate for that code on the Home Office's published tables; check whether you qualify for the new entrant rate; and confirm whether health and care sector rules apply to your occupation.

For a faster starting point, the VisaAtlas Sponsorship Fit tool helps you map your job title and salary against current threshold data and identify whether you are likely to meet the requirements. Use it as a research aid before verifying with the official Home Office guidance.