What Salary Do I Need for a UK Skilled Worker Visa?

The starting point for most Skilled Worker applicants is simple: your salary must meet the higher of £38,700 per year or the going rate for your specific occupation code (SOC code). The going rate is set by the Home Office for each SOC code and reflects typical UK market pay for that role. If the going rate for your SOC code is £42,000, then £38,700 is not enough — you need at least £42,000.

This 'higher of two' rule exists to prevent employers from undercutting UK workers by sponsoring overseas staff at below-market rates. It means that even if your salary comfortably clears £38,700, you still need to check the going rate for your specific code.

The going rates are published in the Home Office's Appendix Skilled Worker and are updated periodically. You can check current going rates using the VisaAtlas SOC Code Intelligence tool without having to navigate the full government guidance document.

If you qualify as a new entrant, the threshold drops to 70% of the going rate for your SOC code, with a minimum floor of £30,960. You qualify as a new entrant if you are within the first two years of a graduate-level job (for example, recently graduated and in your first professional role), or if you are currently on a Graduate visa and applying to switch.

New entrant status is not automatic — your employer needs to confirm it on your Certificate of Sponsorship. And the 70% rate is subject to the £30,960 floor: even if 70% of the going rate is below £30,960, you still need to earn at least £30,960.

New entrant status also applies if you are currently working towards a recognised qualification (such as a postgraduate qualification or professional certification) as part of your role. The conditions are worth checking carefully with an immigration adviser if you are not sure whether they apply to you.

The health and care sector operates under different rules. For jobs in the health and care visa sub-route — which covers registered nurses, doctors, AHPs, social workers, and some care worker roles — the threshold is the going rate for the specific occupation code, not the £38,700 general threshold. Since many health and care going rates sit below £38,700, this means many NHS and care workers can be sponsored at salaries that would fail the general test.

Employers using the health and care sub-route must be CQC-regulated (or equivalent in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland). NHS trusts, NHS foundation trusts, and registered care providers qualify. A private company offering healthcare services without CQC registration generally would not.

The health and care sub-route also carries significant financial benefits for workers: the visa application fee is lower, and eligible workers are exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge, which otherwise costs thousands of pounds for a multi-year visa.

Registered nurse (Band 5, ~£29,970): Eligible under health and care sub-route. The going rate for SOC 2231 is approximately £29,970, which the salary meets exactly. General threshold does not apply. Eligible.

Care worker (~£24,500): Eligible under health and care sub-route if the employer is CQC-registered and the role uses SOC code 6145. Check current going rate — has been around £20,960–£24,000 in recent guidance. Salary of £24,500 likely eligible.

Software engineer (£42,000): SOC 2136 going rate is approximately £40,500–£43,000. Salary of £42,000 is within the going rate range — likely eligible, but verify current going rate figure. Comfortably above general threshold. Eligible.

Junior accountant (£34,000): SOC 2421 (financial accountants) going rate typically exceeds £38,700. A salary of £34,000 would fail the general threshold AND likely fall below the going rate. May qualify under new entrant rules (70% of going rate, min £30,960) if new entrant status applies — check carefully.

Civil engineer (£40,000): SOC 2121 going rate is typically around £38,000–£42,000. A salary of £40,000 may meet the threshold — verify the specific going rate for 2121 at the time of application. If going rate is £42,000, the salary would fall short.

Data analyst (£38,000): SOC 2425 (statisticians/data analysts) — going rate varies. £38,000 is borderline: it is below the general £38,700 threshold, so it would fail unless the going rate for the specific SOC code is lower. Check the exact code and rate.

Chef (£30,000): Only certain chef codes qualify for the Skilled Worker route. SOC 5434 (cooks) may not qualify; SOC 1221 (restaurant/catering managers) or specific senior chef roles may have different thresholds. A salary of £30,000 is below the general threshold — check whether a shortage occupation discount applies and verify the current code.

Hotel manager (£35,000): SOC 1221 going rate — typically needs to meet at least £38,700. £35,000 falls short of the general threshold; may qualify as new entrant.

Pharmacist (£44,000): SOC 2213 going rate for pharmacists in NHS/community settings is typically in the £44,000–£47,000 range. A salary of £44,000 should be checked against the specific going rate — likely eligible, but verify.

Teacher (£31,000): SOC 2314 (secondary education teachers) — going rate may be around £30,000–£35,000. Shortage teacher subjects have historically qualified. £31,000 may qualify under shortage rules or at the going rate depending on subject and current status — verify against latest guidance.

The fastest way to check whether a specific salary offer meets the threshold for your job is to use the VisaAtlas Sponsorship Fit tool. Enter your job title and salary, and the tool maps it to the most likely SOC code and checks the offer against the current going rate and general threshold — including new entrant calculations.

You should also check the Home Office Appendix Skilled Worker document on gov.uk for the definitive going rate table. The going rates are updated periodically and the figures in any online guide — including this one — may not reflect the most recent changes. Always cross-check with the official source before making a decision.

If you are unsure whether new entrant status applies to you, or whether your role qualifies under health and care rules, it is worth consulting a regulated immigration adviser (OISC-registered) who can give you advice specific to your circumstances.