Skilled Worker Visa UK: Eligibility, Salary Rules and How to Apply

The Skilled Worker visa lets you live and work in the UK when you have a job offer from a Home Office–licensed sponsor. To qualify in 2026, your role must be at an eligible skill level and pay at least £41,700 a year or the going rate for your occupation code, whichever is higher.

This guide covers who qualifies, what UKVI actually checks, the salary rules that decide most applications, and the mistakes that most commonly lead to refusal. It is written for applicants with a UK job offer and for employers preparing to sponsor – Conroy Baker Ltd advises both.

• You have a genuine job offer from a UK employer that holds a valid sponsor licence
• The role is on the list of eligible occupations (skill level RQF 3 or above)
• You will be paid at or above the salary threshold that applies to you
• You can prove your English language ability at level B1 or above

If your employer does not yet hold a sponsor licence, that must be fixed first – see our guide to the Skilled Worker sponsor licence.

Most Skilled Worker refusals and delays we see trace back to salary, not paperwork. Three numbers matter:

1. The general threshold: £41,700 per year. This is the baseline for most applicants.
2. The going rate for your occupation code. Every eligible role has its own going rate. You must meet the higher of the general threshold and the going rate.
3. Reduced thresholds in limited cases. Lower salary requirements can apply to new entrants, certain health and education roles, and roles on the Immigration Salary List.

What goes wrong in practice: an employer quotes a salary that meets the general threshold but sits below the going rate for the assigned occupation code – or assigns the wrong occupation code entirely. Either error usually means a refusal. Checking the code and the rate before the Certificate of Sponsorship is issued is the single most valuable pre-application step.

Before you can apply, your employer must issue you a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) through the Sponsor Management System (SMS). A CoS is an electronic record, not a paper document, and it must accurately state your role, occupation code, salary, and work location.

Applying from outside the UK requires a defined CoS; applications from inside the UK use an undefined CoS. [VERIFY: defined/undefined split still current] Errors on the CoS are a common and avoidable cause of refusal – they cannot usually be corrected after your application is submitted.

Employers managing allocations should read our Certificate of Sponsorship guide.

1. Confirm eligibility occupation code, skill level, salary, English language.
2. Employer issues the CoS through the SMS.
3. Submit the online application within 3 months of the CoS being issued.
4. Pay the fees – the application fee, the Immigration Health Surcharge, and biometrics.
5. Attend biometrics / verify identity via the app or a visa application centre.
6. Receive the decision – typically around 3 weeks outside the UK, around 8 weeks inside the UK; priority services can shorten this where available.

To qualify for a UK Skilled Worker Visa, you must satisfy specific Home Office requirements. Our UK Skilled Worker Visa immigration lawyer in London team ensures your application meets all criteria, significantly enhancing your chances of success.

1. Salary below the going rate for the assigned occupation code, even where the general threshold is met.
2. Wrong occupation code – the duties described don’t match the code on the CoS.
3. Genuine vacancy doubts – UKVI is not satisfied the role is a real, needed position.
4. English language evidence gaps – the test, qualification, or exemption isn’t correctly evidenced.
5. CoS errors – mismatched dates, salary, or job details between the CoS and the application.

In one recent employer engagement, we resolved a delayed Undefined CoS allocation through structured escalation with UKVI, protecting the client’s recruitment timeline – the kind of problem that is far cheaper to prevent than repair.

Most visa holders can switch to the Skilled Worker route from within the UK with a valid CoS and the salary and skill requirements met. Visitor visa holders cannot switch and must apply from their home country. Student visa holders can usually switch once they have completed their course, or under specific conditions.

Your partner and children under 18 can usually apply as your dependants, each paying their own application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge. See our Skilled Worker Dependent visa guide

Yes. The Skilled Worker visa is a route to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), typically after 5 continuous years in the UK, provided you still meet the salary and residence requirements when you apply. Time spent on some other routes can count toward the 5 years.

Planning your settlement date early avoids expensive surprises – our ILR guide and ILR Absence Calculator can help you map it.