Skilled Worker Visa

In order to qualify for a Skilled Worker Visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

• You are aged 18 or over
• You have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job you are planning to do
• Your job offer is a genuine vacancy
• Your sponsor has paid any required Immigration Skills Charge
• Your job is at an appropriate skill level
• You are competent in the English language to at least CEFR Level B1 (equivalent to IELTS 4.0)
• You will be paid a salary which equals or exceeds both a general salary threshold and the ‘going rate’ for the occupation
• You have enough money to support yourself without relying on public funds
• You have provided a criminal record certificate, if required and
• You have provided a valid TB certificate, if required.

Financial Requirement

Subject to the exemptions below, you will need to have cash funds of at least £1,270 available.

You will need to have held the money for at least 28 consecutive days ending not more than 31 days before the date of your Skilled Worker Visa application. You will be exempt from the financial requirement if you have a fully ‘A-rated’ sponsor who is willing to meet your maintenance costs up to the end of the first month of your employment, to an amount of at least £1,270, if necessary.  Your sponsor will need to confirm this on your Certificate of Sponsorship. If you are applying for permission to stay and have been in the UK with permission for 12 months or more at the date of application, you will meet the financial requirement and will not need to show funds.

Salary Threshold Requirement

Employers seeking to recruit under the Skilled Worker route must (subject to being able to trade points as set out below) pay their skilled workers a salary which equals or exceeds both a general salary threshold and the ‘going rate’ for the occupation (as set out in the relevant occupation code mentioned above), whichever is higher.

The general salary threshold under the Skilled Worker route is £25,600 a year.  Therefore, in most cases an applicant for a Skilled Worker Visa must be paid a salary which equals or exceeds £25,600 a year and 100% of the going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher. The assessment of salary is based on guaranteed basic gross pay. 

Some sponsored skilled workers applying under the Skilled Worker route may be paid less than the above amount, where they are awarded additional so-called ‘tradable points’ for other attributes:  

• An applicant with a PhD qualification which is relevant to the job may be paid a salary which equals or exceeds both £23,040 per year and 90% of the going rate for the occupation
• An applicant with a PhD qualification in a STEM subject which is relevant to the job may be paid a salary which equals or exceeds both £20,480 per year and 80% of the going rate for the occupation
• An applicant with a job offer for a job in a shortage occupation may be paid a salary which equals or exceeds both £20,480 per year and 80% of the going rate for the occupation
• An applicant who is a new entrant to the labour market may be paid a salary which equals or exceeds both £20,480 per year and 70% of the going rate for the occupation
• An application for a job in a listed health or education occupation may be paid a salary which equals or exceeds both £20,480 per year and 80% of the going rate for the occupation

The exact requirements you will need to satisfy will vary depending on your circumstances. Further information can be found here.