The skilled worker visa minimum salary 2026 rules are among the most closely scrutinised parts of UK immigration law. Following the July 2025 changes and the new pay-period rules that took effect on 8 April 2026, both employers and applicants now face a more detailed salary framework under the skilled worker route.
The headline figure is the general salary threshold. For most roles, the minimum salary is £41,700 a year or the going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher. This figure has applied since 22 July 2025, when it replaced the previous £38,700 threshold.
The worker visa salary threshold is also assessed on the offered salary stated on the certificate of sponsorship, so the salary offered in the contract and the figure on the certificate must match.
At Salam Immigration, we regularly advise UK businesses and international workers on the salary rules in Appendix Skilled Worker. With more than 20 years of experience, we know that most refusals and compliance problems come from small errors in salary calculation, occupation code selection or payroll structure.
This guide sets out the current figures, explains how they interact and shows how to avoid the common mistakes. It is general information and does not constitute legal advice.
What Is the Skilled Worker Visa Minimum Salary in 2026?
There is a common misconception that the skilled worker visa minimum salary is a single fixed figure.
In reality, the system uses layered salary thresholds. The salary required depends on the occupation code, the job titles and duties, the worker’s circumstances and whether any salary discount applies. For skilled worker visa applicants, the right question is therefore not “what is the minimum?” but “which salary option can this particular job and this particular person use?”
The current rules also distinguish between the cash floor and the occupation-specific rate. The cash floor is never pro-rated for part-time hours, whereas the going rate can be adjusted. Keeping these two ideas separate avoids most of the confusion that surrounds the UK skilled worker salary framework.
How the Two-Test System Works in Practice
To meet the skilled worker visa minimum salary, a sponsored worker must satisfy two tests at the same time:
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The general threshold, which is the fixed cash floor for the option being used
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The going rate for the specific occupation, set by the occupation code
The higher of the two applies. If the going rate for a role is £45,000, that becomes the minimum salary and the £41,700 floor is irrelevant. If the going rate is only £30,000, the £41,700 general threshold still binds under the standard option.
Tradeable Points and Salary Flexibility
Certain applicants can score tradeable points, which allow a lower general threshold and a lower percentage of the going rate. These salary options sit alongside the mandatory points for sponsorship, skill level and English language proficiency. The main groups are:
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New entrants to the labour market, such as applicants switching from a Graduate visa or who have held permission on the graduate route, and applicants under 26, who rely on new entrant status
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Applicants with a relevant PhD
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Roles on the immigration salary list
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Health and education roles paid on national pay scales
This is where many skilled worker visa applications go wrong. Employers often assume that a lower salary can be used without properly checking eligibility. Each lower thresholds option is a narrow exception, and the sponsor must be able to prove that the worker meets every condition attached to it, including where someone is working towards professional registration or chartered status.
Applicants must still meet the following criteria for the specific tradeable-points option under the new immigration rules and proposed citizenship requirements.
Why the Minimum Salary Matters for Employers and Applicants
The skilled worker visa minimum salary is not just a number. It directly affects:
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Whether a skilled worker visa application is approved
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Whether a licensed UK employer stays compliant with its sponsor duties
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Whether the sponsored job meets Home Office expectations at extension and settlement
Employers who plan to recruit should also look at the wider picture before making an offer. Our guide to the UK work visa without a job offer explains why most routes still depend on sponsorship, which is why salary planning has to start before the job is advertised.
Skilled Worker Salary Thresholds for Different Categories 2026
The skilled worker salary threshold framework in 2026 varies by role type and eligibility category. These thresholds sit at the core of every skilled worker visa application and determine whether a sponsored job qualifies under the skilled worker route.
The salary options are sometimes labelled with letters in guidance for sponsors, but the principle is always the same: a cash floor plus a percentage of the going rate.
General Salary Threshold and Standard Option
Under the standard Skilled Worker option, the general threshold is £41,700 a year and 100% of the going rate for the occupation code. Only guaranteed basic gross pay counts towards the figure, and employer pension contributions, bonuses, and overtime generally do not help. The same general threshold applies to new applications and extensions, although transitional arrangements protect some existing visa holders (see below).
Applicants also need a job at or above the minimum skill level, which for most new roles is RQF level 6, and English language proficiency at the required level.
Salary Bands and Tradeable Points Options
The skilled worker visa system operates a tradeable points model, which creates several salary bands, including some reduced salary thresholds. The table below summarises the main salary options for new applications.
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Category
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General threshold
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Going rate required
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Standard option
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£41,700
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100%
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Relevant PhD (non-STEM)
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£37,500
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90%
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Relevant STEM PhD
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£33,400
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80%
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Immigration salary list role
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£33,400
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100%
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New entrant
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£33,400
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70%
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Health and education roles on national pay scales
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From £25,000
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Pay scale rate
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Always check the current figures on the official GOV.UK guidance before issuing a certificate, because options and thresholds can change with each Statement of Changes, and some eligible health roles are set by national pay scales.
Discounted Salary Thresholds and Eligibility Criteria
A salary discount is available only where strict eligibility requirements are met. For new entrants, the salary can be set at 70% of the standard going rate, provided the pay still meets the relevant cash floor, which is typically £33,400. New entrant status can be used for a limited total period, so employers should plan what happens when the discount ends.
At extension stage, the full general threshold is normally required, which means the pay rise needs to be budgeted from the start of sponsorship.
The usual routes into entrant status include being under 26 at the date of application, switching from a Student or Graduate route, or working towards a recognised professional qualification, and time already spent on the Graduate route counts towards that limited period. The sponsor should keep evidence on file for whichever category is relied on.
Relevant PhD Discounts
A relevant phd level qualification only counts where the qualification is genuinely linked to the job. A relevant PhD-level qualification in a STEM subject allows a lower general threshold and 80% of the going rate. A phd level qualification in any other subject allows a higher floor and 90% of the going rate.
Applicants must supply evidence, usually through an Ecctis reference, and the sponsor must be able to justify the link between the doctorate and the specific occupation. A degree level qualification below doctorate level does not unlock this option, so check the qualification before assigning a certificate.
Immigration Salary List Roles
The immigration salary list replaced the old shortage occupation list in April 2024. The old shortage occupation list is no longer part of the rules, and the current list is a narrower set of eligible occupations. Around 180 occupation codes were removed from the eligible list.
Roles on the immigration salary list still need the full going rate, but the general threshold falls to £33,400. Current entries are scheduled to run to 31 December 2026 unless the Home Office amends or extends them, so check the official list before relying on it.
Shortage Occupation List and Temporary Shortage List
Many employers still search for the shortage occupation list, but it has been withdrawn. Since 22 July 2025, the general skill level for new sponsorship is RQF level 6 (degree level), and this skill threshold is the single biggest reason many mid-skilled roles are no longer sponsorable.
The temporary shortage list sets out a time-limited group of mid-skilled occupation codes with a standard rate and a lower rate. Inclusion on the temporary shortage list does not give an automatic salary discount, and it comes with restrictions on bringing dependants. Check the dates, because this list is also time-limited.
Health and Education Roles
Health and education roles take their salary requirements from national pay scales rather than the standard going rate tables.
Health and care workers, including a care worker or senior care worker where the specific sponsorship rules in force allow it, on Agenda for Change pay scales can use thresholds starting from £25,000, with other health roles set at higher bands. Workers sponsored for a care ashe salary job must still meet the £12.82 hourly floor where that rule applies.
Higher education teaching professionals and lecturers follow the relevant education pay frameworks. These health and education roles are covered by separate rules, so confirm that the job qualifies for the national pay scales route before relying on it.
Transitional Salary Rules for Existing Visa Holders
Existing visa holders who were first sponsored before 4 April 2024 may still qualify for lower salary thresholds when extending, switching employer, changing roles with the same employer where the occupation code changes, or applying for settlement.
In many cases, the general threshold for these workers is £31,300, with lower tradeable options below that under the skilled worker salary rules. These transitional protections can also apply where a person has held continuous Skilled Worker permission and applies before the relevant cut-off date, and the end dates matter.
If you are extending, our skilled worker visa extension checklist sets out the documents and process.
Minimum Hourly Rate and Pay Floor
The skilled worker visa salary system also has a strict minimum hourly rate. From 22 July 2025, the minimum hourly rate is £17.13, and it applies across the discount categories. Where the going rate or a discounted going rate would otherwise fall below this level, the hourly floor applies instead.
Why Salary Thresholds Matter for Compliance
Minimum salary requirements are actively enforced during:
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Every skilled worker visa application
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Extensions and changes of employment
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Sponsor licence audits and compliance visits
Skilled worker visa applicants should also remember that the salary rules apply for the whole period of sponsorship, not only on the date the application is decided. A later pay cut, even one agreed informally, can put both the worker and the sponsor at risk.
The Going Rate and Occupation Codes: How Salary Is Calculated
The skilled worker visa minimum salary is not set only by the headline threshold. A critical part of the assessment is the going rate, which is linked to the occupation code assigned to the job under the immigration rules. Going rates are published for each code in the occupation tables, and they are expressed as an annual figure and an hourly figure.
Occupation Codes and Eligible Occupations
Every sponsored job must be matched to the correct occupation code in the relevant standard occupational classification system, known as a SOC code. That code determines:
Choosing the wrong code is a frequent cause of refusal and can also create sponsor-compliance risk. Matching job titles alone is not enough. The Home Office looks at the actual duties, so the job description must fit the occupation code. Our guide to skilled worker eligibility explains how roles are assessed.
Skill Level and the RQF Level 6 Requirement
For most new applications, the minimum skill level is RQF level 6. Roles below that skill level are generally ineligible unless they appear on the temporary shortage list, the immigration salary list or fall under transitional arrangements. This higher skill level has removed many mid-skilled eligible jobs from the skilled worker route.
Reduced minimums of £37,500 apply to jobs requiring a PhD relevant to the role. Employers should review whether each role still sits in Appendix Skilled Occupations before offering a job.
It is important to understand that the skill threshold relates to the job, not to the person. A worker does not necessarily need a degree to be sponsored, but the occupation code must be classified at the required RQF level. Equally, holding a degree does not make a lower-skilled job eligible, and skilled worker roles can vary by occupation code and current skill level rules.
Pro-Rata Salary and Working Hours
Going rates are published on a full-time equivalent basis of 37.5 hours a week, and the minimum salary threshold is assessed against the relevant cash floor as well as the pro-rated going rate.
If the sponsored job involves different hours, the going rate is adjusted proportionally. For part-time roles, the going rate is pro-rated, but the general threshold generally still has to be met in full.
The 48-Hour Weekly Cap
The immigration rules also limit how working hours are used in salary calculations. When assessing hourly rates, the Home Office applies a 48-hour weekly cap. Working hours must be genuine and contractually defined, and the going rate must not be diluted through excessive hours.
Skilled Worker Visa Salary Rules for Sponsors: Pay Period Compliance from April 2026
Understanding the minimum salary is not enough on its own. Every sponsoring employer must also ensure that payroll, contracts and sponsorship records meet the immigration rules consistently. Official sponsorship guidance for employers sets out the wider duties. These salary rules apply to every licensed UK employer that holds a skilled worker licence, whatever its size.
What Changed on 8 April 2026
The 5 March 2026 Statement of Changes (HC 1691) inserted a new paragraph, SW 14.3B, into Appendix Skilled Worker. It took effect on 8 April 2026. In practice, the Home Office can now examine the salary paid across defined pay periods, using payroll records and working hours, instead of relying mainly on the annual figure on the certificate of sponsorship.
The core requirements are:
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The worker must be paid in pay periods of at least monthly frequency, or as set out in the contract
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Workers paid monthly or less often must receive at least a quarter of the required annual salary over any three-month period
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Workers paid more often than monthly must receive at least 12/52 of the annual salary over any 12-week period
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Where weekly hours vary, the test uses a 17-week period and at least 17/52 of the annual salary
Transitional Position
Applications using a certificate of sponsorship assigned before 8 April 2026 are generally decided under the rules in force on 7 April 2026. However, sponsors should not assume that existing arrangements are permanently exempt.
UKVI can audit payroll records for up to four years. This new test is likely to bite when a worker extends or is issued a new valid CoS, so it is sensible to review payroll now.
Sponsor Duties and Record-Keeping
Record-keeping is one of the core sponsor duties for any licensed UK employer. Medium and large sponsors in particular should be audit-ready at all times, because the Home Office can inspect on a planned or unannounced basis. Keep:
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The employment contract showing salary and working hours
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Payroll records and payslips for each pay period
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A job description linked to the occupation code
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Certificate of sponsorship details held in the sponsor management system
Experienced immigration lawyers at Salam Immigration can also help draft contracts so that salary, hours and allowances are described in a way that matches the certificate.
Other Costs and Requirements Alongside the Minimum Salary
The minimum salary is only one part of the picture. The sponsoring employer and the applicant both face other costs, including the immigration skills charge, the immigration health surcharge and the visa fee. Health and care applicants, including some care worker cases, may pay a lower visa fee and can be exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge where the Health and Care route applies.
The immigration skills charge was increased in December 2025, and the immigration health surcharge is currently £1,035 a year for most workers. Moreover, you need to show £1,270 in your bank account for support.
Small or charitable sponsors pay lower rates for some charges, so check which category applies to your organisation. Our work visa cost guide for 2026 breaks these figures down.
Applicants also need a valid certificate of sponsorship, evidence of English language ability and, in most cases, maintenance funds unless the sponsor certifies them. The English language level for new applications has also risen, so check the current requirement before applying.
Applicants sponsored in certain roles may also need a criminal record certificate or a tuberculosis test, depending on the country of application.
Online Application Form and Supporting Evidence
Once the sponsor has assigned a valid CoS, the applicant completes the online application form, pays the fees and provides biometrics. The details entered on the form, including job title, occupation code and annual salary, must match the certificate exactly, and supporting identity documents such as a valid passport should also be provided.
Inconsistencies between the contract, the certificate and the online application form are a common reason for requests for further evidence. Our guide to UK visa processing times explains what to expect once the Skilled Worker application has been submitted.
UK Skilled Worker Visa Eligible Jobs and Job Offer Requirements
A Skilled Worker application must be based on a genuine job offer from a licensed UK employer. The job offer must be in an eligible skilled worker occupation and at the right skill level, and the salary must meet the relevant threshold. Applicants cannot self-sponsor, and a job offer on its own is not enough without the certificate of sponsorship.
Before accepting a role, skilled worker applicants should check:
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That the employer holds a valid sponsor licence for the skilled worker route
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That the job offer is for an occupation code listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations
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That the salary meets both the threshold and the going rate
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That the role could realistically be sponsored under the same sponsor for the planned period of stay
Applicants must also meet the following criteria for the sponsored job, salary and route requirements.
Checking Licensed Sponsors and the Valid CoS
The Home Office publishes a register sponsors with skilled worker sponsor licence. Applicants should confirm that the employer appears on it for the skilled worker route.
The next check for skilled worker visa requirements is the valid CoS: the certificate must be assigned for the correct job, state the correct salary and be used within its validity period. A job offer that is conditional on the visa being granted is normal, but the employer should not ask the worker to pay for the certificate.
If you are already in the UK and want to move onto the route, our guide on how to switch to a skilled worker visa explains the process. A worker moving into a different role with the same employer may also need a fresh application if the occupation code changes or the new role falls under different salary rules.
Skilled worker Salary Compliance for Settlement
Salary remains an eligibility requirement at settlement.
For most skilled workers, applying for indefinite leave means showing that you still meet the required salary, that the sponsor still needs you and that you meet the other settlement requirements. In standard skilled worker cases, this usually means at least £41,700 a year or the applicable going rate, whichever is higher, unless a transitional or special rule applies.
The salary offered at the point of settlement is assessed against the thresholds that apply to your circumstances, which can differ from the figure used at your first grant. Workers who benefited from lower thresholds when they first applied should check whether those options remain available at the settlement stage.
At Salam Immigration, we recommend checking your salary history against the correct threshold well before a settlement application, because gaps in pay or changes in role can complicate matters.
How Salam Immigration Can Help
With more than 20 years of experience and over 23,000 immigration applications handled since 2018, Salam Immigration supports both employers and individuals. Consultations are available in person, by phone or online, and our head office is in Manchester.
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Skilled Worker Visa: support for workers and employers with salary checks, occupation code selection and application preparation.
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Indefinite Leave to Remain: eligibility checks and settlement applications, including a review of your salary history against the correct threshold.
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Global Business Mobility Visa: visas for overseas businesses sending staff to the UK, where a skilled worker sponsorship is not the right fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the skilled worker visa minimum salary in 2026?
For most Skilled Worker applications, the general threshold is £41,700 a year or the going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher. Lower thresholds apply in specific cases, such as new entrants, relevant PhD holders, immigration salary list roles and health and education roles on national pay scales.
This is the standard position for standard Skilled Worker cases, although some applicants can rely on lower cash thresholds through tradeable-points options.
What is the minimum hourly rate for a skilled worker?
The minimum hourly rate is £17.13 from 22 July 2025. It acts as a floor where the going rate or discounted going rate would otherwise be lower.
Does the shortage occupation list still exist?
No. The shortage occupation list was replaced by the immigration salary list in April 2024, and a temporary shortage list now covers certain mid-skilled roles until the dates set by the Home Office.
Do the April 2026 pay period rules apply to existing workers?
Workers sponsored under a certificate assigned before 8 April 2026 are generally assessed under the earlier rules, but the new test is likely to apply on extension or a new certificate. Sponsors should review payroll now rather than waiting.
Can a part-time worker use a lower salary?
The going rate is pro-rated for hours, but the general threshold still has to be met. Part-time roles therefore need careful calculation before a certificate is assigned.
Need Help Meeting the Skilled Worker Visa Minimum Salary? Speak to Salam Immigration
A small error in salary calculation, occupation code selection or payroll structure can lead to a refusal or action against a sponsor licence. Whether you are an employer reviewing your pay practices or an applicant checking a job offer, getting advice early costs far less than fixing a refusal later.
Speak to our team about your situation and we will help you plan the right route while meeting the UK immigration rules on salary, sponsorship and timing. Contact Salam Immigration to book a consultation
