UK Skilled Worker Visa Eligibility and Application 2025/2026

When a visa is granted, it signifies that you have met the requirements for entry into the UK based on the specific type of visa you applied for.

What is a Skilled Worker Visa in UK?

The Skilled Worker visa is a type of work visa in the UK that allows foreign nationals to come and work for an eligible employer (also known as a sponsor).

This visa is a “general” work visa that covers a wide range of professions and job types. If your occupation is not covered by one of the UK’s other specialist work visas, it is likely it will be covered by the Skilled Worker visa.

Skilled Worker visa holders are required to meet a range of eligibility criteria concerning their income, English language skills and occupation.

Under the Skilled Worker route, it is possible to extend your visa before it expires, and after a qualifying period of 5 years, apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) and British citizenship 1 year later. If you are considering applying for a UK Skilled Worker visa, you will need to secure a job offer and ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria.

If the Skilled Worker Visa is not suitable for you, there are alternative work routes you can explore. Visit our UK Work Visas page for more information.

Who Is Classed as a Skilled Worker?

A skilled worker in the UK is classed as anyone who works in an eligible occupation code at RQF level 3 or higher. This is the equivalent of a UK A-level school qualification. The job must also have a standard occupation code (SOC) that is on the list of eligible occupations for the Skilled Worker visa.

Skilled Worker Visa vs Tier 2 work visa

There are several notable benefits and differences of the newer Skilled Worker visa route compared to the pre-2021 Tier 2 (General) work visa, including:

• The skill level requirement has been lowered from RQF level 6 to RQF level 3 – this has significantly expanded the number of eligible occupations under this route.
• The new Skilled Worker route is open to new market entrants (e.g. recent graduates).
• There is no cap on the number of Skilled Worker visas available in the UK.
• No Resident Labour Market Test (RLMT) is required for skilled worker visa, making it easier and faster to recruit skilled overseas workers.
• The cooling-off period which meant international workers leaving the UK had to wait a year before applying for a new work visa, now no longer applies.

UK Skilled Worker Visa Eligibility and Requirements

To be eligible for a Skilled Worker Visa, you should receive a job offer from a UK employer which must meet all the following requirements:

• Your role must be skilled to at least RQF level 3 (roughly equivalent to A-levels).
• You must be paid the minimum salary or “going rate” for the type of work you will be doing, whichever is higher. The minimum salary is at least £38,700 per year as of 4th of April 2024.
• Your employer must have been approved by the Home Office and hold a valid sponsorship licence.

Also, you must be able to prove that you are being sponsored by the employer to undertake a vacancy that is genuine. If the Home Office believes the job is only created so you can apply for the Skilled Worker visa or it is a sham, your application will be refused.

You must also fulfil the additional criteria listed below:

• You must be aged 18 or over
• You need a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for the job you are going to do
• Your job must a genuine vacancy
• Your sponsor must have paid the required Immigration Skills Charge
• You must demonstrate your English proficiency (at least CEFR Level B1)
• You can financially sustain yourself and your family without relying on public funds
• You must provide a criminal record certificate (if applicable)
• You must provide a valid TB certificate (if applicable)
• You must fulfil the specific genuineness requirement, therefore you must show you will only undertake your proposed role and will not engage in any additional employment while in the UK.

Skilled Worker Visa Supporting Documents

Skilled Worker visa applicants must provide a range of supporting documents alongside their application to demonstrate their eligibility.

These include the following:

• Certificate of Sponsorship reference number
• Proof of knowledge of English
• Valid passport or other travel ID document
• Document that shows your job title and annual salary, such as a contract
• Job’s occupation code

You may also have to provide the following documents, based on your circumstances:

• Evidence you have enough funds to support yourself in the UK (unless your certificate of sponsorship shows that your employer is supporting you financially)
• Proof of relationship with your dependent family members, if they are coming with you
• Tuberculosis test results, if you’re from a required country
• A criminal record certificate
• An ATAS certificate, if you’re working in, or doing researching in, certain sensitive subjects
• Proof of UK educational qualification, or an ECCTIS reference number

English Language Requirement

To qualify for a Skilled Worker Visa, you must demonstrate your English proficiency. This must be at least at level B1 (intermediate). To satisfy this requirement, you can either:

• Be a national of a majority English-speaking country
• Have passed a Secure English Language Test at least CEFR Level B1
• Have obtained a GCSE/A Level or Scottish Highers in English while at school in the UK
• Have been awarded a degree taught in English or taught in the UK
• Have already met this requirement as a part of any previous application for entry clearance

Skilled Worker Salary Rates

The general salary threshold under the Skilled Worker Visa route is £38,700 a year. This means that your salary must equal or exceed this number and 100% of the going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher. The assessment will be based on guaranteed basic gross pay.

When Can I Be Paid Lower Than the Threshold?

Workers falling into specific categories might be paid less than the above amount, provided that they score additional “tradable point” for other attributes. All of these individual categories are worth 20 tradeable points.

Below is a table outlining all of the situations in which Skilled Worker applicants may be paid less than the normal threshold:

Type of Exception	Alternative Minimum Salary Threshold (the salary must equal or exceed all of the options for each category)
A PhD in a subject relevant to the role	1. £34,830 per year 2. 90% of the going rate for the occupation code 3. £15.88 per hour
A PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the role	1. £30,960 per year 2. 80% of the going rate for the occupation code 3. £15.88 per hour
A job offer in a role from the immigration salary list	1. £30,960 per year (general threshold), 2. The going rate for the occupation code 3. £15.88 per hour
Applicant is a new entrant at the start of their career	1. £30,960 per year 2. 70% of the going rate 3. £15.88 per hour

Other Financial Requirements

As well as meeting the minimum salary threshold, you will also need to meet other financial requirements. You must have cash funds of at least £1,270 available to sustain yourself while in the UK. This money must be held in your bank account for at least 28 consecutive days prior to your application.

How Much is a Skilled Worker Visa?

The Skilled Worker visa cost can range from £719 to £1,639, depending on your circumstances.

When applying for your visa, you also need to take the following expenses into account:

• Healthcare surcharge – £1,035 per year
• You must have at least £1,270 available to demonstrate that you can support yourself when you arrive in the UK. You might be exempt if you have already been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months, or if the employer can cover your costs during your first month in the UK.

Applying from outside the UK:

• Up to 3 years: £719 for each applicant
• Over 3 years: £1,420 for each applicant

Applying from within the UK (switching, updating, or extending):

• Up to 3 years: £827 for each applicant
• Over 3 years: £1,636 for each applicant

Roles that are on the immigration salary list:

• Up to 3 years: £551 for each applicant
• Over 3 years: £1,084 for each applicant

How to Apply for a Skilled Worker Visa

The process of applying for a Skilled Worker visa from outside of the UK is completed online on the Home Office website. You will be in a position to complete and submit your application once you have your job offer, Certificate of Sponsorship, and the supporting information listed above. If necessary, you can complete part of the application and save your progress, allowing you to complete the process at a later date.

The application steps are as follows:

1. Check your eligibility for a Skilled Worker Visa
2. Secure a job offer from a licensed sponsor in the UK
3. Receive your Certificate of Sponsorship from your UK employer
4. Prepare the documents you will need to prove your eligibility for a Skilled Worker visa
5. Complete the online application form – The form you will need to complete depends on if you are applying from outside the UK, or switching from a different visa within the UK.
6. Pay the application fee, biometric fee, and healthcare surcharge (see below).
7. Upload any documents required to support your application.
8. Arrange a biometric appointment to have your fingerprints and photo taken.

You can expect to receive a decision within 3 weeks of your application date if submitted outside the UK. If more information is needed to support your application, you will be contacted by UKVI.

How Long Does a Skilled Worker Visa Application Take?

You can submit your UK visa application up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. This date can be found in your certificate of sponsorship.

Depending on your circumstances, the Home Office may need extra time to review your documents and prove your identity. For this reason, you should always allow extra time and submit your application in time.

It usually takes about 3 weeks to receive a decision from the Home Office if you are outside the UK. If you are already in the UK, you may need to wait up to 8 weeks.

How to Extend Your Skilled Worker Visa

Your Skilled Worker visa is due to expire after 5 years. You can apply to extend your permit if you meet the following requirements:

• You have the same job as when you were first granted your visa
• Your job is in the same occupation code as when you were given permission to enter the UK
• You are still working for the same employer who sponsored your current application.

Your family can apply for a visa extension, but they will need to submit a separate application.

Skilled Worker Visa Refusal

There are a number of reasons why your Skilled Worker Visa application may be refused. Some of the most likely reasons include:

• Not fully completing the application form
• Not fully paying the application fee or other associated costs
• Not including an accurate certificate of sponsorship reference number or job code
• Not submitting the appropriate, relevant supporting documents to accompany your application demonstrating your eligibility
• Not meeting the 70 points requirements on the points-based system
• Not having a clean immigration and criminal history.

Alternatively, you may experience a Skilled Worker refusal if your employer does not have the correct sponsor licence and necessary documentation.

Changing employers on a Skilled Worker Visa

If you hold a Skilled Worker visa and wish to change employers, you will need to apply for a new visa. This is the case if you wish to:

• Change employer
• Change occupation
• Change occupation code
• Change from occupation on the shortage occupation list for one not on the list

Assuming your current work visa is still valid, you will be able to apply from within the UK and continue living and working here until a decision is made by the Home Office.

It will also be necessary to apply for a new visa if you take on a second role with a different employer in a different occupation.

Your application to change job or employer can be made up to 3 months before the start date of your new role. It is important to apply as early as possible as it may take up to 8 weeks to receive a decision on your application. You should not start working for your new employer until you have received a positive decision on your application.

Skilled Worker visa to ILR

One of the main benefits of the Skilled Worker Visa is that if you do plan to stay in the UK permanently, rather than just extending your visa, you can acquire permanent residency by applying for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after 5 years. To do so, you must meet the continuous residence requirement, meaning that you must not have been outside of the UK for more than 180 days in any of the 5 years. Once you have indefinite leave to remain, you will not need to make any more visa applications or pay the immigration healthcare surcharge, and you will be able to apply for UK citizenship after 12 months.

It is important to note that the 5 years required to qualify for ILR can be made up of time on a range of visas, including the Representative of an Overseas Business visa, Innovator visa, Global Talent visa, Tier 2 visa (Minister of Religion or Sportsperson), or a Tier 1 visa. Time spent on the Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur scheme cannot be included, however.

In addition, to qualify for ILR, you will need to provide evidence that:

• You have passed the Life in the UK test (for those between 18 and 65)
• You are still employed by the same sponsor licence holder
• You still meet the minimum salary requirements
• You have sufficient English language skills

What Can You Do If Your Skilled Worker Visa is Refused?

If your Skilled Worker Visa application is refused, you have a number of options available, depending on your circumstances. The most common option is administrative review.

Applications may be refused in the following situations:

• Initial application for the Skilled Worker Visa
• Switching to the Skilled Worker Visa
• Renewing or extending the visa

If you receive a notice of refusal on your application, you have a limited period of time to apply for an administrative review of the decision. You have 28 days to file the request if you applied outside the UK, or alternatively, 14 days if you applied inside the UK.

The Home Office will respond to your request within 28 days with a decision. If you are unsatisfied with the outcome of this decision, you may have the option to file a pre-action protocol for judicial review. You may be eligible to submit a request for a judicial review if you are unsatisfied with this decision.

Applying For The UK Skilled Worker Visa With Your Family

Your partner and children can apply to join you as your dependants in the UK provided that they are eligible. You can include the following members of your family in your application:

• Your husband or wife, civil partner, or unmarried partner
• Your children under 18
• Your children over 18 if they are already staying in the UK as your dependants and are not married.

When submitting your application, you must provide evidence of your relationship.

What Employers Need To Do In Order To Hire Skilled Workers

UK employers wishing to hire foreign skilled workers must first apply for a sponsor licence from the Home Office. A sponsor licence is proof that the employer is certified to hire and sponsor foreign workers for an eligible occupation.

Obtaining a sponsor licence also carries with it a variety of stipulations and commitments. Employers must satisfy a range of criteria, including providing the following:

• Proof that they are a legitimate company eligible to provide a sponsor license
• Proof that they can provide a legitimate job role that will pay the skilled worker, and that the job will meet the minimum salary requirements
• Proof that they are able to fulfil all necessary sponsor duties, including having sufficient HR and management systems in place
• Proof that they have the adequate staff and resources to manage the sponsor management system (SMS)
• A demonstrable commitment to ongoing sponsor licence duties, including adherence to regular check-ups and audits from the Home Office

Employers who are certified as meeting all the requirements set out by the Home Office are given an “A-rating”. Failure to meet requirements will mean that the employer is downgraded to a “B-rating”, whereupon they will no longer be able to issue certificates of sponsorship until they have demonstrated that they have fully addressed any outstanding issues.

Employers do not need to carry out a resident labour market test.

Requirement for Sponsorship

• The employer (sponsor) needs a valid sponsorship license with an A rating.
• The sponsor must have paid the Immigration Skills Charge.
• The Home Office checks if the job vacancy and employment are genuine, ensuring there’s a real need for the position.
• The worker must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship assigned by the employer for the specific job role they’re being hired for.

Requirement for a Certificate of Sponsorship

Before applying for a UK visa, the sponsoring UK employer must provide the worker with a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to ensure they meet sponsorship requirements. This unique reference number is essential for the Skilled Worker visa application and can only be issued by licensed sponsors.

There are two types of CoS: defined and undefined. Undefined CoS are for those already in the UK switching immigration routes or applying from within the UK. Defined CoS are for skilled worker visa applicants from outside the UK.

Sponsors must apply for defined CoS, specifying job and salary details. UKVI allocates undefined CoS to sponsors annually, based on factors like workforce size.

References:

GOV.UK: Register of licensed sponsors: workers

GOV.UK: Skilled worker visa: eligible occupations and codes

GOV.UK: Skilled worker visa: going rates for eligible occupation codes

GOV.UK: Skilled worker visa