What the Skilled Worker visa is
The Skilled Worker visa lets you come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job for an employer that the Home Office has licensed as a sponsor. It is the route most people mean when they talk about a UK work visa. You cannot apply for it on your own: the job offer and the sponsor come first, and the sponsor gives you a certificate of sponsorship, a reference number you need for the application.
The visa is tied to your sponsor and your job. You can work only in the role described in the certificate. If either the employer or the job changes materially, you normally need to apply to update your visa before you start the new role.
The rules were tightened in July 2025
Most new applications must now be for a job the rules class as higher skilled, which broadly means graduate level. A medium-skilled job qualifies only if it is on the immigration salary list or the temporary shortage list, or if you are extending and your first certificate of sponsorship was issued before 22 July 2025. Since 8 January 2026 most new applicants must also show English at level B2, a step up from the B1 that applied before. See English language requirements.
The conditions in order
- A job offer from a licensed sponsor. The employer must hold a sponsor licence and assign you a certificate of sponsorship. You can check whether an employer is licensed on the Home Office register. See sponsor licences for UK employers.
- An eligible occupation. The job must have a four-digit occupation code on the list of eligible jobs. Higher-skilled jobs are eligible if they meet the other rules. Medium-skilled jobs are eligible only if they are on the immigration salary list or the temporary shortage list.
- The salary. See the next section.
- English. You must be able to speak, read, write and understand English, and prove it in one of the accepted ways. For most new applicants the level is B2.
- Money. You must show you can support yourself when you arrive, unless an exception applies.
The salary rule
| Situation | Minimum salary |
|---|---|
| Usual rule | At least £41,700 a year, or the “going rate” for the occupation, whichever is higher |
| Some new entrants, and in some other limited circumstances | A lower figure, for example £33,400, set out in the rules |
| Prison officers | A lower figure of £31,300 or the going rate if that is lower, with deadlines for certificates |
| Some health and education jobs | The national pay scale for the job, not the going rate |
Each occupation has its own going rate, which can be higher than £41,700. The salary counted is basic pay for the contracted hours. Bonuses, overtime and many allowances do not count. Getting the going rate wrong is among the commonest reasons for a refused certificate or a refused visa, so we check it against the current tables at the start.
Fees and the money you need
| Application | Up to 3 years | Over 3 years |
|---|---|---|
| From outside the UK | £819 | £1,618 |
| From inside the UK (extend, switch or update) | £943 | £1,865 |
| Job on the immigration salary list, from anywhere | £628 | £1,235 |
You must also pay the immigration health surcharge, usually £1,035 for each year of the visa (a Health and Care Worker visa is exempt). See the Immigration Health Surcharge. For example, a two-year visa from abroad costs £819 plus £2,070 in surcharge, and you must show at least £1,270 in savings, held for 28 consecutive days. You do not need to show the savings if you have already held a UK visa for 12 months or more, or if your employer certifies on the certificate of sponsorship that it will cover your first month’s costs. A full list of fees is on our fees page.
How long it takes
You can apply up to three months before your start date. From outside the UK a decision usually takes about three weeks; from inside the UK about eight. Priority services are available for an extra fee. Do not book travel or resign from your current job until you have the decision.
Changing job, extending and switching
- Changing employer. Your new employer must be a licensed sponsor and give you a new certificate. You apply to update your visa and should not start the new job until it is granted.
- Changing role with the same employer. A change of job code, or a significant change of duties, usually needs an application. A pay rise does not.
- Extending. You can extend as many times as you meet the rules, in blocks of up to five years. Apply before your permission expires.
- Switching from another route. Many people switch from a Student, Graduate or Youth Mobility visa. The rules on who can switch from inside the UK are narrow. See the Graduate visa.
Your partner and children
Your partner and children can apply as dependants if they meet the rules, with the funds set out in our guide to dependant visas. Your partner can usually work.
What you cannot do, and settlement
You cannot claim most public funds or the State Pension, and you cannot work outside the sponsored job, except in limited supplementary work. After five years on the route you may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain. The Government has proposed lengthening the qualifying period. See earned settlement: what is proposed, what is law.
Why applications are refused
- The job code does not match the duties, or is not on the eligible list.
- The salary is below the going rate or counts pay that does not count.
- The English evidence is of the wrong kind, level or age.
- The savings were not held for the full 28 days, or the statement is for the wrong dates.
- The sponsor’s licence has been suspended or revoked since the certificate was assigned.
If you are refused, a Skilled Worker refusal generally carries no right of appeal. The remedy is an administrative review where the caseworker made a clear mistake, or a fresh application. See visa refused: appeal, review or reapply.
For employers
The employer carries duties too: the certificate must be accurate, the job genuine, and the sponsor must report changes. See sponsor duties and compliance and certificates of sponsorship.
How we help
For individuals, we check the job code, salary and evidence before the application is made, prepare it, and plan the route to settlement. For employers, we advise on obtaining a licence, assigning certificates and keeping the licence safe. Book a consultation below, online or in person in London or Birmingham.
