UK Skilled Worker Visa Salary Threshold by Role 2026: 50+ Jobs with Going Rates

If you are weighing up a UK job offer that promises visa sponsorship, the first number you need to verify is the salary. The UK Skilled Worker visa general salary threshold from April 2026 is £41,700 per year, but every occupation also has its own "going rate" set by the Home Office — and your offer must meet whichever figure is higher. A software developer earning £45,000 looks comfortably above the general threshold, yet still falls short of the going rate for SOC 2134. A nurse on £32,000 is well under £41,700, but qualifies via the Health and Care Worker visa where the general threshold does not apply.

This guide lists the 2026 going rates for over 50 of the most-sponsored roles in the UK and explains what to do when an offer falls short.

How does the UK Skilled Worker salary threshold work?

The Skilled Worker route uses a two-test salary system. To pass, your gross annual salary must clear both tests at once.

1. The general threshold. From April 2026 this is £41,700 per year (or £21.39 per hour, capped at 48 hours per week regardless of how many hours you actually work).
2. The going rate. The Home Office publishes a specific "going rate" for every Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. They vary from around £29,970 for a junior nurse to £65,000-plus for senior medical specialists.

Discounts that lower the general threshold to £33,400 include: roles on the Immigration Salary List (ISL), new entrants to the labour market (under 26, recent graduates, or switching from Student/Graduate visas), and PhD-level roles where the PhD is relevant. Even when you qualify for a discount on the general threshold, you must still meet 90% of the going rate (or 70% for ISL roles).

What's the salary threshold for software engineers and developers?

Software developers, programmers and DevOps engineers all sit under SOC 2134. As of April 2026, the going rate for SOC 2134 is approximately £49,400 per year (£25.33 per hour). This is higher than the £41,700 general threshold, so the going rate is the binding figure.

• Mid and senior developers — UK market salaries in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Bristol typically clear £50,000+, so the going rate is rarely a problem.
• Junior developers and graduates — Starting salaries of £30,000-£40,000 fall below the going rate. The employer can use the new entrant discount (70% of going rate ≈ £34,580) for candidates under 26 or switching from a Student/Graduate visa.
• Specialist tech roles — Data scientists (SOC 2425) sit at a similar £49,400. IT business analysts (SOC 2135) are around £50,300. Cyber security analysts (SOC 2139) come in at roughly £44,900. Web designers (SOC 2137) are lower at around £35,300, meaning the £41,700 general threshold becomes the binding number.

For a deeper breakdown of tech-specific routes, see our guide to UK tech jobs with visa sponsorship in 2026.

What's the salary threshold for nurses and healthcare workers?

Healthcare is the biggest exception to the £41,700 rule. Most clinical roles are sponsored under the Health and Care Worker visa, a specific subset of the Skilled Worker route. Eligible roles are exempt from the £41,700 general threshold and instead must only meet a £25,600-£29,000 healthcare-specific threshold plus the going rate for the SOC code (typically aligned with NHS Agenda for Change pay bands).

Examples for April 2026:

• Registered nurse (SOC 2231, NHS Band 5) — going rate around £31,049. A nurse offered £31,500 qualifies despite being well under £41,700.
• Doctor (SOC 2211, junior) — around £36,616 for foundation doctors; specialty doctors around £59,175.
• Pharmacist (SOC 2213) — around £46,148.
• Physiotherapist, occupational therapist, radiographer — all around £37,338 (NHS Band 6).

Care workers (SOC 6145/6146): The overseas care worker route was closed to new applications from outside the UK in July 2025. In-country switching remains possible. If you see an overseas-based care worker job advert claiming sponsorship in 2026, treat it as a red flag. For NHS-specific guidance, see our NHS visa sponsorship jobs guide.

What's the salary threshold for engineers (mechanical, civil, electrical, chemical)?

• Civil engineer (SOC 2121) — around £42,500.
• Mechanical engineer (SOC 2122) — around £40,800. The £41,700 general threshold binds here.
• Electrical engineer (SOC 2123) — around £42,500.
• Electronics engineer (SOC 2124) — around £44,200.
• Chemical engineer (SOC 2129) — around £45,800.
• Design and development engineer (SOC 2126) — around £42,000.

Mechanical engineering has appeared on the Migration Advisory Committee's review lists multiple times due to a documented UK skills shortage. Several specialist engineering occupations remain on the Immigration Salary List (ISL), which lowers the general threshold to £33,400 — always check the current ISL on gov.uk.

What's the salary threshold for finance and accounting roles?

• Chartered accountant (SOC 2421) — around £44,300.
• Tax adviser (SOC 2422) — around £44,200.
• Management consultant (SOC 2424) — around £51,000.
• Financial manager / director (SOC 1131) — around £60,500.
• Marketing and sales director (SOC 1132) — around £59,300.
• HR manager (SOC 1135) — around £44,100.

Finance and senior management roles tend to clear thresholds easily. The risk for sponsored finance professionals is rarely the salary itself — it is whether the role is at RQF Level 6 (degree-equivalent). Junior bookkeeping or admin roles are not eligible for sponsorship regardless of salary.

What's the salary threshold for teachers and academics?

• Secondary school teacher (SOC 2314) — around £31,650 (England M1 starting salary). Schools sponsor on the national pay scale; shortage subjects (maths, physics, chemistry, computing, MFL) have additional flexibility.
• Primary school teacher (SOC 2315) — same starting figure of £31,650.
• Special educational needs (SEN) teacher (SOC 2316) — same baseline; SEN remains a documented shortage area.
• University lecturer (SOC 2311) — around £44,300.
• Further education teaching professional (SOC 2312) — around £35,800.

What's the salary threshold for tech roles beyond development?

• Cyber security analyst (SOC 2139) — around £44,900.
• Data scientist (SOC 2425) — around £49,400.
• IT business analyst (SOC 2135) — around £50,300.
• IT project manager (SOC 2133) — around £52,000.
• Web designer (SOC 2137) — around £35,300 (general threshold of £41,700 binds).
• Graphic designer (SOC 3421) — around £35,300, RQF Level 3 — some graphic design roles do not meet the skill level for sponsorship; check the specific job specification.

Always ask the employer for the SOC code they intend to use on the Certificate of Sponsorship — it determines both eligibility and going rate.

What if your salary is below the threshold?

Several legitimate routes can bridge a gap:

• Immigration Salary List (ISL) discount: ISL roles allow the general threshold to drop to £33,400, and the going rate requirement to drop to 80%.
• New entrant discount: If you are under 26, switching from a Student or Graduate visa, or in a postdoctoral role, you may qualify for 70% of the going rate (general threshold £33,400). Applies for up to 4 years.
• PhD discount: If your role requires a relevant PhD, the threshold drops to £37,500 and the going rate to 90%.
• Health and Care Worker exemption: Eligible healthcare roles bypass the £41,700 threshold entirely.

What does not count toward the salary threshold: discretionary or performance bonuses, allowances (unless contractually guaranteed as regular pay), equity or stock options, tips and commission, anticipated overtime, and pension contributions. Only guaranteed gross basic pay counts. For the wider rules, see our UK visa sponsorship salary thresholds guide.

UK Skilled Worker visa salary threshold table — 50+ roles (April 2026)

The table below lists going rates for the most-sponsored UK occupations. All rates are annual gross figures as of April 2026 and are based on the published Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations. Rates are uprated each April; always cross-check with gov.uk before submitting an application.

Note: Health and Care Worker visa roles are exempt from the £41,700 general threshold but must meet the going rate (typically NHS Agenda for Change). Care worker overseas applications closed in July 2025. All figures shown are illustrative for April 2026 and should be verified against the live gov.uk Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations before relying on them.

How to verify the going rate for any role

1. Identify your SOC code. The employer should tell you which SOC code they will list on the Certificate of Sponsorship. If they cannot, that is a warning sign — sponsors are required to know.
2. Open gov.uk Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations. Search for the SOC code to find the occupation title, RQF level, and current going rate.
3. Compare against your offer. Check it clears both the general threshold AND the going rate.
4. Check ISL flags. If the SOC is on the Immigration Salary List, note the discounted threshold and adjusted going rate.
5. Confirm the sponsor licence on the public register on gov.uk.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find the going rate for my specific job?

The going rate is determined by your SOC code, not your job title. Ask the prospective employer which SOC code they will use on your Certificate of Sponsorship, then look that code up in the Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations on gov.uk. If your contracted hours differ from a standard 37.5-hour week, the hourly rate is what counts.

What if my employer offers less than the going rate?

Three options. First, ask whether the employer can raise the offer — there is often more flexibility for sponsored hires than they initially indicate. Second, check whether you qualify for a discount: ISL listing, new entrant status, PhD-level role, or Health and Care Worker exemption. Third, if no discount applies and the employer cannot match the going rate, walk away — a Certificate of Sponsorship below the threshold will be refused, wasting your application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge.

Can benefits or bonuses count toward the salary threshold?

Generally no. Only guaranteed gross basic pay paid for contracted hours counts. Discretionary bonuses, equity, stock options, pension contributions, tips, commission, overtime and most allowances are excluded. The exception is allowances that are guaranteed and contractually paid as a regular part of salary (such as London weighting on an NHS contract).

Is the salary threshold pro-rated for part-time roles?

The general threshold (£41,700) is a full-time-equivalent figure. For part-time roles, your actual salary must equal or exceed the hourly equivalent of around £21.39 per hour, capped as if you worked 48 hours per week. Sponsoring genuinely part-time hires is possible, but most employers prefer full-time positions.

Do new graduates get a discount?

Yes — the "new entrant" rate. If you are under 26 at the time the Certificate of Sponsorship is assigned, switching from a Student or Graduate visa, working towards a UK-recognised professional qualification, or in a postdoctoral research role, you qualify for a discounted general threshold of £33,400 and a going rate of 70%. Applies for up to four years from the start of your first Skilled Worker visa.

Where to go next

• UK Visa Sponsorship Salary Thresholds 2026 — full breakdown of all routes and discounts.
• RQF Level 6 Skilled Worker Visa Eligible Jobs 2026 — confirms whether your role meets the skill-level test.
• UK Tech Jobs with Visa Sponsorship 2026 — tech-specific salary norms and active sponsors.
• NHS Visa Sponsorship Jobs UK 2026 — Health and Care Worker visa specifics.

This article reflects published UK Immigration Rules as of April 2026. Going rates and thresholds are reviewed annually and may change. Tarve does not provide immigration legal advice; for case-specific guidance, consult a qualified OISC- or SRA-regulated immigration adviser.