9 min read • 23 Jul 2025 • Uncategorised

Skilled Worker visa salary guide 2025: New rules & thresholds explained

Contents

From 22 July 2025, major changes to the Skilled Worker visa rules will reshape how both employers and applicants engage with the UK’s immigration system. The reforms increase the general salary threshold, narrow down the range of eligible roles, and significantly tighten the conditions for bringing dependents and qualifying for settlement.

For employers, this means re-evaluating sponsorship strategies, workforce planning, and salary bands. For applicants, particularly those applying from overseas or switching routes within the UK, it’s crucial to understand whether your job, salary, and qualifications meet the new standards.

This guide walks you through everything you need to know — whether you’re hiring from abroad, preparing to apply, or already on a Skilled Worker visa and planning for extension or settlement. We cover key salary rules, tradeable points, occupation code selection, and what the new framework means for your immigration journey.

Let’s start with the most important question: How much do you need to earn?

Section A: How much is the Skilled Worker visa minimum salary?

Under the updated immigration rules taking effect from 22 July 2025, Skilled Worker visa applicants must meet a minimum annual salary of £41,700, or an hourly rate of £17.13, based on a standard 37.5-hour work week. However, this is not a flat requirement — applicants must also meet the ‘going rate’ for their specific occupation code, if higher. In effect, your minimum salary is the higher of the two figures.

These changes reflect the government’s focus on making the Skilled Worker route a channel for high-skilled, degree-level talent. It excludes roles that do not meet RQF Level 6 (bachelor’s degree equivalent), unless an exception applies (such as appearing on the Temporary Shortage List).

Importantly, sponsors and applicants must meet both the hourly and annual salary thresholds. Offering fewer hours (e.g. a 30-hour week) means the total salary must still meet the hourly minimum — pro-rata salaries under £17.13/hr will result in refusals.

This threshold applies to all Certificates of Sponsorship issued on or after 22 July 2025, even if the job offer was made earlier.

Section B: Skilled Worker visa lower minimum salary thresholds

Not all applicants are subject to the £41,700 requirement. The UK’s immigration system uses a tradable points model, which allows some applicants to qualify with a lower salary if they meet specific criteria.

These include:

  • New Entrants (e.g. under 26 or recent graduates): £33,400 (≥ 70% of going rate)
  • PhD-qualified applicants in a STEM subject: £33,400 (≥ 80% of going rate)
  • PhD-qualified in non-STEM: £37,500 (≥ 90% of going rate)
  • Roles on the Temporary Shortage List (TSL): £31,300 (100% of going rate)
  • Education/healthcare roles with national pay scales: typically from £25,000

Each of these exceptions carries its own eligibility rules. For example, new entrants must be under under the age of 26 or have graduated in the last 2 years.

TSL roles are strictly limited and now exclude dependent family members.

While these lower thresholds offer flexibility, they do not apply for settlement (ILR), where the full threshold must be met. And crucially, even under a lower threshold, you must still meet the £17.13/hour rule.

Section C: Calculating salary for Skilled Worker visa applications

The Home Office assesses Skilled Worker salaries using strict rules. For an application to succeed, the salary must be:

  • Guaranteed and gross (before tax)
  • Excluding bonuses, commissions, allowances, overtime, or other variable pay
  • Calculated using a maximum of 48 hours per week
  • Pro-rated correctly if working fewer than 37.5 hours/week

If your role pays £38,000 but only 30 hours/week, the hourly rate would fall short — and so would your visa application.

Deductions like repayment of training costs, unpaid leave, or deductions for accommodation can also reduce your qualifying salary. Employers must be transparent and consistent in their salary documentation.

The CoS must state the actual salary paid, the weekly hours, and whether this pay is guaranteed. Discrepancies between employment contracts, CoS, and payslips can trigger delays or refusals.

Employers are encouraged to seek legal advice when calculating and structuring offers, especially for borderline roles or international hires on reduced hours.

Section D: Selecting the correct occupation code

Choosing the correct Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code is vital. This code determines:

  • Whether the role is eligible for sponsorship
  • What the salary ‘going rate’ is
  • Whether tradeable points apply

From 22 July 2025, only RQF Level 6 roles (degree-level) are generally eligible, unless listed on the Temporary Shortage List (TSL).

Mistakes in SOC code selection are a leading cause of Skilled Worker visa refusals. Employers must match the role’s duties, responsibilities, and salary to the correct code using the Home Office’s Appendix Skilled Occupations.

For example, a digital marketing specialist cannot be incorrectly coded as a software developer simply to access a lower salary threshold. The Home Office may request evidence to prove the code matches the job description and contract.

Care must also be taken when the same job title appears under multiple codes with different skill levels or salary rates. The more accurate and honest the match, the stronger the application.

Section E: Skilled Worker to ILR minimum salary

To qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) — also known as UK settlement — Skilled Worker migrants must meet a salary threshold at the time of their ILR application, regardless of what salary they were initially approved for.

From 22 July 2025, this means:

  • A minimum salary of £41,700 per year (or higher if the going rate applies)
  • Tradeable salary discounts (e.g. PhD, new entrant, shortage role) no longer apply at this stage
  • The salary must be for the same or similar job, with the same SOC code family

This is especially relevant for workers who originally entered under older rules or lower salary thresholds. Even if you qualified in 2023 at £26,200, by 2028 you must earn at least £41,700 to qualify for ILR.

You must also meet other ILR requirements, including continuous lawful residence, knowledge of life in the UK, and absence limits.

Strategic planning is vital — employers and employees should review salary progression at least 12 months before ILR becomes due.

Section F: Summary

The July 2025 changes to the Skilled Worker route represent the most significant tightening of UK work visa rules in recent years. Key takeaways:

  • The general minimum salary is now £41,700 per year or £17.13 per hour
  • Going rates for each job still apply and may exceed the general threshold
  • Tradeable salary discounts exist but only apply to entry-level or academic applicants
  • All applicants must meet the hourly rate, even if earning above the annual figure
  • Most sub-degree roles (RQF 3–5) are now excluded from sponsorship
  • Settlement requires meeting the full salary threshold, without discounts
  • Dependents are no longer allowed for shortage list roles

Both sponsors and applicants must approach the process with greater attention to detail and long-term planning.

Section G: Need assistance?

Understanding these changes and how they affect your career or workforce can be complex. Whether you’re:

  • A business navigating sponsorship duties
  • An individual checking your job’s eligibility
  • Planning for visa extension or ILR
  • Unsure about your salary calculation or occupation code

We offer expert legal advice and end-to-end support through every stage of the process.

Book a 30-minute consultation to:

  • Confirm eligibility
  • Assess salary and occupation code compliance
  • Understand tradeable points
  • Prepare a full Skilled Worker or ILR application
  • Avoid costly refusals or delays

With visa routes becoming more selective, it’s never been more important to get it right the first time.

Section H: Skilled Worker visa minimum salary FAQs

Q: Can I count bonus or commission towards the minimum salary?
No. Only guaranteed gross basic pay is counted. Performance-based earnings are excluded.

Q: What if I work less than 37.5 hours per week?
You must still meet the £17.13 hourly rate. Lower total hours mean your annual salary must be adjusted upward.

Q: Can I switch into a Skilled Worker visa from a Graduate visa?
Yes, and you may qualify as a New Entrant, provided your job and salary meet the criteria.

Q: I already hold a Skilled Worker visa. Do I need to meet the new salary rules?
If your CoS was issued before 22 July 2025, you may still qualify under transitional rules for extension—but settlement rules will still apply.

Q: Can I bring dependents if I work in a shortage role?
No. From 22 July 2025, dependents are no longer permitted for TSL roles.

Section I: Glossary

Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): A digital document issued by a UK sponsor confirming the job offer and eligibility.

SOC Code: A 4-digit code used by the Home Office to categorise job roles for visa purposes.

RQF Level: UK Regulated Qualifications Framework. Level 6 equals bachelor’s degree level.

Going Rate: The salary benchmark for a given SOC code as defined by the Home Office.

New Entrant: A person under 26 or recently graduated who qualifies for a lower salary threshold under Skilled Worker rules.

Temporary Shortage List (TSL): A limited list of in-demand occupations with relaxed salary rules—but no dependent rights.

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR): Permanent residency in the UK after a qualifying period, usually 5 years.

Disclaimer

The content provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is not intended to offer a comprehensive or definitive interpretation of the law. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy at the time of publication, no guarantees are given, and we accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions. Before relying on any information contained herein, readers are strongly advised to seek professional legal guidance relevant to their individual circumstances.