Examples of a Skilled Worker: Jobs & Average Salaries

What are the requirements for a Skilled Worker visa?

After the end of free movement from January 1 2021, all foreign nationals including from EEA and non-EEA countries, including South Africa, must now apply for a Skilled Worker visa if you are coming to the UK in an eligible job role for more than six months.

You must score at least 70 points to do so by meeting the following personal requirements to apply as a skilled worker:

• Have an unconditional job offer from a licensed sponsor organisation or company
• Recieve a valid certificate of sponsorship from that employer
• Being paid the minimum salary, or the “going rate” for the position
• Prove your English language skills to a B1 level
• Be taking an eligible job with a valid occupation code
• Have enough personal savings to financially support yourself in the UK – at least £1,270 available in your bank account for 28 consecutive days
• Prove your travel and immigration history over the past five years

What are the job role requirements for a Skilled Worker visa?

We can look more in-depth at what requirements the specific job role must meet to be eligible for you to come to the UK to work.

Skill requirement

Most roles will need to be skilled to the equivalent of Bachelor degree qualifications in the UK, or RQF Level 6. This stands for Regulated Qualifications Framework that covers the difficulty level and amount of study needed for certain qualifications.

Sponsorship requirement

You must also be taking a job with an approved employer that is licensed by the Home Office to “sponsor” employees from overseas. This means the company will have already gone through a rigorous process to be awarded a sponsor licence and be allowed to employ foreign talent. When you take your job, you should then also receive a valid certificate of sponsorship.

Salary requirement

Salary requirements on the Skilled Worker visa route can vary, depending on the type of job role being taken. Generally, it will be whichever is the highest out of the following options:

• £41,700 annual salary
• The “going rate” for the job you do

All of these salary rates are based on working a 39 hour week, and can be pro-rataed according to your employer’s needs. They must still always meet these salary minimum requirements. You can view all “going rates” in this table on the government website.

Can I still apply for a Skilled Worker visa if I am paid less?

Yes, there are a few instances where you may still be eligible.

Healthcare and education roles

If you work in healthcare or education, for example, pay scales are set by national bodies that you will work for in the UK, like the NHS. If your job role is on the eligible jobs list for these sectors, you will be paid according to different sets of national pay scales based on whether you are in health care or education.

Shortage occupations list

You could also be paid less if your job is on the shortage occupations list. These roles have a shortage of British workers applying from inside the UK. If you are taking one of these roles, you can be paid:

• 80% of the annual going rate for the role
• You’ll also pay a lower fee for your visa application

You should check the shortage occupation list online here as it is regularly updated.

You can also be paid 70% of the going rate for your job and still qualify for a Skilled Worker visa in the following scenarios:

• If you’re under 26 on the date you apply
• You’re already in the UK on a Student visa or you have been in the last two years
• You’re in the UK on some form of Graduate visa
• If you’ll be working in a postdoctoral role in certain science or higher education roles

Note that these guidelines are subject to change according to current government regulations.

What are eligible occupation and occupation codes?

For you to take up a role in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa, you will need to be working in an “eligible occupation”. There are all listed on the government website.

To check if the kind of job you are looking for is eligible, you’ll need to know its four-digit occupation code. Each category of “job type” has its own code, and will have relevant job titles listed next to it that come under that category.

Not every job title will be included, but you should be able to find similar jobs listed to the one you’re looking to take – that will be your occupation code. Otherwise, if you already have a job offer from a licensed employer, they should be able to provide you with your occupation code.

Once you have your job offer, you will get a certificate of sponsorship with a reference number. You must apply for your visa within three months of receiving your certificate.

Eligible job role examples

The full list of eligible job roles and titles is available on the government website here. Be warned – the full list is very long! However, you should be able to search for your job title and/or occupation code to hopefully make searching that bit easier. Working with an immigration lawyer means you can get tailored and the most accurate advice on the best course of action for your specific employment circumstances, which is highly recommended.

Eligible jobs range in seniority level, from directors and managerial level, to operatives and assistants. Some job examples are listed as follows: