What is the going rate for a UK Skilled Worker visa?

The going rate is the minimum salary that must be paid for a specific job under the Skilled Worker route. You can find the Skilled Worker visa going rates in the Home Office’s ‘Skilled Worker visa: going rates for eligible occupation codes‘ and in ‘Appendix Skilled Occupations of the Immigration Rules‘.

It is important to understand that the going rate does not replace the Skilled Worker visa general salary threshold. For most Skilled Worker applicants sponsored on or after 22 July 2025, the general salary threshold is £41,700 per year. When assessing whether a salary meets the Skilled Worker visa requirements, the Home Office considers both the general salary threshold and the going rate for the applicant’s occupation. In most cases, the applicant must be paid at least the higher of these two figures. For example, a software developer (SOC code 2134) has a standard going rate of £54,700 per year. As this is higher than the general salary threshold of £41,700, the applicant would normally need to be paid at least £54,700 to meet the salary requirement.

How to calculate the going rate for your Skilled Worker visa?

To calculate the going rate for your job, there are three key steps:

Find your job’s SOC code
Find the going rate for the role
Calculate the annual going rate based on your contracted hours

Find your job’s SOC code

The Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 2020) code is the reference number the Home Office uses to categorise eligible jobs under the Skilled Worker route. Each occupation has its own code and going rate.

To find the SOC code for your job, check the relevant tables in Appendix Skilled Occupations. Most standard Skilled Worker jobs come under Table 1, which covers roles at graduate level or above. Jobs on the Immigration Salary List appear in a separate appendix. If you are applying under transitional provisions, different tables may apply.

If you are unsure which occupation code applies to your role, the Home Office CASCOT tool can help you identify the most appropriate code. Your sponsor also has a duty to select the correct and most appropriate occupation code. Choosing a less appropriate code to secure a lower going rate is not permitted and may result in a refused Skilled Worker visa application.

Find the going rate for the role

You can also find the going rates for eligible occupations in Appendix Skilled Occupations. The appendix contains several salary tables covering different worker categories, salary options and transitional provisions, including going rates for certain workers sponsored before 22 July 2025 or before 4 April 2024.

To determine the correct going rate for your role, you must first identify which salary table applies to your circumstances. See our guide to Appendix Skilled Occupations for an explanation of the different tables and how to find the correct going rate for your occupation.

Calculate the annual going rate based on contracted hours

Before calculating your going rate, there are a few things to understand first.

First, you will find two types of going rate on Home Office website: an annual going rate and hourly going rate. The annual going rate is based on a standard working pattern and may need to be adjusted depending on the worker’s contracted hours and the salary option that applies. For most occupations, the annual going rate is based on a 37.5-hour working week. However, some health and education occupations use different working patterns or national pay scales, for example:

Doctors are generally based on a 40-hour week
NHS Agenda for Change occupations are based on a 37.5-hour week
Dentists may use different stated hours
Teaching occupations are assessed based on full-time equivalent (FTE) pay scales rather than fixed weekly hours

If the sponsored worker’s contracted hours differ from the standard working pattern used for that occupation, the going rate must normally pro-rated accordingly. The calculation works as follows:

Take the hourly going rate for the occupation
Multiply it by the worker’s actual contracted weekly hours
Multiply the result by 52 to get the annual going rate based on those contracted hours

Second, the salary requirement may be based on the full going rate or a specified percentage of the going rate, depending on the salary option that applies. For example:

Salary option B: if you have a relevant PhD, you may enjoy 90% of the going rate
Salary option C: if you have a relevant STEM PhD, you may enjoy 80% of the going rate
Salary option E: if you are a new entrant to the labour market, you may enjoy 70% of the going rate

Example: An Investment bankers and director (SOC 1131) is applying for a Skilled Worker visa. If the worker is not eligible for a discounted salary option, the standard going rate is £75,100 per year based on a 37.5-hour working week. The hourly going rate is £38.51. If the worker is contracted to work 40 hours per week, the pro-rated going rate would be: £38.51 x 40 x 52 = £80,100.8 per year.

If the worker qualifies for Salary Option B (for example, because they hold a relevant PhD), they may be paid 90% of the standard going rate. In this case, the hourly going rate would be £34.67. If the worker is contracted to work 40 hours per week, the pro-rated going rate would be: £34.67 x 40 x 52 = £72,113.6

Please note that only guaranteed basic gross pay counts towards the salary threshold. Bonuses, overtime, shift allowances, and in-kind benefits do not count towards the going rate. The salary must be paid on at least a monthly basis and must meet the required level in each pay period.

If you need help understanding Skilled Worker visa going rate, our specialist immigration solicitors can advise you on your specific circumstances. Contact us for a free consultation by calling at 020 3744 2797 or complete our enquiry form.

References:

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

GOV.UK: Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations

GOV.UK: Workers and Temporary Workers: guidance for sponsors