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Skilled Worker Visa UK

New rules for Skilled Worker visa: started from 22 July 2025, the minimum salary requirement increased to £41,700 per year or your job’s going rate, whichever is higher.

 

Contact our immigration lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your UK skilled worker visa.

 

Please note: as immigration lawyers, we are NOT equipped to assist you to find a job / sponsor in the UK. Given the volume of enquiries we receive, we will be UNABLE to respond to enquiries seeking assistance with finding sponsorship for a work visa.

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What is the UK Skilled Worker Visa?

UK Skilled Worker Visa is a work visa that enables international workers with the necessary skills to work in the UK for licenced UK employers. The skilled worker visa replaced the Tier 2 visa at the end of 2020.

UK Skilled Worker Visa is a long-term work visa and will be initially granted for a period of up to five years (this will depend on the duration of your Certificate of Sponsorship). It is important to note that your visa is only valid as long as you remain in the same role with your sponsoring employer. If you wish to change roles or employer, you will need to apply for a new Skilled Worker visa.

Under the Skilled Worker route, it is possible to extend your visa before it expires, and after a qualifying period of five years, apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) and British citizenship one year later. If you are considering applying for a UK Skilled Worker visa, you will need to secure a job offer and ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria, as outlined below.

If you are an EU national and you hold EU Pre-Settled or Settled Status under EU settlement scheme, you don’t need a Skilled Worker Visa to work in the UK. If you do not hold either status, you will need a work visa for employment in the UK.

If the Skilled Worker Visa is not suitable for you, there are alternative work routes you can explore. Visit our UK Work Visas page for more information.

UK Skilled Worker visa requirements 2025

Skilled worker visa eligibility requirements are:

  • Have a job offer from a UK employer
  • Your employer must be on the list of licenced sponsors1 approved by the Home Office
  • Your employer must have issued you with a valid “Certificate of Sponsorship”
  • The job for which you are being employed must be on the list of eligible occupations2
  • You must meet the skill level requirement: at least equivalent to RQF level 6
  • You must meet the minimum salary requirements: general threshold £41,700 per year or your job’s going rate, whichever is higher
  • You must meet the English language requirements
  • You must have £1,270 in your bank account to show you can support yourself in the UK

Further details on each of these eligibility criteria are explained below.

1. Have a job offer from a UK employer

In order to make a successful application for a Skilled Worker visa, you must have a valid job offer from a licensed UK employer before you apply. This offer must be from an A-rated business on the list of licensed sponsors for a role on the list of eligible occupations, and meet the minimum salary requirements. You must also have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from your UK employer.

2. Your employer must be on the list of licenced sponsors approved by the Home Office

Your job offer must be from a business listed on the Home Office’s list of licensed sponsors. It is also important to check that your employer is licensed to hire international workers under the Skilled Worker Route (licenses are issued according to the type of visa required) and that they are A-rated. B-rated employers are unable to issue new Certificates of Sponsorship until they meet the Home Office’s compliance requirements and are upgraded to an A-rating. It is advisable to check this is the case before applying to avoid the potential for a delay or refusal.

3. Your employer must have issued you with a valid “Certificate of Sponsorship”

As outlined above, to apply for a Skilled Worker visa, you will need a valid CoS from your UK employer.

A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is a digital document that contains information about the role for which you are being sponsored, including your role title and type, your work start and end dates, gross salary, your sponsor licence number, and the date of expiry.

4. The job for which you are being employed must be on the list of eligible occupations

UK Visas and Immigration will only grant a Skilled Worker visa for roles that are on the list of eligible occupations2. You must also have the necessary skills and/or experience to fulfil the role for which you are being hired in the UK. To double-check if your occupation is eligible, you may need to request the standard occupation code (SOC) from your employer.

5. Meet the skill level requirement

Applicants for a Skilled Worker role and visa must have skills that are at least equivalent to RQF level 6 (Bachelor’s degree level or equivalent). This does not mean that you need to hold a certain level of qualification, rather that your skills are equivalent to RQF level 6 or above.

6. Skilled Worker visa minimum salary requirement 2025

The minimum general salary threshold for a Skilled Worker visa increased to £41,700 on 22 July 2025. This means if are applying for a Skilled Worker Visa after 22 July 2025 and you are not eligible to a discount rate, your job must provide you with the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 or the “going rate” for your job, whichever is higher.

You may be eligible to meet a lower Skilled Worker Visa salary requirement if you fall under one of the following categories:

  • Relevant PhD (Option B): at least £37,500 or 90% of your job’s going rate, whichever is higher
  • PhD in a STEM subject (Option C): at least £33,400 or 80% of your job’s going rate, whichever is higher
  • New entrants (Option E): at least £33,400 or 70% of your job’s going rate, whichever is higher
  • Role on Immigration Salary List (Option D):
    • at least £33,400 for degree-level (RQF 6+) occupations or your job’s going rate, whichever is higher
    • at least £23,200 for sub-degree (RQF 3–5) occupations or your job’s going rate, whichever is highe

For more information about the new Skilled Worker visa salary requirements, please see our article: UK Skilled Worker Visa New Requirements and Rules Explained 2025

7. Have £1,270 in your bank account to show you can support yourself in the UK

You will need to provide evidence in the form of a bank statement showing you have at least £1,270 for your first month in the UK. In some cases, it may be possible to ask your employer to provide a letter confirming they will cover this requirement for you.

8. English language proficiency

As a Skilled Worker visa applicant, you will need to show that you have sufficient knowledge of the English language4; this can be achieved in 4 ways:

  • Passing an English language test
  • You will meet the English language requirements if you pass a Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) English test from an approved testing centre. This must be at least level B1 in reading, understanding, speaking, and writing.
  • Academic qualifications
  • You will also meet the English language requirements if you have a degree or other academic qualification which was taught in English.
  • Exemption: you will not need to meet the English language requirements if you are exempt, including if you come from any of the following countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, USA
  • If you have passed an English Language assessment approved by the relevant regulated professional body in your area of work.

UK Skilled Worker Visa required documents

Some of the information and documents you may need to provide to support your Skilled Worker visa application include:

  • Your passport (with a blank page)
  • Your Certificate of Sponsorship reference number
  • Your job title and annual salary
  • Your job’s occupation code
  • The name of your employer and their sponsor licence number (as shown on your Certificate of Sponsorship)
  • Evidence of sufficient personal savings to support yourself
  • Proof of your relationship to your spouse/partner and children (e.g. marriage and birth certificates)
  • A criminal record certificate (this is only necessary for certain occupation types involving vulnerable individuals such as healthcare and education)
  • Proof of your English language proficiency
  • TB test results (if you are from a country for which this is required)
  • UK PhD certificate or Ecctis reference if your PhD is not from the UK

You will also be advised how you can prove your identity and supply your biometrics (i.e. fingerprints and photo) for your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). This can be done either by having your fingerprints and photo taken at a visa application centre in the country in which you are located or by using the Home Office’s mobile phone ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app. The app allows you to scan your identity documents and upload these to the Home Office.

Given the complexity of the Skilled Worker visa documentation requirements, we recommend seeking legal advice from a Skilled Worker Visa lawyer before submitting your application. Our team will ensure that all evidence necessary for your application is provided to UKVI and any errors or omissions are corrected. Call us on 020 3744 2797 for advice on your Skilled Worker visa.

How to apply for a UK Skilled Worker visa

The process of applying for a Skilled Worker visa from outside of the UK is completed online on the Home Office website. You will be in a position to complete and submit your application once you have your job offer, Certificate of Sponsorship, and the supporting information listed above. If necessary, you can complete part of the application and save your progress, allowing you to complete the process at a later date.

The application steps are as follows:

  1. Check your eligibility for a Skilled Worker Visa
  2. Secure a job offer from a licensed sponsor in the UK
  3. Receive your Certificate of Sponsorship from your UK employer
  4. Prepare the documents you will need to prove your eligibility for a Skilled Worker visa
  5. Complete the online application form – The form you will need to complete depends on if you are applying from outside the UK, or switching from a different visa within the UK.
  6. Pay the application fee, biometric fee, and healthcare surcharge (see below).
  7. Upload any documents required to support your application.
  8. Arrange a biometric appointment to have your fingerprints and photo taken.

You can expect to receive a decision within 3 weeks of your application date if submitted outside the UK. If more information is needed to support your application, you will be contacted by UKVI.

Changing employers on a Skilled Worker Visa

If you hold a Skilled Worker visa and wish to change employers, you will need to apply for a new visa. This is the case if you wish to:

  • Change employer
  • Change occupation
  • Change occupation code
  • Change from occupation on the shortage occupation list for one not on the list

Assuming your current work visa is still valid, you will be able to apply from within the UK and continue living and working here until a decision is made by the Home Office.

It will also be necessary to apply for a new visa if you take on a second role with a different employer in a different occupation.

Your application to change job or employer can be made up to 3 months before the start date of your new role. It is important to apply as early as possible as it may take up to 8 weeks to receive a decision on your application. You should not start working for your new employer until you have received a positive decision on your application.

For more information, please visit our article changing employers on a skilled worker visa.

Skilled Worker Visa extension

You will be able to extend your visa before it expires as long as you are still with the same sponsor/employer and you are still in the same occupation (this must be in the same occupation code as your current visa). If you plan to change your job or employer, you will need to apply for a new visa rather than extend your current visa. It is possible to extend your visa as many times as you wish.

For more information, you can check our guide for Skilled Worker visa extension

For assistance and advice on the Skilled Worker extension process, speak to one of our employment immigration solicitors on 020 3744 2797 .

Skilled Worker visa to ILR

One of the main benefits of the Skilled Worker Visa is that if you do plan to stay in the UK permanently, rather than just extending your visa, you can acquire permanent residency by applying for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after 5 years. To do so, you must meet the continuous residence requirement, meaning that you must not have been outside of the UK for more than 180 days in any of the 5 years. Once you have indefinite leave to remain, you will not need to make any more visa applications or pay the immigration healthcare surcharge, and you will be able to apply for UK citizenship after 12 months.

It is important to note that the 5 years required to qualify for ILR can be made up of time on a range of visas, including the Representative of an Overseas Business visa, Innovator visa, Global Talent visa, Tier 2 visa (Minister of Religion or Sportsperson), or a Tier 1 visa. Time spent on the Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur scheme cannot be included, however.

In addition, to qualify for ILR, you will need to provide evidence that:

  • You have passed the Life in the UK test (for those between 18 and 65)
  • You are still employed by the same sponsor licence holder
  • You still meet the minimum salary requirements
  • You have sufficient English language skills

References:

1 GOV.UK: Register of licensed sponsors: workers

2 GOV.UK: Skilled worker visa: eligible occupations and codes

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

4 GOV.UK: Skilled worker visa

Frequently asked questions.

The Skilled Worker visa is a long-term visa and will be initially granted for a period of up to 5 years (this will depend on the duration of your Certificate of Sponsorship). You can extend your visa as many times as you wish and apply for permanent settlement (ILR) after 5 years.

You can expect to receive a decision within 3 weeks of your application date if submitted outside the UK. Applications made in the UK can take up to 8 weeks to process.

If you lose your job on a UK Skilled Worker Visa you will need to take decisive action as you will not be able to remain in the country with your current immigration permission. You can either apply to switch to a different type of visa while in the UK or apply for another Skilled Worker visa. If you decide to apply for a new visa, you will be able to remain in the UK while your application is being processed.

No. You are allowed to take on extra work (supplementary employment) only if you are still working for your current sponsor. If you’ve lost your sponsorship / job but are still doing this extra work, it would break the immigration rules. You must stop the work immediately and wait until you get a new sponsor.

The curtailment period is either 60 days or the remaining time left on your visa—whichever is shorter. This period is calculated from the date the Home Office issues the curtailment notice, not the date your employment ends. There is no longer a maximum allowed gap between jobs that would automatically affect your immigration status. You do not need to wait for the curtailment notice to apply for a new visa.

If you are applying to extend your Skilled Worker visa, it is not strictly necessary for your dependants to apply for an extension alongside you, as they will continue to hold dependant visas linked to your status. Whether they apply with you will largely depend on the expiry date of their visas: the closer their expiry date is, the more advisable it may be for them to apply at the same time.

Whether your period of overstaying will affect your Skilled Worker visa application depends on when you left the UK. If the overstaying lasted less than 30 days, or if there were exceptional circumstances beyond your control (such as a serious illness or a global pandemic), your application may not be affected. However, if you overstayed for more than 30 days, you may be subject to a re-entry ban, which typically ranges from 12 months to 5 years.

You can start your job later than the start date stated on your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) as long as the delay is no more than 28 days from either the start date listed on the CoS or the date your Skilled Worker visa was granted, whichever is later.

If you start more than 28 days after the CoS start date, your employer must notify the Home Office through the Sponsor Management System before the original start date and provide a valid reason for the delay. Failure to report the delay may result in your visa being cancelled.

 

A Skilled Worker visa holder can take on additional work, but certain rules must be followed. You may undertake supplementary employment of up to 20 hours per week without informing the Home Office, as long as the role is listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations and the work is carried out outside the contracted hours of your sponsored job. However, if the second job exceeds 20 hours per week or falls under a different occupation code, you will need to obtain a new CoS from the second employer and apply for a separate Skilled Worker visa for the secondary job.

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