UK Skilled Worker Visa Salary and Occupation Codes: Employer Eligibility Guide

This guide is for UK employers researching Skilled Worker visa salary requirements UK and planning to recruit internationally. It provides general operational information, not legal advice. Immigration Rules, sponsor guidance, statutory fees and employment law can change; check the live official sources linked below on the date you act. Eligibility must be assessed against the exact job, sponsor and worker circumstances.

Quick employer checklist

• Define the genuine vacancy, duties, salary, hours and work location.
• Check the current immigration route, occupation code and salary rules.
• Confirm the correct legal employer and sponsor licence coverage.
• Use transparent recruitment terms and verify candidate competence.
• Assign the correct CoS only after eligibility checks are complete.
• Complete the prescribed right-to-work check before work begins.
• Maintain records and monitor sponsor reporting obligations.

The Skilled Worker route: employer overview

The Skilled Worker route allows an approved UK sponsor to recruit a person for a specific eligible job, subject to the Immigration Rules. The job, sponsor, salary and applicant must meet the requirements in force at the relevant date. The route is not a general solution for every vacancy or every skilled person. Read Appendix Skilled Worker and Appendix Skilled Occupations before relying on a job title or salary figure.

Occupation codes: duties matter more than job titles

Start by documenting the actual work: core tasks, responsibility, technical complexity, qualifications, supervision and work environment. Compare those duties with the relevant SOC 2020 occupation code and its description. Similar titles can map to different occupations, and one title can cover roles with different skill levels. Do not choose a code because it offers a more convenient salary option. The code must accurately describe the genuine job.

Higher-skilled and medium-skilled roles

The current occupation framework distinguishes eligible higher-skilled roles from other categories and includes specific conditions for certain medium-skilled occupations. Do not rely on historic statements that every role at a particular RQF level is automatically eligible, or that a job appearing on an old list remains eligible. Check the live Appendix Skilled Occupations and any applicable transitional or list-based provisions for the exact code.

How the salary test works

For the standard Skilled Worker salary assessment, the applicant will generally need to meet both the applicable general salary threshold and the going rate for the occupation, subject to specific options and exceptions in the Rules. The exact figures and calculation depend on the application route, date, occupation, working hours and applicant circumstances. Do not copy salary figures from an old article or apply one headline threshold to every case. Check the current salary options in Appendix Skilled Worker and the going-rate table.

Going rates and working hours

Occupation going rates are published for standard working patterns and may need to be pro-rated according to the weekly hours stated by the employer, using the method set out in the Rules. Confirm the contractual hours and make sure the salary calculation reflects them. Do not assume that overtime, bonuses, allowances, benefits or irregular payments count as guaranteed salary. Only include pay elements permitted by the current immigration rules.

Tradeable points and permitted salary options

The Rules provide defined salary options for certain circumstances, which may include relevant qualifications, new entrant status or specified lists. Each option has detailed conditions and its own salary calculation. A worker cannot simply elect a lower threshold, and an employer cannot apply an exception because it considers the candidate valuable. Check the precise option and evidence requirements in the current Appendix Skilled Worker before assigning a CoS.

Job changes after sponsorship

A promotion, change of duties, salary reduction, altered hours or change of work location may affect the sponsored role or reporting obligations. Before implementing a material change, check whether the sponsor must report it, whether a new CoS or application is required, and whether the worker continues to meet the salary and occupation requirements. Keep the job description, contract, CoS and payroll aligned.

Sector examples: construction, automotive and manufacturing

A civil engineer, site manager, vehicle technician, HGV mechanic, CNC machinist, welder, maintenance engineer and production operative are not interchangeable immigration categories. For each vacancy, describe the genuine duties and compare the role with the current occupation code. A shortage of mechanics or construction staff does not automatically make a role eligible. Equally, do not assume every trade is ineligible: check the precise code and current provisions.

A documented eligibility decision

Keep a dated record of the job description, code selected, relevant official description, salary option, going-rate calculation, weekly hours, evidence for any exception, and reviewer. Use a second-person review for complex or borderline cases. Recheck immediately before CoS assignment and whenever the role or rules change.

Employer checklist and official sources

Before promising sponsorship, confirm the route, sponsor licence, genuine vacancy, SOC code, skill eligibility, salary option, going rate, working hours and candidate requirements. Use the official Skilled Worker Rules, occupation code rules and Immigration Rules update log.

Frequently asked questions

Can every UK employer sponsor an overseas worker?

No. The employer must meet the relevant sponsor requirements, and the role and worker must qualify under the specific immigration route.

Does a sponsor licence guarantee that a candidate will receive a visa?

No. The licence permits sponsorship within its scope. The worker must independently meet the Immigration Rules and the Home Office decides the application.

Can a worker start after receiving a Certificate of Sponsorship?

Not on that basis alone. A CoS is not a visa or permission to work. The employer must confirm the person's permission and complete the prescribed right-to-work check before work begins.

Can an employer charge sponsorship costs to the worker?

Some sponsorship costs must be paid by the sponsor and cannot be recovered from the worker. Check the current sponsor guidance before making deductions or repayment arrangements.

Are all jobs in a shortage sector eligible?

No. Industry demand does not establish immigration eligibility. Check the exact duties, occupation code, salary and route requirements.

Can a recruitment agency guarantee a visa?

No. A recruitment provider cannot guarantee a Home Office decision. Be wary of guaranteed-visa claims.

Official UK government resources

Use primary Home Office and GOV.UK sources rather than relying on historic blog posts or cached fee tables. Check the version and effective date before making a decision.

• Skilled Worker visa rules
• Eligible occupation codes and going rates
• Sponsor guidance for employers
• Immigration Rules update log

Important: This article is general information for employers and is not legal advice. It does not determine whether a specific employer, job or individual qualifies for sponsorship. Rules and guidance can change. Obtain advice from an appropriately authorised UK immigration adviser or solicitor for case-specific decisions. The date of publication is not a substitute for checking the law in force on the date of application.

Build an occupation-code decision record

A defensible code assessment should show the job title, full duties, level of responsibility, required experience, qualifications and working environment. Record the codes considered and why the selected code best matches the actual work. Save the version or date of the official occupation list used. This is especially important where a role combines several functions, where a job title is broad, or where the employer operates in a specialist sector. A short note written at the time is more useful than trying to reconstruct the reasoning after a Home Office query.

Separate immigration eligibility from professional competence

A role may satisfy immigration skill criteria while the candidate still needs a licence, registration, safety qualification or employer-specific competency assessment. Conversely, holding an impressive overseas qualification does not make a role eligible for sponsorship. Check the immigration code and the professional requirements as separate questions. For regulated professions, contact the relevant UK regulator or professional body to establish the recognition process. For safety-critical trades, assess practical competence before assigning duties and keep evidence of training and authorisation.

Calculate pay using the right components

Do not assume that every element of a remuneration package counts towards the Skilled Worker salary requirement. The immigration rules specify which salary components can be included and how the calculation is made. Check guaranteed basic pay, permitted allowances and any excluded payments against the current wording. Benefits in kind, discretionary bonuses or variable overtime should not be treated as qualifying salary unless the rules expressly allow them. Payroll should be able to explain how the contractual salary is paid and how it aligns with the CoS.

Check part-time hours and salary changes

Where the employee works fewer hours than the standard working pattern, check the pro-rating method in the current rules and ensure the contract, CoS and payroll agree. If the employee changes their hours, salary or duties, reassess the immigration position before implementing the change. A reduction that seems modest commercially can affect the salary test. A promotion can also change the occupation code or reporting position. Keep a record of the proposed change, assessment, decision and any action taken in the Sponsorship Management System.

Do not confuse shortage evidence with eligibility

Evidence that a vacancy is difficult to fill can support workforce planning, but it does not replace the immigration criteria. A role is not automatically sponsorable because it appears on a historic shortage list, because competitors sponsor similar workers, or because a recruiter says it is common practice. Lists and transitional provisions can change. Verify the exact occupation code and current route requirements for each application, especially where a role sits close to a skill-level boundary.

Review the rules at each decision point

The rules that applied when a business first considered recruitment may not be the same as those in force when the CoS is assigned or the visa application is submitted. Build a fresh eligibility check into the approval workflow at the point of CoS assignment. If the relevant rules change, assess the impact on open vacancies and candidates before making promises. Keep dated copies or links to the source material used, and record who approved the assessment.

Escalate borderline roles

Seek specialist immigration advice where duties span several occupation codes, the salary is close to a threshold, an exception or tradeable points option may be relevant, or a proposed change could affect an existing worker. Provide the adviser with the actual job description, contract, hours, pay breakdown and candidate circumstances. Asking a narrow, evidence-based question is more effective than asking whether a job title is eligible in the abstract.

A practical example of role assessment

Consider an employer recruiting a maintenance specialist for a production site. The job title alone does not determine the correct occupation code. The employer should record the machinery maintained, the complexity of fault diagnosis, whether the role includes engineering design or only routine servicing, the level of independent judgement and any supervisory duties. It should then compare those facts with the official occupation descriptions. If the job is primarily routine operation or basic servicing, a more senior-sounding title cannot turn it into an eligible engineering role. The same discipline applies to technicians, supervisors and managers in every sector.

Keep recruitment advertising consistent with the sponsored role

The vacancy advert, interview scorecard, offer letter, employment contract, job description and CoS should describe the same genuine position. Differences in wording are sometimes harmless, but material differences in duties, salary, hours or location need to be understood and resolved. Keep a copy of the final advert and approved job description. If the role evolves during recruitment, update the eligibility assessment before sponsorship proceeds. This consistency is useful not only for immigration compliance but also for clear expectations between the employer and the employee.