UK Skilled Worker Visa 2026: Salary, English and Sponsorship Rules Explained
The Skilled Worker visa is the main route for working in the UK — but the rules changed substantially on 22 July 2025, and the English requirement rises again on 8 January 2026. In short: you need a licensed sponsor, a graduate-level job (RQF Level 6), a salary of at least £41,700 or your occupation's going rate (whichever is higher), B2 English from 8 January 2026, and £1,270 in savings held for 28 days. Get these five pillars right and the rest is paperwork.
The 22 July 2025 rule changes
The July 2025 changes made the Skilled Worker route stricter in two ways. First, the skill threshold rose from RQF Level 3 (A-level equivalent) to RQF Level 6 — degree level. Many medium-skilled occupations that previously qualified no longer do, unless they sit on the immigration salary list or the temporary shortage list. Second, the headline salary threshold rose to £41,700 a year. If you held Skilled Worker status before 22 July 2025, transitional arrangements apply to extensions — check the "when you can be paid less" section on GOV.UK.
The salary rule: £41,700 or the going rate, whichever is higher
The core salary test has two numbers and you must clear both:
- £41,700 per year — the standard minimum for new applicants.
- Your occupation's "going rate" — each 4-digit occupation code has its own published annual going rate, reflecting what the Home Office considers the market salary for that job.
If the going rate for your occupation code is £45,000, a £42,000 salary fails even though it clears £41,700. Conversely, if the going rate is £38,000, you still need £41,700. Your sponsor must confirm your occupation code and going rate — ask them before you apply: a wrong code is one of the most common refusal reasons.
New entrants: £33,400 and 70% of the going rate
If you qualify as a new entrant — for example, you are under 26 on the application date, you are switching from a Student visa, you have held a Graduate visa in the last 2 years, or you are working toward a recognised professional qualification — you can be paid 70% of your job's standard going rate, as long as your salary is at least £33,400 a year. New-entrant status is time-limited: your total UK stay cannot exceed 4 years on this basis, including any time already spent on a Graduate visa. PhD holders get smaller discounts (80% for STEM PhDs with a £33,400 floor, 90% for non-STEM PhDs with a £37,500 floor).
Jobs on the immigration salary list
Occupations on the immigration salary list have a lower floor of £33,400 — but you must still be paid at least the standard going rate for the job.
Skill level: RQF Level 6
Since 22 July 2025, eligible occupations must be at RQF Level 6 (graduate level) or above. In the GOV.UK table, each occupation code is marked "higher skilled" or "medium skilled" — medium-skilled codes now only qualify if the job is on the immigration salary list or the temporary shortage list, or in a few special cases (such as prison officers extending or switching). Do not assume your job title is eligible: search by what you will actually do, using the CASCOT occupation coding tool, and confirm the code with your sponsor.
English language: B2 from 8 January 2026
From 8 January 2026, Skilled Worker applicants must prove English at CEFR level B2 (upper-intermediate) in speaking, listening, reading and writing — up from B1. You prove it through an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT), a degree taught in English verified through Ecctis, or nationality of a majority-English-speaking country. SELT results are valid for 2 years — time your test carefully, because an expired certificate means a refused application.
The sponsor and the certificate of sponsorship
You cannot self-sponsor. Your employer must hold a Skilled Worker sponsor licence (small businesses and charities pay £611, medium and large organisations £1,682 — licence applications usually take around 8 weeks). Before applying for the visa, your sponsor assigns you a certificate of sponsorship (CoS) — an electronic record with a reference number, not a paper document. Apply for your visa within 3 months of getting your CoS. You can check whether an employer is licensed on the official register: https://www.gov.uk/register-of-licensed-sponsors-workers
Maintenance: £1,270 held for 28 days
Unless your sponsor certifies maintenance on your CoS, you must prove you have held at least £1,270 in personal savings for 28 consecutive days, with the 28-day period ending no more than 31 days before your application. The money must be in your name (or your partner's, with the right evidence) — and the 28-day rule is strict. A balance that dips to £1,269 on day 14 fails the test. Each dependant needs additional funds on top; check the current amounts on GOV.UK.
Costs: application fee plus the health surcharge
Each applicant (including each dependant) pays two things:
- The visa application fee — depends on length of stay and whether the job is on the immigration salary list; check the current fee on GOV.UK before budgeting.
- The immigration health surcharge (IHS) — £1,035 per year of your visa, payable upfront for the whole grant. A 3-year visa means £3,105 in IHS alone.
Healthcare workers should check the Health and Care Worker visa instead — it is cheaper and exempt from the IHS.
Timeline and decisions
You must apply online, up to 3 months before your job's start date (the date on your CoS). Decisions usually take 3 weeks from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside. Faster paid services may be available — you will be told during the application. Your visa can last up to 5 years; you can extend as many times as you like while you still qualify, and after 5 years you can apply for indefinite leave to remain.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change jobs on a Skilled Worker visa?
Only if you apply to update your visa first — a new CoS from the new employer is required. Starting the new job before the update is approved puts your status at risk.
Does my Student visa time count toward the 5-year ILR clock?
No. Only time on qualifying work routes (such as Skilled Worker) counts toward the 5-year settlement clock. Time on a Student or Graduate visa does not.
My salary meets £41,700 but is below the going rate — do I qualify?
No — you must meet whichever is higher. The only exceptions are the discount routes (new entrant, PhD, immigration salary list) described above.
Can my partner work in the UK?
Yes — dependants of Skilled Worker visa holders can generally work in the UK with few restrictions. Check the dependant rules on GOV.UK for the details.
What if my sponsor loses its licence?
Your CoS becomes invalid and your visa may be curtailed. Check the sponsor register before accepting an offer.
Sources
- Skilled Worker visa – overview: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa
- Register of licensed sponsors: https://www.gov.uk/register-of-licensed-sponsors-workers
- Prove your knowledge of English: https://www.gov.uk/english-language
- Immigration health surcharge: https://www.gov.uk/immigration-health-surcharge
- Health and Care Worker visa: https://www.gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa
- Indefinite leave to remain: https://www.gov.uk/indefinite-leave-to-remain