Skilled Worker Visa UK

What is a Skilled Worker Visa in UK?

The Skilled Worker visa is the UK’s main sponsored work visa route. It allows foreign nationals to work in the UK for a Home Office-approved employer in an eligible job. Applicants must usually meet requirements relating to sponsorship, skill level, salary and English language ability.

A Skilled Worker visa can be granted for up to 5 years at a time and may lead to indefinite leave to remain (ILR), subject to meeting the relevant settlement requirements.

Skilled Worker Visa Requirements and Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for a Skilled Worker Visa, you should receive a job offer from a UK employer which must meet all the following requirements:

• Your role will generally need to be at RQF level 6 or above, although some roles at RQF levels 3–5 may qualify under transitional arrangements or if included on relevant shortage occupation lists.
• You must be paid the minimum salary or “going rate” for the type of work you will be doing, whichever is higher. The minimum salary is at least £41,700 per year as of 2026.
• Your employer must have been approved by the Home Office and hold a valid sponsorship licence.

Also, you must be able to prove that you are being sponsored by the employer to undertake a vacancy that is genuine. If the Home Office believes the job is only created so you can apply for the Skilled Worker visa or it is a sham, your application will be refused.

You must also fulfil the additional criteria listed below:

• You must be aged 18 or over
• You need a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for the job you are going to do
• Your job must be a genuine vacancy
• Your sponsor must have paid the required Immigration Skills Charge
• You must demonstrate your English proficiency (at least CEFR Level B2)
• You can financially sustain yourself and your family without relying on public funds
• You must provide a criminal record certificate (if applicable)
• You must provide a valid TB certificate (if applicable)
• You must fulfil the specific genuineness requirement, therefore you must show you will undertake the role for which you are sponsored and comply with permitted supplementary work rules.

Who Is Classed as a Skilled Worker?

A Skilled Worker is generally someone sponsored to work in an eligible occupation that requires a skill level of RQF level 6 or above. This is the equivalent of a UK bachelor’s degree. This represents an increase from the previous RQF level 3 requirement under earlier rules. The role must also have a Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code.

Some roles below RQF level 6 (RQF 3–5) may still be eligible under transitional arrangements or if included on shortage occupation lists such as the Temporary Shortage List (TSL). Dependants may be restricted for certain lower-skilled roles, particularly those on temporary shortage lists.

Recent Skilled Worker Visa Changes: 2025 and 2026 Rule Changes

The UK government enacted a number of changes to the Skilled Worker visa route. The confirmed changes so far introduced include:

Proposed Earned Settlement Changes Affecting Skilled Workers in UK

Earned settlement is expected to start in April 2026. The government’s proposed “earned settlement” model is projected to have a major impact on the Skilled Worker visa route. A consultation on the proposal ran from 20 November 2025 to 12 February 2026. It considered how the new ILR rules should be reformed, and implemented.

• Under the plans, the timeline for Indefinite Leave to Remain from a Skilled Worker visa is expected to extend from 5 years to 10 years. For lower-skilled workers, this is likely to result in a 15 year baseline.
• Lower timelines can be “earned” while immigration breaches such as overstaying can be penalised, resulting in a flexible timeline.
• For example, if you earn over £125,140 for 3 years (timeline reduced by 7 years); £50,270 for 3 years (timeline reduced by 5 years) or spending 5 years in a highly skilled public service role (RQF 6+) (timeline reduced by 5 years).
• By contrast, overstaying a visa by 6 months or more can add up to +20 years to your timeline. Use of public funds for less than 12 months could add 5 years; or for more than 12 months: +10 years.
  

Genuine Vacancy: Eligible Job Requirements for Skilled Worker Visa

The ‘genuine vacancy’ requirement for UK Skilled Worker visa is a key check performed by the Home Office to confirm that the sponsoring job being offered to a foreign worker is genuine.

The Home Office defines a genuine vacancy as one that:

• Requires the jobholder to perform the specific duties and responsibilities for the job and meets all of the requirements of the relevant route
• Does not include dissimilar and/or predominantly lower-skilled duties
• Is appropriate to the business in light of its business model, business plan and scale

In other words, the job being offered must be truthful, accurate and appropriate for the business and the worker being sponsored.

Examples of vacancies that are not genuine include the following:

• Roles that do not actually exist
• Roles that contain an exaggerated or incorrect job description to deliberately make it appear to meet the requirements of the route when it does not
• Roles that were created primarily to enable an overseas national to come to, or stay in, the UK
• Adverts with requirements that are inappropriate for the job on offer (for example, language skills which are not relevant to the job) or incompatible with the business offering the employment, and have been tailored to exclude settled workers from being recruited

If the Home Office find that the job role being offered to a potential Skilled Worker visa applicant is not genuine, the visa application will be refused.

Immigration Salary List & Temporary Shortage List

The Immigration Salary List (ISL) is a list detailing occupations that are experiencing labour shortages in the UK. The Temporary Shortage List (TSL) is similar; however, it focusses only on occupations below degree level and is designed to be updated as occupations change in response to labour market shortages. While the ISL has both RQF 6 jobs and below, the new TSL will focus on RQF 3-5 roles (below degree level). The TSL will replace the ISL, which will be phased out over time.

In some cases, applicants may qualify with a reduced salary threshold (e.g. 80% of the going rate), depending on the role and eligibility criteria.

Salaries are calculated based on a 37.5-hour working week and must be pro-rated for other working patterns.

If applying under a shortage occupation route, the occupation code must match the relevant listing.

Documents Required for UK Skilled Worker Visa Application

Skilled Worker visa applicants must provide a range of supporting documents alongside their application to demonstrate their eligibility.

These include the following:

• Certificate of Sponsorship reference number
• Proof of knowledge of English
• Valid passport or other travel ID document
• Document that shows your job title and annual salary, such as a contract
• Job’s occupation code

You may also have to provide the following documents, based on your circumstances:

• Evidence you have enough funds to support yourself in the UK (unless your certificate of sponsorship shows that your employer is supporting you financially)
• Proof of relationship with your dependent family members, if they are coming with you
• Tuberculosis test results, if you’re from a required country
• A criminal record certificate
• An ATAS certificate, if you’re working in, or doing researching in, certain sensitive subjects
• Proof of UK educational qualification, or an ECCTIS reference number

English Language Requirement for Skilled Worker Visa

You must demonstrate your English proficiency (typically at least CEFR Level B2 for new applicants). To satisfy this requirement, you can either:

• Be a national of a majority English-speaking country
• Have passed a Secure English Language Test at least CEFR Level B2
• Have obtained a GCSE/A Level or Scottish Highers in English while at school in the UK
• Have been awarded a degree taught in English or taught in the UK
• Have already met this requirement as a part of any previous application for entry clearance

Minimum Salary Requirement for Skilled Worker Visa 2026

The general salary threshold under the Skilled Worker Visa route is £41,700 a year. This means that your salary must equal or exceed this number or the going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher. The assessment will be based on guaranteed basic gross pay.

When Can I Be Paid Lower Than the Threshold?

Workers falling into specific categories might be paid less than the above amount, provided that they score additional “tradable point” for other attributes. All of these individual categories are worth 20 tradeable points.

Below is a table outlining all of the situations in which Skilled Worker applicants may be paid less than the normal threshold:

Financial Requirements for Skilled Worker Visa

As well as meeting the minimum salary threshold, you will also need to meet other financial requirements. You must have cash funds of at least £1,270 available to sustain yourself while in the UK. This money must be held in your bank account for at least 28 consecutive days prior to your application.

How much does a skilled worker visa cost?

The Skilled Worker visa cost can range from £819 to £1,865, depending on your circumstances.

When applying for your visa, you also need to take the following expenses into account:

• Healthcare surcharge – £1035 per year
• You must have at least £1,270 available to demonstrate that you can support yourself when you arrive in the UK. You might be exempt if you have already been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months, or if the employer can cover your costs during your first month in the UK.

Applying from outside the UK:

• Up to 3 years: £819 for each applicant
• Over 3 years: £1,618 for each applicant

Applying from within the UK (switching, updating, or extending):

• Up to 3 years: £943 for each applicant
• Over 3 years: £1,865 for each applicant

Roles that are on the immigration salary list:

• Up to 3 years: £628 for each applicant
• Over 3 years: £1,235 for each applicant

How to Apply for a UK Skilled Worker Visa?

Below are the steps for how to apply for a Skilled Worker visa.

• Step 1: Ascertain your eligibility for the Skilled Worker visa and ensure that you meet all of the salary, skill level and financial requirements. You must already have a job offer from a valid UK sponsor in order to apply.
• Step 2: Gather your supporting documents and evidence of eligibility, such as your certificate of sponsorship, bank statements, proof of English language proficiency and passport.
• Step 3: Start your visa application on the gov.uk website. You must fill in the online form as accurately and completely as possible. You may also be asked to upload your supporting documents.
• Step 4: Pay the visa fee and submit your application.
• Step 5: Attend a biometrics appointment at your local visa application centre to give your fingerprints and photo.
• Step 6: Wait for a decision on your application. If your application is approved, you will be granted your visa and you will be able to travel to the UK.

The above process can only be taken if you are outside the UK. If you are within the UK, you will have to apply to switch to a Skilled Worker visa from the visa you currently use to stay in the UK. Note that if you are on any of the visas below, you cannot switch:

• Visitor visa
• Short-term student visa
• Parent of a Child Student visa
• Seasonal worker visa
• Domestic worker in a private household visa
• Immigration bail
• Permission to stay outside the immigration rules

If you are on any of the above visas, you will have to leave the UK first and apply from outside the UK.

How long does a skilled worker visa take to process?

You can submit your UK visa application up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. This date can be found in your certificate of sponsorship.

Depending on your circumstances, the Home Office may need extra time to review your documents and prove your identity. For this reason, you should always allow extra time and submit your application in time.

It usually takes about 3 weeks to receive a decision from the Home Office if you are outside the UK. If you are already in the UK, you may need to wait up to 8 weeks.

How to Extend Your Skilled Worker Visa in UK?

Your Skilled Worker visa is due to expire after 5 years. You can apply to extend your skilled worker visa in the UK if you meet the following requirements:

• You have the same job as when you were first granted your visa
• Your job is in the same occupation code as when you were given permission to enter the UK
• You are still working for the same employer who sponsored your current application.

Your family can apply for a visa extension, but they will need to submit a separate application.

Skilled Worker Visa to ILR in UK

After spending 5 years in the UK with a Skilled Worker visa, you may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR), also known as permanent residency.

Note on new rules for ILR – This – 5 year route – is expected to change with the earned settlement rules (expected in April 2026), and apply retrospectively to those who came to the UK between 2022-2024. This is not yet law, so 5 years is currently correct. However, changes can become law quickly. If you are close to ILR, it is recommended to check your timeline, and if not, it is recommended to find out how you can reduce your settlement timeline before the new rules are implemented.

After obtaining ILR, you will be able to live and work in the UK permanently without having to continue to extend your visa. You will also be able to work in any job in the UK for any employer, and your status in the UK will not be tied to whether you have a valid job or not.

To be eligible for ILR as a skilled worker, you must meet the following requirements. You must:

• Have spent at least 5 years in the UK with a qualifying visa
• Have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 month period
• Still be paid the minimum salary figure that was in place when you first applied for your visa. For example, if you received your first Skilled Worker visa before 4 April 2024, you should still be paid £29,000 per year. If you received your visa after 4 April 2024, you must be paid £41,700 per year
• Still be needed for your current role
• Pass the Life in the UK Test

Applications for ILR must be made online through the gov.uk website. It costs £3,226 to apply for ILR.

Skilled Worker Visa Refusal

There are a number of reasons why your Skilled Worker Visa application may be refused. Some of the most likely reasons include:

• Not fully completing the application form
• Not fully paying the application fee or other associated costs
• Not including an accurate certificate of sponsorship reference number or job code
• Not submitting the appropriate, relevant supporting documents to accompany your application demonstrating your eligibility
• Not meeting the 70 points requirements on the points-based system
• Not having a clean immigration and criminal history.

Alternatively, you may experience a Skilled Worker refusal if your employer does not have the correct sponsor licence and necessary documentation.

What Can You Do If Your Skilled Worker Visa is Refused?

If your Skilled Worker Visa application is refused, you have a number of options available, depending on your circumstances. The most common option is administrative review.

Applications may be refused in the following situations:

• Initial application for the Skilled Worker Visa
• Switching to the Skilled Worker Visa
• Renewing or extending the visa

If you receive a notice of refusal on your application, you have a limited period of time to apply for an administrative review of the decision. You have 28 days to file the request if you applied outside the UK, or alternatively, 14 days if you applied inside the UK.

The Home Office will respond to your request within 28 days with a decision. If you are unsatisfied with the outcome of this decision, you may have the option to file a pre-action protocol for judicial review. You may be eligible to submit a request for a judicial review if you are unsatisfied with this decision.

Can I bring my family on a skilled worker visa?

Your partner and children can apply to join you as your dependants in the UK provided that they are eligible. You can include the following members of your family in your application:

• Your husband or wife, civil partner, or unmarried partner
• Your children under 18
• Your children over 18 if they are already staying in the UK as your dependants and are not married.

When submitting your application, you must provide evidence of your relationship.

What Employers Need To Do In Order To Hire Skilled Workers

UK employers wishing to hire foreign skilled workers must first apply for a sponsor licence from the Home Office. A sponsor licence is proof that the employer is certified to hire and sponsor foreign workers for an eligible occupation.

Obtaining a sponsor licence also carries with it a variety of stipulations and commitments. Employers must satisfy a range of criteria, including providing the following:

• Proof that they are a legitimate company eligible to provide a sponsor license
• Proof that they can provide a legitimate job role that will pay the skilled worker, and that the job will meet the minimum salary requirements
• Proof that they are able to fulfil all necessary sponsor duties, including having sufficient HR and management systems in place
• Proof that they have the adequate staff and resources to manage the sponsor management system (SMS)
• A demonstrable commitment to ongoing sponsor licence duties, including adherence to regular check-ups and audits from the Home Office

Employers who are certified as meeting all the requirements set out by the Home Office are given an “A-rating”. Failure to meet requirements will mean that the employer is downgraded to a “B-rating”, whereupon they will no longer be able to issue certificates of sponsorship until they have demonstrated that they have fully addressed any outstanding issues.

Employers do not need to carry out a resident labour market test.

Requirement for Sponsorship

• The employer (sponsor) needs a valid sponsorship license with an A rating.
• The sponsor must have paid the Immigration Skills Charge.
• The Home Office checks if the job vacancy and employment are genuine, ensuring there’s a real need for the position.
• The worker must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship assigned by the employer for the specific job role they’re being hired for.

Requirement for a Certificate of Sponsorship

Before applying for a UK visa, the sponsoring UK employer must provide the worker with a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to ensure they meet sponsorship requirements. This unique reference number is essential for the Skilled Worker visa application and can only be issued by licensed sponsors.

There are two types of CoS: defined and undefined. Undefined CoS are for those already in the UK switching immigration routes or applying from within the UK. Defined CoS are for skilled worker visa applicants from outside the UK.

Sponsors must apply for defined CoS, specifying job and salary details. UKVI allocates undefined CoS to sponsors annually, based on factors like workforce size.

Immigration Skills Charge Requirements

Employers wishing to hire foreign workers in the UK may also have to pay the Immigration Skills Charge in addition to the normal sponsor licence and certificate of sponsorship fees.

This charge should be paid if sponsoring a worker applying from outside the UK to come and work in the UK for 6 months or more, or if they’re applying for a work visa from inside the UK.

The Immigration Skills Charge will not have to be paid if:

• The worker will be working in an eligible exempt occupation code
• The worker is switching to a Skilled Worker visa from a visa that allows them to study

The fees for the Immigration Skills Charge are as follows:

Small or charitable sponsors:

• First 12 months: £364
• Each additional 6 months: £182

Medium or large sponsors:

• First 12 months: £1000
• Each additional 6 months: £500

How Can IAS Help With The UK Skilled Worker Visa

Applying for a Skilled Worker Visa as an individual or hiring skilled workers as an employer can be a complex process, especially when addressing the authenticity requirements for your business.

It involves several document submissions that can be time-consuming as you navigate through the steps.

If you need assistance with your Skilled Worker Visa application and have questions about the process or authorization requirements, the Immigration Advice Service (IAS) is here to help.

Our skilled worker visa lawyers comprises experienced immigration lawyers with extensive knowledge of UK immigration law.

We have successfully assisted numerous individuals in overcoming immigration challenges to settle in the UK, and we can provide the same level of support to you.

Whether you seek expert guidance on demonstrating your financial status or ensuring your health insurance meets the criteria, need clarification on the differences between the sponsor licence and CoS, we can assist you.

We can also help you assemble the necessary supporting documents and provide guidance if your UK sponsor licence application is rejected.

For comprehensive information about the Skilled Worker Visa for hiring overseas skilled workers, including eligibility criteria, application procedures, and expert advice tailored to your situation, please contact us today at +44 (0)333 414 9244 or reach out to us online.