The Skilled Worker visa is the UK’s main work visa. A licensed UK employer sponsors you for a specific job at or above a set salary, and after 5 years you can apply to settle. Since July 2025 the route has been tightened: most jobs must now be at graduate level, the general salary threshold is £41,700, and from January 2026 new applicants need B2 English. For senior hires and well-paid professionals it remains the most common way to move to the UK.
At a glance
| Who it is for | People with a job offer from a UK employer that holds a sponsor licence |
|---|---|
| Skill level | Graduate level (RQF 6) for most new applications, with limited exceptions |
| Minimum salary | £41,700 a year or the going rate for the job, whichever is higher, with some lower thresholds |
| English | B2 level for new applicants |
| Visa fee | £819 (up to 3 years) or £1,618 (over 3 years) from outside the UK |
| Health surcharge | £1,035 per adult per year, £776 per child per year |
| Employer costs | Immigration Skills Charge of £480 or £1,320 a year, plus sponsor fees |
| Length | Up to 5 years at a time, extendable |
| Settlement | After 5 years under the current rules |
| Family | Partner and children can come for most jobs |
| Decision time | Usually 3 weeks from outside the UK, 8 weeks inside |
The context: a route being squeezed
Work visa numbers have fallen hard since the rules tightened. 253,000 work visas were granted in the year to March 2026, down 17% on the year before and 59% below the peak at the end of 2023. Most of the fall is in lower-paid and care roles, which are now largely closed to new applicants. For senior and well-paid professionals the route still works, but three things have changed:
- Employers are more cautious. Sponsorship now costs a large employer £1,320 a year per worker in Immigration Skills Charge alone, on top of licence and certificate fees. Some firms that sponsored freely a few years ago now only sponsor for hard-to-fill senior roles.
- The settlement timeline is uncertain. The current 5-year route to settlement could become 10 years under the earned settlement proposals, with reductions for high earners. If your salary is well above £50,270, that reduction may matter more to you than anything else on this page.
- English is now B2. Many applicants who would have scraped through at B1 now need to prepare properly for the test.
Our view: if you are being hired at a senior level, ask the employer to pay the visa fees and health surcharge for your family as part of the offer. Many will, and it is easier to agree before you sign than after.
The requirements
A job with a licensed sponsor
Your employer must hold a sponsor licence and assign you a certificate of sponsorship. You can check any employer with our sponsor checker. The job must be genuine and match the occupation code on the certificate.
An eligible job
Since 22 July 2025, most new Skilled Worker applications need a job skilled to graduate level (RQF 6). Some medium-skilled jobs (RQF 3 to 5) can still be sponsored if they appear on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List, but these come with restrictions, including on bringing dependants. People who were already on the route before 22 July 2025 can usually continue under the old skill rules when they extend or change jobs.
The salary
You usually need to be paid at least £41,700 a year or the going rate for your occupation code, whichever is higher. A £42,000 salary fails if the going rate for the job is £45,000. Lower thresholds apply in some cases, for example:
- £33,400 if you qualify under the “when you can be paid less” rules, such as being a new entrant under 26, having a relevant PhD, or working in a job on the Immigration Salary List
- national pay scales for many healthcare and education roles
- lower figures for some people extending a visa first granted under earlier rules
Only guaranteed basic pay counts. Bonuses, overtime and most allowances do not.
English
New applicants need English at B2 (upper intermediate) on the CEFR scale, proved by an approved test, a degree taught in English or nationality of an English-speaking country. People already on the route may only need the level they proved before.
Personal savings
£1,270 held for 28 days, unless your sponsor certifies your maintenance on the certificate or you have been in the UK with permission for 12 months.
What it costs
| Cost | Outside the UK | Inside the UK |
|---|---|---|
| Visa for up to 3 years | £819 | £943 |
| Visa for more than 3 years | £1,618 | £1,865 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | £1,035 per adult and £776 per child, per year | |
| Indefinite leave to remain (later) | £3,226 per person | |
The employer pays the Immigration Skills Charge (£480 a year for small or charitable sponsors, £1,320 a year for others) and the certificate fee. It cannot pass the Immigration Skills Charge on to you.
Worked example: a family of four, 5-year visa
- Visa fees: 4 x £1,618 = £6,472
- Health surcharge, adults: 2 x £1,035 x 5 = £10,350
- Health surcharge, children: 2 x £776 x 5 = £7,760
- Total: about £24,582, plus £6,600 Immigration Skills Charge for a large employer
Many employers pay some or all of these costs for senior hires. Negotiate it as part of your package. Try the visa cost calculator.
How to apply, step by step
- Agree the job offer, including the salary, occupation code and start date.
- The employer assigns the certificate of sponsorship. Check the details carefully, as errors cause refusals.
- Sort your English evidence and, if you live in a listed country, a tuberculosis test.
- Apply online up to 3 months before your start date, and pay the fee and health surcharge.
- Prove your identity through the app or at a visa application centre.
- Get a decision, usually within 3 weeks from outside the UK or 8 weeks inside. Priority services are often available.
Certain roles, such as some research positions, also need an ATAS certificate, and some regulated professions need registration before you can work.
Life on the visa
- Work for your sponsor in the job on your certificate.
- Take limited additional work: up to 20 hours a week in another eligible job or the same occupation, outside your main working hours.
- Study and do voluntary work.
- To change employer, the new employer must sponsor you and you must apply again before starting.
- If you lose your job, you have a limited time to find a new sponsor or switch, so act quickly.
Bringing your family
For graduate-level jobs your partner and children under 18 can join you. Each pays the visa fee and health surcharge and needs maintenance funds (£285 for a partner, £315 for the first child, £200 for each further child) unless your sponsor certifies it. Partners can work in almost any job. Dependants are restricted for some medium-skilled roles. See bringing your family.
Settlement
Under the current rules you can apply for indefinite leave to remain after 5 years, provided your employer still needs you, you are paid at the required level, you meet the continuous residence rules (normally no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months), and you pass the Life in the UK test and the English requirement.
The government has proposed an “earned settlement” model that could extend the standard qualifying period for many routes, with reductions for high earners and people who contribute more. It is not yet in force. Follow settlement in 2026.
Common reasons for refusal
- The wrong occupation code, or a job that does not really match the code.
- Salary below the going rate once allowances and bonuses are stripped out.
- English evidence from a test provider or centre that is not approved.
- Funds that dip below £1,270 during the 28 days.
- Starting work before the visa is granted when changing employer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I be self-employed on the side?
No. Additional work must be employment within the limits above. If you want freedom to freelance, compare the Scale-up and Global Talent routes.
Can my own company sponsor me?
In principle a company you own can hold a sponsor licence, but the Home Office looks closely at whether the vacancy is genuine. Take specialist advice.
Is the Skilled Worker visa the same as a Health and Care Worker visa?
Health and Care Worker is a version of Skilled Worker for eligible health and care roles, with lower fees and no health surcharge.
I am being transferred within my company. Which visa?
Usually the Senior or Specialist Worker visa, though it does not lead to settlement.
Sources
Talk to a regulated adviser
Every route has its own traps. A specialist can check your plan before you commit time and money to it.
Business and private client firmsBrowse all solicitorsLast checked: 4 November 2026 against GOV.UK. General information, not legal advice. See our disclaimer.