UK Skilled Worker Visa: Going Rate and Eligibility by Job
Can you get a UK Skilled Worker visa for your job, and how much must the employer pay you? This table brings together, for 71 jobs on Placeivo, the official UK eligibility level and the “going rate” salary from the GOV.UK tables, next to what people in that job actually earn in the UK according to the Office for National Statistics.
Short answerA job qualifies only if its UK occupation code is on the eligible list. For most eligible jobs the employer must usually pay at least £41,700 a year or the going rate for that code, whichever is higher. Medium-skilled jobs (many building and engineering trades) can usually get a new visa only if the job is on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List. Healthcare and education jobs follow national pay scales instead.
Eligibility and going rate by job
27of these jobs are eligible (higher skilled)
32are medium skilled: only via the shortage lists
12are not eligible
£41,700general minimum salary a year for a new visa
| Job | UK code (SOC 2020) | GOV.UK level | Standard going rate a year | Lower going rate a year | Usual minimum for a new visa | Median UK pay a year (ONS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Engineer | 2123 Electrical engineers | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | £58,700 | £47,100 | £58,700 | £60,303 |
| Systems Analyst | 2133 IT business analysts, architects and systems designers | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | £54,900 | £42,400 | £54,900 | £60,288 |
| Software Developer | 2134 Programmers and software development professionals | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | £54,700 | £40,000 | £54,700 | £56,914 |
| Electronics Engineer | 2124 Electronics engineers | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | £52,000 | £41,200 | £52,000 | £52,518 |
| Civil Engineer | 2121 Civil engineers | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | £50,400 | £39,200 | £50,400 | £51,366 |
| Management and Organization Analyst | 2431 Management consultants and business analysts | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | £50,200 | £36,000 | £50,200 | £53,295 |
| Veterinarian | 2240 Veterinarians | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | £49,500 | £38,000 | £49,500 | £51,058 |
| Accountant | 2421 Chartered and certified accountants | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | £49,200 | £36,900 | £49,200 | £50,062 |
| Mechanical Engineer | 2122 Mechanical engineers | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | £46,800 | £38,400 | £46,800 | £51,110 |
| Computer Network Professional | 2137 IT network professionals | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | £45,600 | £38,100 | £45,600 | £48,907 |
| Industrial and Production Engineer | 2125 Production and process engineers | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | £45,000 | £36,500 | £45,000 | £47,946 |
| Web and Multimedia Developer | 2141 Web design professionals | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | £43,800 | £31,300 | £43,800 | £48,629 |
| Environmental and Occupational Health | 2483 Environmental health professionals | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | £40,900 | £34,100 | £41,700 | £41,725 |
| Chemist | 2111 Chemical scientists | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | £39,900 | £31,300 | £41,700 | £39,983 |
| Ambulance Worker | 2255 Paramedics | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | National pay scale | - | See healthcare and education rules | £53,818 |
| Audiologist and Speech Therapist | 2223 Speech and language therapists | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | National pay scale | - | See healthcare and education rules | £45,511 |
| Dentist | 2253 Dental practitioners | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | National pay scale | - | See healthcare and education rules | Not yet verified |
| Early Childhood Educator | 2315 Nursery education teaching professionals | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | National pay scale | - | See healthcare and education rules | £37,593 |
| Midwife | 2231 Midwifery nurses | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | National pay scale | - | See healthcare and education rules | £46,990 |
| Nurse | 2237 Other registered nursing professionals | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | National pay scale | - | See healthcare and education rules | £42,300 |
| Optometrist and Ophthalmic Optician | 2252 Optometrists | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | National pay scale | - | See healthcare and education rules | £51,030 |
| Pharmacist | 2251 Pharmacists | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | National pay scale | - | See healthcare and education rules | £53,772 |
| Physiotherapist | 2221 Physiotherapists | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | National pay scale | - | See healthcare and education rules | £43,532 |
| Primary School Teacher | 2314 Primary education teaching professionals | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | National pay scale | - | See healthcare and education rules | £45,939 |
| Secondary School Teacher | 2313 Secondary education teaching professionals | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | National pay scale | - | See healthcare and education rules | £47,632 |
| Special Needs Teacher | 2316 Special and additional needs education teaching professionals | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | National pay scale | - | See healthcare and education rules | £47,432 |
| Vocational Education Teacher | 2312 Further education teaching professionals | Eligible (Higher Skilled) | National pay scale | - | See healthcare and education rules | £42,218 |
| Aircraft Engine Mechanic | 5234 Aircraft maintenance and related trades | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £45,000 | £34,800 | - | £45,779 |
| Construction Supervisor | 5330 Construction and building trades supervisors | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £41,800 | £34,600 | - | £45,021 |
| Air Conditioning and Refrigeration | 5225 Air-conditioning and refrigeration installers and repairers | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £41,100 | £35,500 | - | £41,166 |
| Driving Instructor | 8215 Driving instructors | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £39,500 | £33,300 | - | Not yet verified |
| Farm and Industrial Machinery Mechanic | 5223 Metal working production and maintenance fitters | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £39,300 | £29,900 | - | £40,760 |
| Electrician | 5241 Electricians and electrical fitters | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £38,800 | £31,500 | - | £39,647 |
| Toolmaker | 5222 Tool makers, tool fitters and markers-out | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £38,400 | £33,400 | - | £39,902 |
| Plumber and Pipe Fitter | 5315 Plumbers and heating and ventilating installers and repairers | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £38,100 | £31,400 | - | £37,881 |
| ICT Installer and Servicer | 5242 Telecoms and related network installers and repairers | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £36,700 | £31,700 | - | £39,998 |
| Motor Vehicle Mechanic | 5231 Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £35,500 | £27,900 | - | £37,458 |
| Structural Metal Preparer and Erector | 5311 Steel erectors | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £35,000 | £29,500 | - | £35,824 |
| Welder and Flame Cutter | 5213 Welding trades | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £34,900 | £29,500 | - | £35,344 |
| Metal Machine Tool Setter and Operator | 5221 Metal machining setters and setter-operators | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £34,600 | £28,500 | - | £35,718 |
| Plasterer | 5321 Plasterers | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £34,200 | £29,500 | - | £34,016 |
| Draughtsperson | 3120 CAD, drawing and architectural technicians | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £33,800 | £28,700 | - | £35,221 |
| Baker, Pastry Cook and Confectioner | 5432 Bakers and flour confectioners | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £33,400 | £25,000 | - | £29,117 |
| Bricklayer | 5313 Bricklayers | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £33,400 | £25,600 | - | £33,030 |
| Butcher and Fishmonger | 5431 Butchers | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £33,400 | £25,000 | - | £28,859 |
| Carpenter and Joiner | 5316 Carpenters and joiners | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £33,400 | £27,800 | - | £34,014 |
| Child Care Worker | 6111 Early education and childcare assistants | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £33,400 | £25,000 | - | £24,742 |
| Civil Engineering Technician | 3114 Building and civil engineering technicians | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £33,400 | £27,900 | - | £37,229 |
| Dispensing Optician | 3211 Dispensing opticians | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £33,400 | £25,100 | - | £28,543 |
| Floor Layer and Tile Setter | 5322 Floorers and wall tilers | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £33,400 | £25,400 | - | £32,861 |
| Glazier | 5317 Glaziers, window fabricators and fitters | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £33,400 | £25,800 | - | £29,436 |
| Home-based Personal Care Worker | 6135 Care workers and home carers | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled – Subject to listed conditions) | £33,400 | £25,000 | - | £27,468 |
| Pharmacy Technician | 3212 Pharmaceutical technicians | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £33,400 | £25,000 | - | £31,044 |
| Roofer | 5314 Roofers, roof tilers and slaters | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £33,400 | £25,300 | - | £31,906 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | 5211 Sheet metal workers | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £33,400 | £26,800 | - | £32,207 |
| Stonemason | 5312 Stonemasons and related trades | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | £33,400 | £28,500 | - | £33,938 |
| Dental Assistant and Therapist | 6133 Dental nurses | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | National pay scale | - | - | £25,742 |
| Health Care Assistant | 6131 Nursing auxiliaries and assistants | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | National pay scale | - | - | £29,084 |
| Prosthetic Technician | 3213 Medical and dental technicians | Only in some cases (Medium Skilled) | National pay scale | - | - | £29,931 |
| Bartender | 9265 Bar staff | Not eligible (Ineligible) | - | - | - | £23,182 |
| Beautician | 6222 Beauticians and related occupations | Not eligible (Ineligible) | - | - | - | £24,124 |
| Bus and Tram Driver | 8212 Bus and coach drivers | Not eligible (Ineligible) | - | - | - | £36,340 |
| Cleaning and Housekeeping Supervisor | 6240 Cleaning and housekeeping managers and supervisors | Not eligible (Ineligible) | - | - | - | £28,605 |
| Cook | 5435 Cooks | Not eligible (Ineligible) | - | - | - | £24,228 |
| Crane and Hoist Operator | 8221 Crane drivers | Not eligible (Ineligible) | - | - | - | £46,463 |
| Forklift Operator | 8222 Fork-lift truck drivers | Not eligible (Ineligible) | - | - | - | £31,279 |
| Hairdresser | 6221 Hairdressers and barbers | Not eligible (Ineligible) | - | - | - | £24,279 |
| Manufacturing Supervisor | 8160 Production, factory and assembly supervisors | Not eligible (Ineligible) | - | - | - | £36,777 |
| Train Driver | 8231 Train and tram drivers | Not eligible (Ineligible) | - | - | - | £76,327 |
| Truck Driver | 8211 Heavy and large goods vehicle drivers | Not eligible (Ineligible) | - | - | - | £39,905 |
| Waiter | 9264 Waiters and waitresses | Not eligible (Ineligible) | - | - | - | £22,936 |
Sources: UK Visas and Immigration, GOV.UK tables "Skilled Worker visa: eligible occupations and codes" and "Skilled Worker visa: going rates for eligible occupation codes", updated 2025-07-22, retrieved 2026-10-15. General minimum salary from GOV.UK "Skilled Worker visa: Your job", checked 2026-10-15. Median pay: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 provisional, Table 14, full-time employee jobs, national figure for the whole United Kingdom. Going rates are for a 37.5-hour week. "Usual minimum" is the higher of the general minimum and the standard going rate; some applicants (for example new entrants, PhD holders or people extending an older visa) can have lower thresholds. Placeivo matched each UK code to an international ISCO-08 job group by title; the lists do not line up exactly.
Eligible occupations (GOV.UK) · Going rates (GOV.UK) · Healthcare and education rules (GOV.UK) · Salary rules (GOV.UK)
How to read this table
- GOV.UK level comes from the official list of eligible occupations. “Higher Skilled” jobs can be sponsored; “Medium Skilled” jobs only in the cases GOV.UK lists; “Ineligible” jobs cannot be sponsored on this visa.
- Going rate is the minimum salary GOV.UK sets for that occupation code, for a 37.5-hour week. The lower going rate applies only in the situations GOV.UK describes (for example some Health and Care Worker visa jobs, or people whose first certificate of sponsorship was issued before 4 April 2024).
- Median UK pay is what a typical full-time employee in that occupation earns in the UK (ONS). If the going rate is close to the median, about half of full-time UK employees in that job earn less than the visa requires.
- Placeivo matched each UK code to an international job group by title. Check that the UK code really describes your job: the employer’s certificate of sponsorship must use the right code.
This page is a summary of official rules, not legal advice. Rules change, and some people (for example new entrants, PhD holders, or people extending a visa they already hold) have different salary rules. Always check GOV.UK before you apply.
Related
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