UK Skilled Worker Visa
The Skilled Worker Visa lets eligible overseas nationals work in the UK in a qualifying job for an approved employer. You normally need a job offer from a licensed sponsor, a Certificate of Sponsorship, and a role that meets the occupation, skill and salary requirements — and the route can lead to settlement.
Points-based system
Licensed employer
Skill level of the role
If requirements are met
On this page
In brief
- The Skilled Worker visa lets eligible overseas nationals work in a qualifying job for an approved employer.
- You normally need a job offer from a licensed sponsor, a Certificate of Sponsorship, and a role meeting occupation, skill and salary requirements.
- The route can lead to settlement.
- The guide sets out who can apply and the main requirements — it does not decide eligibility.
What is the Skilled Worker Visa?
The UK Skilled Worker Visa allows eligible overseas nationals to work in the UK in a qualifying job for an approved employer. To apply, you normally need a job offer from an employer holding a valid Skilled Worker sponsor licence. Your job must meet the relevant occupation, skill and salary requirements, and your employer must assign you a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) before you apply.
The route can provide a pathway to long-term residence: a person who meets the requirements may currently be able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after 5 years of qualifying residence.
Good to know: the Skilled Worker route replaced the former Tier 2 (General) route. Existing Tier 2 (General) workers can use the Skilled Worker provisions for matters including extensions, changes of employment and settlement.
Skilled Worker Visa at a glance
A successful Skilled Worker application normally requires:
| Requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Approved sponsor | Your employer must normally hold a valid Skilled Worker sponsor licence |
| Certificate of Sponsorship | Your employer must assign you a valid CoS |
| Eligible job | The occupation must qualify under the Skilled Worker rules |
| Appropriate skill level | The job must meet the applicable skill-level requirement |
| Salary | Your pay must satisfy the relevant salary rules |
| English language | You must meet the applicable English requirement |
| Genuine employment | The role must be a genuine vacancy |
| Age | You must be at least 18 |
| Other requirements | Financial, TB, criminal-record or other requirements may apply depending on your circumstances |
The 70-point system
The application operates under a points-based system. Applicants must obtain 70 points in total. The first 50 points relate to sponsorship, the job and English; a further 20 tradeable points must be obtained through the applicable salary and related provisions.
| Requirement | Points |
|---|---|
| Sponsorship | 20 |
| Job at the appropriate skill level | 20 |
| Salary / tradeable points | 20 |
| English language | 10 |
| Total required | 70 |
Check your Skilled Worker eligibility
Who can apply for a Skilled Worker Visa?
You may be able to apply if you are aged 18 or over, have an eligible job offer, will work for an approved Skilled Worker sponsor, have been assigned a valid Certificate of Sponsorship, meet the applicable skill-level and salary requirements, meet the English-language requirement, and satisfy the other immigration requirements that apply to your circumstances.
The Home Office separates the requirements into validity, suitability and eligibility:
- Validity — whether you have made a valid application.
- Suitability — whether there are immigration or other grounds that prevent permission being granted.
- Eligibility — whether you actually meet the Skilled Worker requirements, including sponsorship, your job, English and salary.
Read the full eligibility guide →
Do I need a sponsor? Certificate of Sponsorship
Usually, yes. The Skilled Worker route is a sponsored work route — your employer must normally hold a valid Home Office sponsor licence for it, and must offer genuine employment that complies with the rules. Among other things, the employer must ensure the role is genuine, the occupation is eligible, the required skill level and salary are met, UK employment law is complied with, and the role does not amount to prohibited hiring-out of the worker to a third party.
A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is an electronic sponsorship record (not a paper certificate) that your employer assigns to you, and it must normally have been assigned no more than 3 months before you apply. Applying from outside the UK needs a Defined CoS; some in-country applications use an Undefined CoS. Our Certificate of Sponsorship guide covers both types, timing and what's recorded.
Don't confuse the stages. A job offer, sponsorship, being assigned a CoS, and obtaining the visa are related but not the same. A CoS does not itself grant immigration permission.
Employer? Does your business need a sponsor licence, or help sponsoring a Skilled Worker?
Skilled Worker eligible jobs
Not every UK job can be sponsored. From 22 July 2025, a job must normally be at RQF Level 6 (broadly graduate level), or qualify under one of the specific provisions allowing sponsorship below that level. The guidance covers graduate-level eligible occupations, the Immigration Salary List, the Temporary Shortage List, transitional provisions for certain workers already sponsored before 22 July 2025, and particular arrangements for prison service officers.
RQF Level 6 is the skill level of the job — not the applicant. It does not necessarily mean you personally must hold a university degree. It's the role's skill level that matters.
Whether a specific occupation qualifies depends on its occupation code. Our eligible jobs & occupation codes guide explains SOC 2020 codes, RQF skill levels and the shortage-list and transitional routes. An Occupation Eligibility Finder is in development — in the meantime we can confirm your occupation code, skill level and salary route as part of an assessment.
Skilled Worker salary requirements
Salary is one of the more complicated parts — it's usually not enough to exceed one headline figure. The Home Office considers both the applicable general salary threshold and the going rate for your occupation, and different rules apply depending on your salary option (standard, relevant/STEM PhD, Immigration Salary List, new entrant, Health & Care, transitional or national pay scale).
Your required salary depends on your occupation code and the salary option you qualify under — so there is no single universal figure. Our salary requirements & going rates guide explains the general thresholds, Options A–K and the working-hours rules. A salary calculator is in development; for now, we can calculate the applicable threshold and going rate for a specific role.
Immigration Salary List vs Temporary Shortage List
These are not the same thing. A qualifying Immigration Salary List (ISL) role can affect how salary points are awarded and may attract a lower application fee. A job being on the Temporary Shortage List (TSL) does not, by itself, provide the same salary advantages or fee reduction. It's an easy area to misunderstand — phrases like "shortage occupation" don't all carry the same benefits.
→ Immigration Salary List explained · Temporary Shortage List explained
English-language requirement
Most new Skilled Worker applicants must demonstrate English at B2 level on the CEFR in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Our Skilled Worker English guide explains B2, the transitional B1 rule and the settlement position; see the general English language requirement for the ways it can be met.
An important transitional provision applies. Where a person was previously granted permission as a Skilled Worker under the rules in force before 8 January 2026, and their most recent permission was as a Skilled Worker, the applicable minimum can remain B1. So the requirement is not simply "Skilled Workers need B2".
Genuine job requirement
A sponsor cannot create a role simply to enable someone to obtain a visa. The Home Office can refuse sponsorship points where there are reasonable grounds to believe a proposed role does not exist, is a sham, or has mainly been created so the worker can obtain permission. The employer must also choose an appropriate occupation code that reflects the real duties of the job — not a more favourable job title or salary category. Assigning a CoS for a non-genuine role can lead to refusal of the worker's application and sponsor-licence action.
Can I switch to a Skilled Worker Visa inside the UK?
Some people already in the UK can switch into the Skilled Worker route — but you cannot switch from certain categories. The current guidance identifies people whose current or most recent permission was as a Visitor, Short-term Student, Parent of a Child Student, Seasonal Worker, or Domestic Worker in a Private Household, and people granted permission outside the Immigration Rules. Additional requirements apply when switching from the Student route (for example, rules on completing the sponsored course, the Skilled Worker start date, and PhD study). See our switching to a Skilled Worker visa guide.
Financial, TB, criminal-record & documents
Beyond salary, additional requirements can apply depending on your circumstances: the financial (maintenance) requirement (separate from salary — see the financial requirement guide for the required maintenance funds, the 28-day rule and the 12-month exemption, with the current amount on GOV.UK), a tuberculosis certificate for certain overseas applicants, an overseas criminal-record certificate for certain roles, ATAS where relevant, and scholarship consent where you recently held qualifying funding. The documents you need are tailored to your case — see the documents checklist.
Step-by-step application process
In outline: check the job is eligible → check the sponsor and salary → the sponsor assigns the CoS → confirm the applicant requirements (English, finances, TB, criminal record, ATAS, switching) → submit and pay → the Home Office decides on validity, suitability and eligibility. For the full 17-step walkthrough, see our Skilled Worker application process guide.
Fees & processing times
Applicants must pay the relevant visa application fee and, where applicable, the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). People applying under the Health and Care Visa are exempt from the IHS and benefit from lower application fees. Qualifying Immigration Salary List applications can attract a lower fee, whereas the Temporary Shortage List does not. Our fees & costs guide breaks down every cost, who pays it, and the employer's Immigration Skills Charge.
We don't publish fixed fee or processing-time figures here. The legal rules are stable, but the exact fee amounts, IHS and current applicant processing times change periodically — so we confirm the up-to-date figures for your specific application rather than risk quoting an out-of-date number.
Family, extension, changing employer & settlement
Bringing your family
Workers sponsored at graduate level or above can normally be joined by a partner and dependent children; those below graduate level generally cannot, unless a transitional provision or exception applies. Particular restrictions affect care workers.
Skilled Worker dependants →Extending your visa
A Skilled Worker may apply for further permission — but it is not an automatic renewal. Whether the same skill and salary provisions apply depends on your previous sponsorship, occupation, sponsor, salary and any transitional provisions.
Extending your visa →Changing employer
You cannot move freely between sponsored jobs — a change-of-employment application may be required, and how it's assessed depends on the change being made.
Discuss changing employer →Additional work
Supplementary and secondary employment have different immigration consequences — so "you can work a second job" is an over-simplification.
Second jobs & supplementary work →Redundancy & losing your job
If sponsored employment ends, your permission can be affected — and you should not assume you automatically get a fixed period to find a new sponsor.
If your employment ends →Indefinite Leave to Remain
The route can lead to ILR after the relevant 5-year qualifying period, provided you satisfy the settlement requirements in force when you apply (including Life in the UK and English). It is not automatic.
Skilled Worker ILR & settlement →Health and Care Worker
Eligible healthcare and care-sector roles are covered by the Health and Care subcategory, with IHS exemption and lower fees.
Health & Care Worker →Not sure if your role qualifies?
We can confirm your occupation code, skill level, salary route and English position — and whether you can apply or switch.
Common Skilled Worker mistakes
- Using the wrong occupation code — a job title alone doesn't determine eligibility; the code must match the genuine role.
- Assuming every job can be sponsored — the route has specific occupation and skill-level rules.
- Looking only at annual salary — the applicable going rate may also need to be met.
- Assuming the TSL gives the same benefits as the ISL — it doesn't.
- Applying too long after the CoS was assigned — it must normally be within 3 months.
- Assuming everyone needs the same English level — B2 is normal, but a B1 transitional provision remains for certain existing Skilled Workers.
- Assuming every Skilled Worker can bring dependants — restrictions can apply, especially to some below-graduate-level and care roles.
- Submitting untranslated foreign-language documents — compliant certified translations may be required.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a job before applying? +
Yes. The route is based on sponsorship for a specific eligible job, and you normally need a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from an approved sponsor.
Does my employer need a sponsor licence? +
Yes, unless your circumstances mean Skilled Worker sponsorship is not required. The employer sponsoring you must hold the appropriate licence.
Is the Certificate of Sponsorship a physical certificate? +
No — it is an electronic sponsorship record with a reference number you use in your application.
How many points do I need? +
70 points: 20 for sponsorship, 20 for the appropriate skill level, 20 under the applicable salary/tradeable-points provisions, and 10 for English.
Do I need a degree? +
The job normally needs to meet the applicable skill-level requirement, but describing an occupation as RQF Level 6 does not itself mean every applicant must personally hold a degree.
Do I need B2 English? +
B2 is normally required. A B1 transitional provision applies to certain applicants whose relevant previous Skilled Worker permission was granted under the rules before 8 January 2026.
Can I switch from a Visitor visa? +
No. A person whose current or most recent permission is as a Visitor cannot switch into the Skilled Worker route from within the UK.
Can I bring my partner and children? +
Potentially — but dependant eligibility now depends partly on the type and level of the sponsored role and whether a transitional or other exception applies.
Can I change employers? +
Potentially, but a change-of-employment application may be required, and the precise position depends on the change being made.
Can the Skilled Worker visa lead to ILR? +
Yes. The route currently provides a pathway to settlement after the relevant five-year qualifying period, provided all settlement requirements are met.
→ More Skilled Worker FAQs — process, travel, second jobs, self-employment, benefits, and more.
Our regulatory scope. ENS provides immigration advice and assistance on straightforward matters within our IAA Level 1 authorisation. If your circumstances involve complexities outside our authorised level, we will identify this and, where needed, help you find an appropriately authorised adviser. How our IAA Level 1 scope works · Refusal or complex issue → specialist referral.
Related services
Sponsor a Skilled Worker
Support for employers assigning Skilled Worker sponsorship.
Learn more →Skilled Worker Extension
For existing Skilled Workers applying for further permission.
Learn more →Our fees
Fixed fees. Figures are "From" because your exact fee depends on your circumstances — confirmed in writing before we start. These are our professional fees only; Home Office fees and any Immigration Health Surcharge are separate.
Disclaimer. The information on this page provides general information about UK immigration law and does not constitute legal advice on any individual immigration application. Immigration requirements depend on your individual circumstances and may change. You should seek professional advice before making an application or relying on the information provided.
Source basis: the UK Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Worker and the related work-route Appendices, together with the Home Office caseworker guidance published on GOV.UK. Immigration Rules and guidance change; confirm the current version on GOV.UK before applying.
Eyyup Yaprak
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Founded to make regulated advice honest and accessible.
Before founding the practice, Eyyup spent 10 years teaching English in Turkey and Liverpool, so every stage of an application is explained clearly, in English or Turkish. A BA and MA in English Language Teaching and an Associate Degree in Computer Programming & Technology sit alongside AAT Level 4 in Accounting, giving a strong grasp of the financial evidence many visa categories require.
Casework spans family, work, settlement and Ankara Agreement (ECAA) applications, plus sponsor licence guidance for employers.
Need help with a Skilled Worker Visa?
Your occupation code, sponsor, Certificate of Sponsorship, salary, English position and immigration history all affect the application. We can check where you stand.
Are you an employer? Get help with Skilled Worker sponsorship →