Is Your Job Eligible for a Skilled Worker Visa?
Having a UK job offer does not automatically mean the job is eligible. The role must fall within an eligible SOC 2020 occupation code and meet the applicable skill-level rules — though some below-graduate jobs still qualify through the Immigration Salary List, the Temporary Shortage List, or a transitional provision. Getting the occupation code right affects eligibility, skill level, salary and going rate.
Replaced SOC 2010
Graduate level or above
Mandatory, at the appropriate level
For CoS assigned on/after
On this page
Occupation Code Finder — in development. We are building an interactive tool to search eligible SOC 2020 occupations by job title or code and carry your result straight into the salary checker. In the meantime, our eligibility checker can help you get started, or speak to an adviser for a role-specific assessment.
The sponsored job must be in an eligible SOC 2020 occupation code — or, where applicable, an eligible job within a particular occupation code — listed in the relevant tables of Appendix Skilled Occupations. All Skilled Worker applicants must obtain 20 mandatory points for a job at the appropriate skill level.
Getting the occupation code right is particularly important because it can affect:
- whether the job is eligible for sponsorship;
- the skill-level requirement;
- the salary and going rate;
- whether an Immigration Salary List provision applies;
- whether a transitional provision is available;
- in some cases, whether dependant restrictions apply.
In brief
- A UK job offer does not automatically mean the job is eligible.
- The role must fall within an eligible SOC 2020 occupation code and meet the skill-level rules.
- Some below-graduate jobs still qualify via the Immigration Salary List, Temporary Shortage List, or transitional provisions.
- Getting the occupation code right affects skill level, salary and going rate.
What is a Skilled Worker occupation code?
The UK uses the Standard Occupational Classification 2020, usually called SOC 2020, to classify jobs. Each occupation has a numerical code. Rather than looking only at a job title such as Restaurant Manager or Software Developer, the Skilled Worker system identifies the occupation that most closely corresponds to the actual work being performed.
Good to know. SOC 2020 replaced the older SOC 2010 classification previously used for sponsored employment.
Why does the occupation code matter?
Your occupation code does considerably more than describe your job to the Home Office. It can determine:
| Question | Why the occupation code matters |
|---|---|
| Is the job eligible? | Only qualifying occupations can be sponsored |
| Is the job sufficiently skilled? | The code identifies the relevant skill level |
| What salary is required? | Going rates are linked to occupation codes |
| Is the job on the ISL? | Eligibility depends on the relevant occupation/job |
| Is the job on the TSL? | Specific occupations or jobs may qualify |
| Does a transitional provision apply? | Separate occupation tables are used |
| Are national pay scales relevant? | Certain health and education occupations use different salary rules |
| Does ATAS apply? | Some eligible occupations may have an additional ATAS requirement |
This is why an occupation-code assessment should be completed before the final salary assessment.
What skill level does a Skilled Worker job need?
The Skilled Worker skill threshold changed significantly on 22 July 2025. For Certificates of Sponsorship assigned on or after that date, the job must normally be skilled to RQF Level 6 or above — broadly described as graduate level. The sponsor guidance identifies these graduate-level occupations through the relevant tables in Appendix Skilled Occupations.
You do not necessarily need a university degree. The guidance expressly distinguishes between the skill level of the job and the qualifications personally held by the worker. A role can be classified at graduate level even where the applicant does not hold a graduate-level qualification, provided the work itself is skilled to the required level.
What does RQF Level 6 mean?
RQF stands for the Regulated Qualifications Framework used in England and Northern Ireland. For Skilled Worker purposes, describing an occupation as RQF Level 6 is primarily a way of identifying the level of skill associated with the work; comparable skill levels apply in Scotland and Wales. The Home Office guidance describes the current normal Skilled Worker threshold as RQF Level 6 — graduate level or above.
Common misconception. "I don't have a bachelor's degree, so I cannot get a Skilled Worker visa." Whether a degree is required depends on the particular role or profession. For skill-level purposes, the central question is whether the sponsored job falls within an eligible occupation at the required level.
Which graduate-level jobs can be sponsored?
For CoS assigned on or after 22 July 2025, eligible graduate-level occupations are principally contained in the relevant tables of Appendix Skilled Occupations. The sponsor guidance identifies:
| Table | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Table 1 | Graduate-level occupations where salary points are assessed under Options A to E |
| Table 2 | Corresponding occupations used where applicable salary points are considered under Options F to J |
| Table 3 | Eligible health and education occupations whose salary requirements are linked to national pay scales and Option K |
Tables 1 and 2 contain the same occupation codes, but different salary provisions can apply. The same principle applies to the transitional occupation tables. The occupation table therefore cannot be assessed properly without also understanding the applicant's applicable salary pathway. See Skilled Worker salary requirements.
Can jobs below RQF Level 6 still qualify?
Yes, in certain circumstances. The increase to RQF Level 6 did not mean that every occupation below graduate level immediately became impossible to sponsor. A job may still potentially qualify where it is:
- on the Immigration Salary List;
- on the Temporary Shortage List;
- covered by a transitional provision for workers already in the Skilled Worker route;
- covered by another specific transitional arrangement.
It is therefore important not to answer "Is this occupation eligible?" by looking only at its RQF level. The applicant's sponsorship history and the relevant occupation list may also matter.
Skilled Worker occupation pathways
| Job position | Possible Skilled Worker pathway |
|---|---|
| RQF Level 6+ occupation | Normally potentially eligible |
| Below RQF 6 + Immigration Salary List | May qualify if all relevant conditions are met |
| Below RQF 6 + Temporary Shortage List | May qualify if all relevant conditions are met |
| RQF 3–5 + qualifying pre-22 July 2025 worker | Transitional route may apply |
| Certain older qualifying roles | Further pre-4 April 2024 transitional provisions may apply |
| Occupation outside eligible provisions | Normally cannot obtain the 20 skill-level points |
The caseworker guidance specifically identifies occupations in Tables 1, 2 and 3 for RQF Level 6 roles and Tables 1a, 2aa and 3a for certain qualifying RQF Level 3–5 transitional workers. A further Table 2a applies to specified older transitional circumstances.
Immigration Salary List jobs
The Immigration Salary List (ISL) contains specified occupations or jobs for which particular Skilled Worker provisions apply. A below-graduate-level occupation can potentially remain eligible where the job falls within the ISL and all of the relevant requirements are met. However, it is important to check more than the occupation code. For some occupations, only particular:
- jobs;
- circumstances;
- experience levels;
- salary conditions;
- UK nations
may qualify. The caseworker guidance specifically recognises that an occupation may appear on a list only where additional conditions are satisfied or where the job is based in a particular part of the UK.
Example. An occupation code appearing in connection with the ISL does not necessarily mean every job under that code qualifies — the exact job and any additional conditions need to be checked. Where an ISL provision applies, the Certificate of Sponsorship needs to reflect that position and any relevant additional criteria. See Immigration Salary List.
Temporary Shortage List jobs
The Temporary Shortage List (TSL) provides another potential route for certain jobs below the normal RQF Level 6 threshold. The current guidance identifies TSL jobs as one of the exceptions to the normal graduate-level skill requirement. Like the ISL, eligibility may depend on the particular occupation, the specific job within it, additional criteria, and where in the UK the job is located.
ISL and TSL are not the same list. They should not be merged into one generic "shortage occupation list". One important difference in the caseworker guidance is that qualifying ISL applications can benefit from a reduced visa application fee where the requirements are met — the guidance states there is no equivalent reduced fee for a TSL job. The TSL also does not automatically provide a discounted going rate simply because a job appears on it.
Common mistake. Do not assume "your job is on a shortage list, so you can be paid a lower salary." That conclusion does not automatically follow.
Transitional provisions for existing Skilled Workers
Workers sponsored before 22 July 2025
The guidance protects certain workers who were already in the Skilled Worker route when the skill-level rules changed. Some people working in occupations at RQF Levels 3 to 5 can continue to qualify under transitional arrangements where the applicable conditions are satisfied. The caseworker guidance requires the person to have been granted permission under the relevant pre-22 July 2025 rules and to have maintained the required continuous permission, subject to the stated provisions.
Two people offered the same job today may have different eligibility. Applicant A (never previously held Skilled Worker permission) and Applicant B (has continuously held qualifying Skilled Worker permission from before 22 July 2025) can be treated differently — a medium-skilled occupation may remain available to Applicant B under a transitional provision while not being available to Applicant A through the same pathway.
Older transitional rules — before 4 April 2024
There is a further transitional category covering specified occupations previously treated at a lower skill level. For this provision, being "in the route before 4 April 2024" means that a Certificate of Sponsorship was assigned before 4 April 2024, and the worker subsequently made a successful application using it. The relevant date is therefore the date the CoS was assigned, rather than simply the visa decision date. For the relevant Table 2a provision, the guidance also requires the worker to be applying to work for the same sponsor as in their most recent permission.
Common mistake. Do not determine transitional eligibility only by asking "when was your visa granted?" The CoS assignment date can be legally significant.
How do you choose the correct occupation code?
The occupation code should be selected according to the actual job. Where more than one SOC code appears plausible, the sponsor should use the code that most closely corresponds to the role or contains the duties on which the worker will spend the greatest amount of time. The assessment should consider:
- Job title — useful, but not decisive.
- Main duties — what will the employee actually do?
- Responsibilities — what level of responsibility does the worker have?
- Day-to-day work — which activities occupy most of the working time?
- Organisation — does the role make sense within the size and nature of the sponsoring business?
- Skill level — does the role genuinely involve work at the level associated with the chosen occupation?
- Salary — does the salary make sense for the role, and is the code being chosen because of an artificially favourable going rate?
Job title vs actual job duties
A job title alone is not enough. Consider a business using the title Operations Manager. One employee might genuinely manage business operations, supervise teams, control budgets, implement procedures and report to senior management. Another might spend most of their time serving customers, taking payments, cleaning and completing routine administrative duties. Calling the second person an Operations Manager would not automatically make the job equivalent to a managerial SOC occupation.
Key principle. The occupation code should follow the job. The job should not be redesigned on paper simply to fit the occupation code.
Exaggerated or incorrect occupation codes
The Home Office can refuse to award the 20 skill-level points where there are reasonable grounds to believe the sponsor has selected an inappropriate occupation code. An incorrect code can arise accidentally or deliberately, and where there are concerns the Home Office may request additional information from the sponsor. The guidance specifically identifies the risk of selecting a less appropriate code in order to:
- make a job appear sufficiently skilled when it is not;
- obtain a lower going rate;
- qualify for Immigration Salary List tradeable points;
- qualify for tradeable points associated with a relevant PhD.
Common mistake. Do not select a SOC code because its salary requirements or Skilled Worker conditions are more favourable. The code should correspond to the genuine duties of the proposed employment.
Can more than one occupation code look suitable?
Yes. The guidance expressly recognises that the duties of a particular job may sometimes make more than one SOC code plausible. In that situation the sponsor should select the code that most closely fits the job, or corresponds with the duties on which the worker will spend the most time. Where the decision is genuinely finely balanced, the caseworker guidance indicates that sponsors should normally receive the benefit of the doubt unless there is a particular reason not to do so.
Tip. When choosing between similar occupation codes, document why the selected code best represents the role. That explanation may be useful if UKVI later asks for clarification.
The coding system is live
The caseworker guidance states that the SOC 2020 coding system is a live system and should be assessed using the most up-to-date occupational coding information. For that reason our occupation tools are being built to update when the official occupation tables change, rather than relying on a permanently fixed list.
Health, care, location & ATAS
Does the location of the job matter?
Sometimes. For particular ISL or TSL entries, eligibility can depend on whether the job is based in a specified UK nation — England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, or a particular combination. The working location shown on the Certificate of Sponsorship can therefore become relevant when determining whether a particular list provision applies.
Health and education occupations
Certain health and education jobs operate under a different salary structure. The sponsor guidance identifies occupations in Table 3 that use national pay scales and salary Option K. For jobs covered by Agenda for Change pay scales, graduate-level sponsorship must normally be at least Band 5. Band 3 or Band 4 roles can only be sponsored where the requirements applicable to jobs below graduate level are satisfied. Band 1 and Band 2 jobs are not eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship. See Health and Care Worker Visa and Skilled Worker salary requirements.
Care worker or senior care worker? Occupation codes 6135 (care workers and home carers) and 6136 (senior care workers) receive additional treatment — extensive additional sponsorship, immigration-status, regulatory and dependant rules can apply. Check the dedicated Health and Care Worker guidance before relying on code 6135 or 6136.
Health and Care Visa occupations
The Health and Care Visa forms part of the Skilled Worker route but has additional eligibility requirements. The sponsor guidance identifies specified eligible health occupations, including a group of Health and Care ASHE salary occupations and, separately, a range of graduate-level healthcare occupations subject to the relevant salary provisions. Do not assume "healthcare job = Health and Care Visa" — the sponsor and occupation must meet the specific Health and Care Visa requirements. See Health and Care Worker Visa.
ATAS requirement
Some Skilled Worker jobs can also be subject to the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS). Where ATAS applies, the applicant must meet that additional requirement in order to obtain the 20 points for a job at the appropriate skill level. This affects only particular circumstances — it is a conditional requirement, not a general one.
How to check whether your job is eligible
- Step 1Identify what you'll actually do
Start with duties, not the job title.
- Step 2Identify the likely SOC 2020 code
Find the code that most closely corresponds with those duties.
- Step 3Check the skill level
Is the occupation normally at RQF Level 6 or above?
- Step 4If below RQF 6, find another route
Immigration Salary List, Temporary Shortage List, or a transitional provision.
- Step 5Check additional conditions
Particular job, location, care-sector rules, ATAS, previous Skilled Worker history.
- Step 6Check the salary
Only after the occupation and pathway are confirmed, calculate the applicable salary and going rate.
Occupation eligibility decision tree
| Step | Question | If yes → / If no → |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Do you know your SOC 2020 occupation code? | Yes → enter code · No → search by job title & duties |
| 2 | Is the occupation normally RQF Level 6 or above? | Yes → continue to salary · No → continue |
| 3 | Is the relevant job on the Immigration Salary List? | Yes → check ISL conditions · No → continue |
| 4 | Is it on the Temporary Shortage List? | Yes → check TSL conditions · No → continue |
| 5 | Were you in the Skilled Worker route before 22 July 2025? | Yes → assess transitional provision · No → the role may not satisfy the skill-level requirement |
Result. If you reach a potentially eligible occupation, the next step is to check the salary. If further assessment is required, speak to an immigration adviser.
Not sure which occupation code applies to your job?
Choosing the correct code should consider the actual duties, skill level, sponsorship history and applicable occupation provisions — not the job title alone.
Common mistakes
- Choosing a code using the job title alone — actual duties matter more than a creative title.
- Assuming RQF Level 6 means the applicant must have a degree — the requirement relates primarily to the skill level of the sponsored job.
- Assuming all RQF 3–5 jobs are prohibited — ISL, TSL and transitional provisions may still permit some roles.
- Assuming every job within an ISL or TSL occupation automatically qualifies — additional job, salary, geographical or other criteria can apply.
- Treating the ISL and TSL as the same list — they have different legal consequences.
- Choosing a code because its going rate is lower — the code should match the genuine job.
- Ignoring the applicant's previous Skilled Worker history — transitional eligibility can depend on when the applicant entered the route and whether qualifying permission has remained continuous.
- Checking salary before identifying the occupation — the occupation determines the applicable going rate.
Frequently asked questions
Does every Skilled Worker job have to be graduate level? +
Normally, jobs sponsored under a CoS assigned from 22 July 2025 must be at RQF Level 6 or above. However, certain ISL, TSL and transitional cases can permit below-graduate-level roles.
Do I need a university degree for an RQF Level 6 job? +
Not solely because the occupation is classified at RQF Level 6. The sponsor guidance expressly states that the worker does not necessarily need a graduate-level qualification, although the work itself must be skilled to that level.
What is a SOC code? +
It is the Standard Occupational Classification code used to categorise the type of work being sponsored.
Can my employer choose any occupation code that fits my job title? +
No. The selected occupation should most closely correspond with the actual role and duties.
What happens if two occupation codes seem suitable? +
The guidance says the sponsor should normally select the one that most closely fits the job or represents the duties on which the worker will spend most of their time.
Can the Home Office challenge my occupation code? +
Yes. The 20 skill-level points can be withheld where there are reasonable grounds to believe the sponsor has not selected an appropriate occupation code.
Does being on the Immigration Salary List make a job automatically eligible? +
No. The relevant job and any additional conditions must still be satisfied.
Is the Temporary Shortage List the same as the Immigration Salary List? +
No. They are separate lists with different consequences. For example, the caseworker guidance confirms that the reduced application fee associated with qualifying ISL applications does not apply merely because a job is on the TSL.
Can someone already on a Skilled Worker visa continue in an RQF 3–5 occupation? +
Potentially. Transitional arrangements exist for qualifying workers who were already in the route before the relevant 22 July 2025 changes.
Does the country within the UK where I work matter? +
For some ISL or TSL jobs, yes. Eligibility can be restricted to particular UK nations.
Does an eligible occupation mean the salary requirement is automatically met? +
No. Occupation eligibility and salary eligibility are separate assessments.
Related services
Skilled Worker Visa Eligibility
Check all of the core Skilled Worker requirements.
Read more →Salary Requirements
Find the applicable general threshold and occupation going rate.
Learn more →Certificate of Sponsorship
Understand how your sponsored occupation is recorded on your CoS.
Learn more →Sponsor a Skilled Worker
Employer support with genuine roles, occupation codes and sponsorship.
Learn more →Health and Care Worker Visa
For eligible healthcare and care-sector employment.
Learn more →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.
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