UK Skilled Worker Visa 2026: £41,700 Salary Rule, Skill Level, Fees and Settlement

Since 22 July 2025, most new UK Skilled Worker visas need a job at degree level (RQF 6) paying at least £41,700 a year. That single change shut out thousands of roles that used to qualify, from care work to many hospitality and trade jobs, and it is the first thing to check before you spend money on a job hunt.

Engineers, software developers, accountants, teachers and scientists still qualify. But costs rose again on 8 April 2026, the English requirement moved up to B2 in January 2026, and settlement rules are under review. Here is what the rules say as of October 2026.

In this guide

1. UK Skilled Worker Visa at a Glance
2. How the 2025 Changes Reshaped the Route
3. Salary Thresholds Explained
4. Eligibility Requirements
5. Jobs That Still Qualify
6. What It Costs You and Your Employer
7. How to Apply, Step by Step
8. Documents Checklist
9. Bringing Your Family
10. Settlement and the Earned Settlement Proposals
11. Common Refusal Reasons
12. Frequently Asked Questions
13. Before You Apply

UK Skilled Worker Visa at a Glance

How the 2025 Changes Reshaped the Route

The July 2025 Statement of Changes did three big things. It raised the general salary threshold from £38,700 to £41,700. It lifted the minimum skill level from RQF 3 (roughly A-level) to RQF 6 (bachelor's degree level). And it took well over 100 occupations off the eligible list for new applicants.

Medium-skilled jobs (RQF 3 to 5) can still be sponsored only if they appear on the Temporary Shortage List or the Immigration Salary List. Both lists are time-limited and are due to lapse at the end of 2026 unless the government renews them. If your job sits on one of these lists, ask your employer whether the certificate can be assigned before that deadline.

People whose first certificate was issued before 22 July 2025 keep some protection and can usually extend or change jobs within the old lower skill bands.

Care workers

New overseas recruitment of care workers (SOC 6135) and senior care workers (6136) closed on 22 July 2025. Only people already in the UK on a qualifying visa can switch into these roles, and that window is expected to run until July 2028. Our Health and Care Worker visa guide covers this in detail.

Salary Thresholds Explained

Your salary must clear both the general threshold and the going rate for your occupation code, whichever is higher. Going rates are set per four-digit SOC code from ONS earnings data.

The salary must be guaranteed basic pay. Overtime, bonuses and most allowances do not count. Pay is calculated on a maximum of 48 hours a week, so an employer cannot reach the threshold by promising 60-hour weeks.

Eligibility Requirements

To get the visa you need all of the following:

• A genuine job offer from an employer on the Home Office register of licensed sponsors
• A certificate of sponsorship (CoS) for that job, which is an electronic record with a reference number
• A job in an eligible occupation code at the right skill level
• A salary that meets the threshold and going rate
• English at CEFR B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening
• At least £1,270 in savings held for 28 days, unless your employer certifies your maintenance or you have been in the UK lawfully for 12 months

English at B2

Since 8 January 2026, new Skilled Worker applicants must prove English at B2, up from B1. You can meet this with an approved Secure English Language Test, a degree taught in English (checked by Ecctis), or by being a national of a majority English-speaking country. People who already held the visa before that date can keep using B1 when they extend.

Graduates from countries where university teaching is in English, such as Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya, can often skip IELTS with an Ecctis statement. Check the gov.uk English requirement page before booking a test.

Jobs That Still Qualify

The best-placed applicants in 2026 are graduates in fields where UK employers struggle to hire. These figures are broad ranges based on ONS earnings data and recent sponsor job adverts; your offer will depend on region and seniority.

A £42,000 salary leaves roughly £2,800 a month after Income Tax and National Insurance, before any pension contribution. A one-bedroom flat in outer London can take half of that.

What It Costs You and Your Employer

The visa bill falls on you; the sponsorship bill falls on the employer. Employers are not allowed to pass the Immigration Skills Charge on to you.

Here is the arithmetic for a single applicant on a five-year visa from abroad: £1,618 plus £5,175 health surcharge comes to £6,793 before flights and rent deposit. A couple with two children on the same five-year visa faces more than £27,000 in visa fees and surcharge combined. Some employers repay part of this, often with a clawback clause if you leave early.

How to Apply, Step by Step

1. Confirm the occupation code. Ask the employer which SOC code they will use, then check it against the eligible occupations table and going rate.
2. Check the sponsor. Search the employer on the official register of licensed sponsors on gov.uk. If they are not listed, they cannot sponsor you.
3. Get your CoS. The employer assigns it through their sponsor account and sends you the reference number. You must apply within 3 months of it being assigned.
4. Prepare English evidence and savings. Book your test early, or request your Ecctis statement.
5. Get a TB test if required. Applicants from many African and Asian countries need a certificate from an approved clinic.
6. Apply online. Complete the form on gov.uk, pay the fee and the health surcharge.
7. Prove your identity. Either by the UK Immigration: ID Check app or at a visa application centre for biometrics.
8. Wait for the decision. Usually around three weeks from abroad. Priority services may be available for an extra fee.

Documents Checklist

• Valid passport with a blank page
• Certificate of sponsorship reference number
• Proof of English (test result, Ecctis statement or degree)
• Bank statements showing £1,270 for 28 days, unless certified by your sponsor
• Tuberculosis test certificate, if your country is on the list
• Criminal record certificate if you will work in education, health or social care
• Proof of relationship for any partner or children

Bringing Your Family

Partners and children under 18 can usually join you as dependants, each paying the same visa fee and health surcharge. Your partner gets full work rights. The exception: new applicants in Temporary Shortage List or Immigration Salary List roles cannot bring dependants, and care workers lost this right in March 2024.

Settlement and the Earned Settlement Proposals

Under the rules in force in October 2026, you can apply for indefinite leave to remain after five continuous years on the route, provided you still meet the salary rules and pass the Life in the UK test. The ILR fee rose to £3,226 per person in April 2026.

The government has announced plans for an "earned settlement" model that would make 10 years the standard wait, with shorter paths for high earners and public service workers. As of late 2026 the detailed rules and transitional arrangements had not been fully laid. If you are planning around a five-year timeline, watch for the next Statement of Changes and check how it treats people already on the route.

Common Refusal Reasons

• Wrong SOC code. The job description does not match the code the employer chose, often to reach a lower going rate. Caseworkers check this.
• Salary below the rate. Allowances or overtime were counted when they should not have been.
• Weak English evidence. A test from an unapproved centre, or a degree without the Ecctis check.
• Savings gap. The balance dipped below £1,270 for even one day in the 28-day window.
• Fake or suspended sponsors. If an employer's licence is suspended, your application stalls.
• Undeclared history. Previous UK refusals or overstays not mentioned on the form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a UK Skilled Worker visa without a degree?

The job must be at RQF 6 skill level, which is set by the occupation, not your personal certificate. In principle, someone without a degree can fill a degree-level role if the employer judges them qualified. In practice, most employers sponsoring graduate-level jobs want a degree.

What is the minimum salary for a Skilled Worker visa in 2026?

The general threshold is £41,700 a year, or the going rate for the occupation if higher. New entrants, such as people under 26 or switching from a Student or Graduate visa, can qualify at £33,400 or 70% of the going rate. Health and education roles use national pay scales.

Can I bring my wife and children on a Skilled Worker visa?

Usually yes, if your job is not on the Temporary Shortage List or Immigration Salary List. Each family member pays the visa fee and the £1,035 annual health surcharge. Budget carefully, since a family of four pays several times what a single applicant pays.

Can I change jobs on a Skilled Worker visa?

Yes, but you need a new certificate of sponsorship from the new employer and must apply to update your visa before starting. You can do limited supplementary work of up to 20 hours a week in an eligible occupation while sponsored.

How long does a Skilled Worker visa take?

Most decisions from outside the UK arrive within about three weeks after your biometrics appointment. Inside the UK, it is usually up to eight weeks. Delays happen if extra checks are needed, so do not resign from your current job before you have a decision.

Does a Skilled Worker visa lead to permanent residence?

Under current rules, yes, after five years. The government plans to lengthen this under an earned settlement system, and details were still being finalised in late 2026. Keep records of your salary and absences from the start.

Before You Apply

• Check the employer on the official sponsor register and match the job to the eligible occupations table before you pay for anything.
• Work out the full cost for you and any dependants, including five years of health surcharge, and ask your employer what they will reimburse.
• Book your English test or request your Ecctis statement now, since appointments fill up.
• If you are a student in the UK, read our Graduate visa guide first, because switching as a new entrant can lower your salary threshold.