UK Skilled Worker visa salary requirements (2026)

The general rule: the higher of two figures

For most Skilled Worker applications, your salary must be at least the general salary threshold or the occupation's official going rate, whichever is higher, under the rules in force since 22 July 2025. The going rate is a per-occupation figure published by GOV.UK; the specific figures depend on your occupation code and your Certificate of Sponsorship date.

Lower thresholds in some cases

Lower salary figures can apply in limited cases — for example some new entrants, and certain roles on national pay scales. The exact requirement depends on your circumstances, so always check the current GOV.UK guidance for your specific occupation rather than relying on a single headline number.

Healthcare and education pay scales

Many health and education jobs paid on national pay scales have their own rules: the salary must be at least the relevant national pay-scale rate (for example the relevant NHS Agenda for Change band), with an absolute floor for national-pay-scale health and education roles. NHS pay-scale wording only applies to those occupations — it does not apply to roles like IT or engineering, which use the general higher-of test.

Where to find the current figures

Because the figures change, we do not restate them here. Our sponsored-salary guide shows the median advertised salary for each occupation on our live board alongside the official GOV.UK going rate, with the effective and last-verified dates. Our occupation landing pages explain the salary rule for each profession, and the figures come from one GOV.UK-verified source of truth so our copy never drifts.