The UK Skilled Worker visa is the main route for taking a sponsored skilled job in the United Kingdom. It replaced the Tier 2 (General) visa, and it lets you live and work in the UK for an approved employer for up to five years at a time, with a route to settlement after five years if you still meet the rules. This guide explains, in plain terms, who can apply, what salary you need, what it costs, which documents you need, and how the application works step by step.
The most important point to understand is that you cannot apply for this visa on your own first. You need a confirmed job offer from a UK employer that holds a sponsor licence, and that employer must assign you a certificate of sponsorship before you apply. Without sponsorship, there is no Skilled Worker application — so finding an eligible sponsored job comes before anything else in the process.
Who Can Apply for a Skilled Worker Visa:
- You have a confirmed job offer from a UK employer approved by the Home Office (a licensed sponsor)
- Your employer has assigned you a certificate of sponsorship (CoS) — an electronic record, not a paper document — with information about the role, the occupation code and the salary
- Your job is on the list of eligible occupations at the required skill level
- You are paid at least the minimum salary for your job (see the salary section below)
- You can speak, read, write and understand English at the required level (see below)
- You apply within 3 months of receiving your certificate of sponsorship, and you can apply up to 3 months before the start date shown on it
Sponsorship and the Certificate of Sponsorship:
Only a licensed sponsor can offer you a Skilled Worker job. The official list of approved UK employers is published by the Home Office — if your employer is not on it, they can apply for a sponsor licence if they are eligible. The licence fee is £611 for small businesses and charities, or £1,682 for medium and large organisations, and a licence application usually takes around 8 weeks to process. Once licensed, the employer assigns your certificate of sponsorship, which carries a reference number you will need for your visa application. Never pay an agent for a certificate of sponsorship: it is issued by your employer, not sold.
Eligible Jobs and Skill Level:
Every job has a 4-digit occupation code, and only codes listed as eligible for this route qualify. Since 22 July 2025, new Skilled Worker sponsorship is generally limited to higher-skilled jobs at degree level (RQF Level 6). A medium-skilled job can still qualify only in limited cases, for example if it is on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List, or for certain prison officer extensions and switches. If you already have a job offer, ask your employer for your occupation code and check it against the official eligible-jobs table before you apply — similar job titles can carry different codes, and the wrong code can mean refusal.
Salary Requirements — the £41,700 Rule:
You must usually be paid whichever is HIGHER of £41,700 per year or the going rate for your occupation code. Each occupation code has its own annual going rate, published in the official going-rates table, and the going rate is what catches many applicants out: a salary of £42,000 per year is above £41,700, but if the going rate for that job is £45,000, you do not meet the salary requirement. Your employer must also make sure your job pays at least the minimum wage and follows UK rules on working hours. In some cases you can be paid less than the standard rate: if your salary is at least £33,400 per year and you are under 26, studying or a recent graduate, in professional training, hold a relevant PhD, or your job is on the Immigration Salary List, you may qualify at 70% to 90% of the going rate, depending on the case. Healthcare and education jobs have their own salary rules based on national pay scales, so check the rules for your exact job rather than assuming the general threshold applies.
English Language Requirement:
You must be able to speak, read, write and understand English, and you will usually need to prove it when you apply. For new applicants the required level is B2 on the Common European Framework (CEFR). You can prove it through an approved English test, a degree taught in English, or another route the official guidance accepts for your situation. Check the current approved-test list before booking a test, because an unapproved test will not count.
Costs — Application Fee, Healthcare Surcharge and Savings:
- Application fee (from outside the UK): £819 for a stay of up to 3 years, or £1,618 for more than 3 years
- Application fee (from inside the UK, extending or switching): £943 for up to 3 years, or £1,865 for more than 3 years
- Jobs on the Immigration Salary List pay a lower fee: £628 for up to 3 years, or £1,235 for more than 3 years
- Healthcare surcharge: usually £1,035 per year of your stay, paid in full when you apply — so a 3-year visa adds £3,105 on top of the application fee
- Personal savings: you will usually need at least £1,270 available for 28 consecutive days, unless your sponsor certifies your maintenance on the certificate of sponsorship or you are exempt (for example, you have already been in the UK on a valid visa for at least 12 months)
- Each partner or child applying with you pays their own application fee and healthcare surcharge
- Doctors, nurses and health or adult social care workers should check the Health and Care Worker visa instead: it is cheaper to apply for and you do not pay the annual healthcare surcharge
Fees change from time to time, so re-check the official fee pages before you pay anything, and keep the same discipline with documents as for any job application — the documents checklist for a walk in interview in Dubai shows how to keep copies ready, and the same habit helps here.
Documents Checklist:
- Your certificate of sponsorship reference number
- A valid passport or other travel document
- Proof of English language at B2 level, where required
- Proof of personal savings (£1,270 for 28 days), unless exempt or sponsor-certified
- A tuberculosis test result, if you are from a country where one is required
- A criminal record certificate, where the guidance asks for one
- Translated documents, where any document is not in English or Welsh
How To Apply — Step by Step:
- Step 1: Secure a sponsored job. Find an eligible role with a licensed sponsor and accept the offer; the employer assigns your certificate of sponsorship.
- Step 2: Check your occupation code, salary and going rate. Confirm your job is eligible and your salary meets the higher of £41,700 or the going rate.
- Step 3: Prove your English and gather your documents. Book an approved B2 test if you need one, and prepare your savings evidence and other documents.
- Step 4: Apply online. Complete the Skilled Worker application on GOV.UK, pay the application fee and the healthcare surcharge, and prove your identity.
- Step 5: Book a biometric appointment if you are told you need one, and allow extra time for it.
- Step 6: Wait for a decision. The published service standard is usually 3 weeks if you apply from outside the UK, and 8 weeks if you apply from inside the UK. Faster decision services may be available for an extra fee — you will be told when you apply.
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What You Can and Cannot Do:
With a Skilled Worker visa you can work in your sponsored job, study, bring your partner and children as dependants if they meet the requirements, take on additional work in certain circumstances, travel abroad and return to the UK, do voluntary work for a registered charity or similar organisation, and apply to settle permanently (indefinite leave to remain) after 5 years if you meet the settlement rules. You cannot apply for most benefits or the State Pension, and you cannot change jobs or employer unless you apply to update your visa first. Your visa lasts for up to 5 years before you need to extend it, and you can extend as many times as you like while you still meet the requirements.
Red Flags and Fraud Warning:
- Never pay anyone who promises you a certificate of sponsorship, a job offer or a visa for a fee.
- Verify the employer is on the official sponsor list before you accept an offer or pay any fee.
- Do not share original documents or bank details with anyone who contacts you unexpectedly.
- If an offer sounds too good to be true, or promises a visa without a genuine sponsored job, treat it as a warning sign. For the same discipline in the Gulf, see our guide on UAE student visa requirements and how to apply.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q1. What is the minimum salary for a UK Skilled Worker visa in 2026?
Usually the higher of £41,700 per year or the going rate for your occupation code. In some cases, such as new entrants under 26 or jobs on the Immigration Salary List, the minimum can be £33,400 per year at a percentage of the going rate.
Q2. How much does a Skilled Worker visa cost?
From outside the UK, the application fee is £819 for up to 3 years or £1,618 for more than 3 years, plus a healthcare surcharge of £1,035 per year. From inside the UK the fee is £943 or £1,865. Each dependant pays their own fee and surcharge.
Q3. How long does a Skilled Worker visa decision take?
The published service standard is usually 3 weeks for an application made outside the UK and 8 weeks for one made inside the UK, once you have applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents.
Q4. Can I settle in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa?
After 5 years on a Skilled Worker visa you may be able to apply to settle permanently (indefinite leave to remain), if you meet the settlement requirements at the time. Check the current settlement rules before you rely on them, as immigration rules change.
