UK Skilled Worker visa — 2025 definitive guide

The Skilled Worker visa lets you come to, or stay in, the UK to do an eligible job for a Home Office–approved sponsor. It replaced Tier 2 (General). Permission is granted for up to five years at a time, is extendable, and after five years you may be able to apply for settlement (indefinite leave to remain).

Core eligibility (the four non-negotiables)

You must: (1) have a confirmed job offer; (2) your employer must be an approved sponsor; (3) the job must be on the list of eligible occupations; and (4) you must be paid at least the required salary (see next section).

Eligible occupations and the “medium-skilled” carve-out

Check your 4-digit occupation code and confirm it appears on the eligible list. From 22 July 2025, if an occupation is labelled “medium skilled,” you can only apply if the role is on the Immigration Salary List (ISL) or the Temporary Shortage List (TSL). Otherwise, “higher skilled” roles remain eligible in the usual way.

Salary rules (read carefully)

Standard threshold: You will usually need at least £41,700 or the going rate for the role, whichever is higher. Each SOC code has its own going rate in the official table.
If you don’t meet the usual rate: You may still qualify if the salary is at least £33,400 and one of the permitted “paid less” scenarios applies (e.g., new entrant, PhD-relevant role, post-doctoral role). See next section.
Healthcare or education roles: Different rules apply — salaries follow national pay scales and must be at least £25,000 (or more if the relevant scale/going rate is higher).
Going rates and lists are live documents and were last overhauled on 22 July 2025. Always cross-check the latest going rate and ISL/TSL position before a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is assigned.

When you can be paid less than the standard rate

If you do not work in healthcare/education and your salary is at least £33,400, the Rules allow reduced salary factors for specified cohorts, including (summary only):

New entrants (e.g., under 26, recent graduates, or in professional training).
PhD-level roles (different % reductions for STEM vs non-STEM where the PhD is relevant).
Post-doctoral positions in science/higher education.
Each scenario has precise % thresholds against the going rate — check the GOV.UK “When you can be paid less” page for the exact figures and examples.

Transitional protection (pre-4 April 2024 first CoS)

If your first Tier 2/Skilled Worker CoS was before 4 April 2024 and your permission has been continuous since then, lower salary benchmarks apply for extensions/updates made before 4 April 2030 (for example, a baseline of £31,300 or the relevant lower going rate, with specific reduced rates for new entrant/PhD/post-doc cohorts). Use the dedicated transitional page and the lower going-rate table for your code.

Dependants (partner and children) — tightened rules you cannot ignore

General rule: Partners and children can apply as dependants; they must meet relationship and maintenance requirements.
Care workers and senior care workers: No new dependants are permitted unless you were employed in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa in one of those roles before 11 March 2024 and you meet the continuity conditions.
“Medium-skilled” occupations (not care): From 22 July 2025, dependants generally cannot join/switch unless you were employed in the UK on Skilled Worker before 22 July 2025 and you meet the continuity conditions.

Costs you must budget for

Application fee: Standard fees range from £769 to £1,751 depending on duration and whether you apply inside/outside the UK. Lower fees apply if your job is on the ISL.
Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): £1,035 per year.
Maintenance (personal savings): Usually £1,270 for you, plus £285/£315/£200 for partner/first child/each additional child unless exempt or certified by your sponsor.

Evidence you’ll need

Expect to provide: CoS reference; proof of English; passport/ID; job title, SOC code and salary; sponsor’s licence number; TB certificate (if applicable); criminal record certificate for certain roles; ATAS (if required); degree evidence/Ecctis where relevant; and maintenance evidence unless exempt. Translations must be certified.

English language

Proficiency must be at least CEFR B1. You can prove it via an approved SELT, UK school qualifications in English, or a degree taught in English (non-UK degrees typically need Ecctis confirmation). Exemptions exist for specified nationalities and for professionals who already passed an accepted assessment (e.g., doctors, nurses, dentists, midwives, vets).

How and when to apply — and decision timelines

You apply online. You can apply up to 3 months before the start date on your CoS. Standard decision times are 3 weeks from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside the UK (priority services may be available).

Extending, switching, changing job, and second jobs

Extending: You can usually extend if you’re staying in the same role, same SOC code, and same sponsor. If your job is on the medium-skilled list, extension is only permitted if your first CoS was before 22 July 2025 and your residence has been continuous.
Changing job/employer: You must update your visa if you move employer, move to a different SOC, or leave an ISL job for a non-ISL job. Medium-skilled changes are only possible with pre-22 July 2025 first CoS and continuous residence.
Switching in-country: Possible from several routes (with exclusions such as Visitor), but dependants cannot switch with you if you are moving into care/senior care or a medium-skilled job.
Additional work: Up to 20 hours/week in another role is allowed if it’s a higher-skilled eligible code, on the ISL, or in the same sector/level; more than 20 hours requires a visa update and a second CoS. Medium-skilled additional work is restricted to those with a first CoS before 22 July 2025 and continuous residence.

Lists you must check every time

Going rates (updated 22 July 2025).
Immigration Salary List (ISL) — lower fees and eligibility gateway for medium-skilled roles. (Updated 22 July 2025.)
Temporary Shortage List (TSL) — a new list from 22 July 2025 that can also make certain medium-skilled roles eligible.

Sector-specific: care roles in England

If you’re a care worker (6135) or senior care worker (6136) in England, the sponsor must be CQC-registered. Don’t gloss over this — it’s a hard requirement and the application fails without it.

Practical pitfalls and planning notes (no nonsense)

Salary isn’t one number anymore. You must pass two tests: the headline threshold (£41,700/£33,400) and the code-specific going rate. If your offered salary fails either, the application will be refused.
“Medium-skilled” is now a gatekeeper category. Unless the role is on the ISL or TSL, initial Skilled Worker sponsorship is off the table. Don’t assume historic eligibility still applies.
Dependants: the tightening for care and medium-skilled roles is real. If family presence in the UK matters, confirm the cut-off dates (11 March 2024 and 22 July 2025) and continuity conditions before you proceed.
Transitional protection ends 4 April 2030. If you’re protected, diarise renewal dates and re-check the lower going rate each time; it is updated periodically.

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