Skilled Worker Visa Salary Threshold 2026: £41,700 and the Lower Rates Explained
The Skilled Worker salary threshold is the first thing to check before accepting a UK job offer that needs sponsorship. For most new applicants in 2026 it is £41,700 a year or the job’s going rate, whichever is higher. Graduates and under-26s can qualify at a lower rate. Here is the full picture.
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Last checked: 29 September 2026. Rules come from GOV.UK and the House of Commons Library. This is general information, not immigration advice.
The 2026 Skilled Worker salary threshold rules
| Situation | Minimum salary |
|---|---|
| General threshold | £41,700 or the going rate, whichever is higher |
| New entrant (graduates, under 26) | £33,400 and at least 70% of the going rate |
| Relevant STEM PhD | £33,400 and 80% of the going rate |
| Relevant non-STEM PhD | £37,500 and 90% of the going rate |
| Immigration Salary List job | £33,400 plus the full going rate |
Going rates depend on the occupation (SOC) code. Check the going rate for your exact job on GOV.UK.
The £33,400 new entrant Skilled Worker salary threshold
You can qualify as a new entrant if you are under 26 when you apply, are on or recently held a Student visa (bachelor’s or higher), are on a Graduate visa, or are working towards a regulated profession or chartered status. Your total time as a new entrant cannot exceed 4 years.
Is your job still eligible?
Since 22 July 2025, jobs must generally be at RQF 6 (degree level). Medium-skilled jobs (RQF 3 to 5) were removed unless they are on the Temporary Shortage List, which runs until 31 December 2026. People whose first certificate of sponsorship was issued before 22 July 2025 can keep extending in those jobs under the older rules.
The Migration Advisory Committee recommended a smaller list of 28 occupations from 1 January 2027 to 30 June 2028, including engineering technicians, data analysts and database administrators. The Home Office has not yet decided.
Already on a Skilled Worker visa before April 2024?
If you have held Skilled Worker permission continuously since before 4 April 2024, lower legacy thresholds apply. For example, the general threshold under this option is £31,300. Check the Appendix Skilled Worker rules for your situation.
B2 English since 8 January 2026
New Skilled Worker applicants have needed B2 English since 8 January 2026. If you held the visa before that date, you need only B1 when extending.
Employer costs you must never pay
The sponsor pays the Immigration Skills Charge: since 16 December 2025, £1,320 for the first 12 months for medium and large sponsors (plus £660 for each extra 6 months), or £480 for small and charitable sponsors. It is against the rules for an employer to make you pay it, and doing so can lead to the sponsor losing its licence.
Salary and settlement
Under the earned settlement proposal, Skilled Workers earning £50,270 or more would keep a 5-year route to ILR, while others could face 10 years. This is not law yet.
Skilled Worker visas are falling
Skilled Worker visas (excluding health and care) fell to about 61,000 in the year ending June 2026, down 26%. Total work visas were 234,841. Competition for sponsored jobs that meet the Skilled Worker salary threshold is high, so apply early and target employers that already hold a sponsor licence.
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