What is the UK Skilled Worker Visa?
The Skilled Worker visa is the UK's main work visa. It allows a UK employer to sponsor job seekers for a visa-eligible role. To apply for this visa, you need a confirmed job offer from a licensed sponsor and a salary of at least £41,700, or the going rate for your role. Your family can join you once you get the visa, and after 5 years, you can apply for permanent residence/indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK.
Note: This information is for guidance only and does not constitute immigration advice. Requirements change — verify current figures at the official government source before applying.
Do you qualify?
This visa is for skilled professionals with a confirmed job offer from a UK employer that holds a sponsor licence. The hardest part of this visa is not the paperwork — it's finding a UK employer willing to sponsor you. Once you have a job offer from a licensed sponsor, the rest is mostly about English and documents. You will need the following to qualify for this visa:
You cannot apply for the Skilled Worker visa without a job offer from a UK employer licensed by the Home Office to sponsor foreign workers. The job must pay the required salary, which is outlined in the next section.
Upper-intermediate English (CEFR B2) is required in speaking, reading, writing, and listening. Some nationalities and qualifications are exempt — see the documents section.
2026 salary requirements
Figures valid for 2026, gross (before tax). The UK uses a two-part test: a headline minimum, plus a job-specific going rate. You must meet whichever is higher. Your employer handles the calculation before making an offer.
How the going rate works: Each job has a published going rate based on UK market salaries. If the going rate for your role is higher than the figure in the table, you must be paid the going rate. For example, a senior software developer's going rate may be £55,000 — so £41,700 is not enough.
Shortage occupation note: The UK keeps a shortage list of jobs eligible for the lower £33,400 figure. It currently includes some engineering, scientific, and skilled trade roles, and is set to expire on 31 December 2026.
What you need to apply
If you have a visa-sponsored job offer and meet the English language requirement, which qualifies you for the Skilled Worker visa, the items below are what you'll need to gather. Most sit with you. A few sit with the employer. Some only apply to certain countries or professions — those are flagged below.
If you do not have any of the documents below, you can read the FAQs section below for further guidance.
What to expect, step by step
From accepting an offer to landing in the UK takes roughly 6–10 weeks. The visa decision itself is fast — around 3 weeks is standard. The rest is preparation and travel.
After accepting the job offer, the employer issues a Certificate of Sponsorship. This is a digital reference number, not a physical document, and it must be used within 3 months. The employer covers the CoS fee and the Immigration Skills Charge.
Apply online at gov.uk using the CoS reference. The visa fee from outside the UK is £819 (up to 3 years) or £1,618 (over 3 years). The Immigration Health Surcharge is paid upfront in one payment — £1,035 per year of the visa — and gives full NHS access for the life of the visa.
Attend the nearest visa application centre to give fingerprints and a photo. Documents are uploaded through the UKVI system either before or at the appointment. The priority service (extra fee) gives a decision within 5 working days from this point.
Standard processing takes around 3 weeks from the biometrics appointment. Most refusals at this stage are caused by document mismatches rather than eligibility issues — particularly the English test or qualification certificates not matching what UKVI expects.
On approval, a vignette is placed in the passport, valid for 90 days to enter the UK. After arrival, the full visa is accessed as an eVisa through a UKVI account. Work can start on or after the date listed on the Certificate of Sponsorship. Family members can travel together or join later.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, but the new employer must also be a licensed sponsor and issue a new Certificate of Sponsorship. A new visa application and fee follow. Work cannot begin in the new role until the change is approved by UKVI. A second job of up to 20 hours per week in the same profession is allowed without a new visa, as long as the main sponsored role continues.
Yes. A spouse or unmarried partner and children under 18 can apply as dependents. The partner can work in any job, full-time, including self-employment — there's no restriction. Each dependent pays the visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 per year, paid upfront in one payment. Children can attend UK state schools for free. There is no separate English requirement for family members.
The application will be refused. There is no discretion. First check what the actual minimum is for the specific role — it's either £41,700 or the going rate published by the government for that occupation, whichever is higher. Lower minimums apply to applicants under 26, recent graduates, and healthcare or social care roles on NHS pay scales (from £25,000). If none of those applies, the only options are to ask the employer to raise the offer or to find a different role. Do not pay any fees until the offer clearly meets the rules.
Yes. After 5 continuous years on the Skilled Worker visa, applicants can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). The application requires passing the Life in the UK test, proving English at the level required at the time of application, and meeting the salary rules in force on that date. After ILR, British citizenship can be applied for 12 months later. The UK has proposed reforms to the settlement timeline — verify the current rule before relying on the 5-year figure.
More than you might expect. The UK's licensed sponsor register lists tens of thousands of employers across most major industries. What matters is less your sector than the specific employer: whether they hold a sponsor licence, and whether the role meets the salary rules. Sponsorship is employer-specific, not sector-specific. The exceptions are mainly small employers in retail, hospitality, personal services, and care work for new overseas applicants.
The practical problem isn't whether your field is sponsored — it's finding the specific employers who do. Workbeyond lists only UK jobs from licensed sponsors, across every sector.
Find visa-sponsored jobs in United Kingdom
Every job listed on Workbeyond is from an employer who sponsors international workers in the United Kingdom. Use the filters to narrow by profession, city, and seniority level to find roles that match your criteria.
Other visas you may qualify for
The UK's dedicated visa for doctors, nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals. Lower fees, no NHS surcharge, and faster processing.
Move to the UK without employer sponsorship if you can prove you are a leader or rising talent in research, arts or digital technology. No salary threshold applies, but endorsement evidence is demanding.