UK Skilled Worker Visa in 2026: Salary Threshold, Fees and Who Still Qualifies

The UK Skilled Worker visa is still the main route for foreign professionals to work in Britain, but it is a much narrower route than it was two years ago. The salary threshold has risen sharply, most medium-skilled jobs have been removed, the English requirement is higher and the fees went up again in April 2026.

A lot of what is written online still describes the old rules. This guide sets out what applies now, so you can judge honestly whether the route is realistic for you before spending money on tests and applications.

The basic requirements

• A confirmed job offer from a UK employer approved by the Home Office as a licensed sponsor
• A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from that employer describing the role
• A job on the list of eligible occupations at the required skill level
• A salary that meets the minimum for your occupation
• English at the required level
• Enough savings to support yourself on arrival, unless your sponsor covers this

Skill level: mostly degree-level jobs

Since 22 July 2025, new applicants can generally only be sponsored for higher-skilled occupations, meaning roles at degree level (known as RQF level 6) and above. This removed well over a hundred medium-skilled occupations from the route, including many roles in hospitality, retail management and the trades.

Medium-skilled jobs remain eligible only if they appear on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List. Both are time-limited. The Immigration Salary List closes on 31 December 2026, and the Temporary Shortage List runs to the end of 2026 unless the government extends it. Workers sponsored in these medium-skilled roles after July 2025 cannot bring dependants.

Care worker and senior care worker roles are closed to new applicants from overseas altogether. Anyone abroad who is offered a UK care job with sponsorship should treat the offer as suspicious.

The salary threshold

You must be paid at least the general threshold or the “going rate” for your occupation code, whichever is higher. Going rates for professional jobs are often above the general threshold, so always check the figure for your own code.

You may count as a new entrant if you are under 26 when you apply, are switching from a Student or Graduate visa, or are working towards a recognised professional qualification. New entrant status is limited to four years in total, after which you must meet the full rate.

Only guaranteed basic pay counts. Overtime, bonuses and allowances are normally excluded. If your contract includes a clause requiring you to repay visa or recruitment costs, the Home Office can treat that as a deduction from salary, which may push you below the threshold.

English language: now B2

For new Skilled Worker applications made from 8 January 2026, the English requirement rose from level B1 to level B2 on the Common European Framework. B2 is roughly upper-intermediate, equivalent to around IELTS 5.5 to 6.5. You can meet it by:

• Passing an approved Secure English Language Test at B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening
• Holding a degree taught in English, confirmed through UK ENIC where the degree is from outside the UK
• Being a national of a majority English-speaking country on the Home Office list

A degree from a Nigerian, Ghanaian or Kenyan university taught in English can be used, but you will need the UK ENIC confirmation, which has its own fee and processing time. Order it early.

Fees in 2026

Visa fees rose by 6.5% on 8 April 2026. These are the standard fees per person:

On top of the fee you pay the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 per adult per year (£776 for under-18s), charged upfront for the whole visa. You must also show £1,270 in savings, held for 28 consecutive days, unless your employer certifies maintenance on your Certificate of Sponsorship. Dependants need additional funds: £285 for a partner, £315 for the first child and £200 for each further child.

Worked example

These totals do not include English tests, the UK ENIC statement, tuberculosis testing where required, or flights. Doctors, nurses and other eligible health professionals should use the Health and Care Worker visa instead, which has a much lower fee and no health surcharge.

What the employer pays

Your sponsor pays for its sponsor licence, the fee to assign your Certificate of Sponsorship and the Immigration Skills Charge for each year of your visa. Sponsors are not allowed to pass these costs on to you. An employer or agent who asks you to pay for the certificate itself is breaking the rules, and the Home Office can revoke the licence, which would leave your visa at risk.

How to check an employer is genuine

The Home Office publishes the Register of Licensed Sponsors on GOV.UK and updates it regularly. Search for the company’s exact legal name and confirm it is licensed for the Skilled Worker route. Then check that the job offer comes from the company’s own email domain, that the role and salary match what is in the Certificate of Sponsorship, and that nobody is asking you for money. A real CoS has a reference number that you enter in the official visa application.

How to apply

1. Receive your Certificate of Sponsorship reference number from the employer
2. Apply online on GOV.UK up to three months before your start date
3. Pay the fee and health surcharge
4. Prove your identity, either with the UK Immigration: ID Check app or at a visa application centre
5. Upload your documents: passport, English evidence, bank statements if needed, tuberculosis certificate if you are applying from a listed country, and a criminal record certificate for certain occupations
6. Wait for the decision, usually about three weeks from outside the UK. A priority service is available at extra cost

Successful applicants now receive a digital eVisa and not a physical residence card. You view and prove your status through a UK Visas and Immigration online account.

Family, changing jobs and settlement

If your job is at degree level, your partner and children under 18 can apply as dependants, and your partner can work in almost any job. To change employer, or to move to a job with a different occupation code, you need a new Certificate of Sponsorship and must apply to update your visa before you start.

The visa can last up to five years and can be extended. Under the rules in force now, you may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years if you meet the salary and other requirements. The government has been consulting on lengthening the qualifying period for settlement, so check the latest position on GOV.UK as you plan.

Is the route realistic for you?

Be honest with yourself on three questions. Is your occupation at degree level, or on one of the shortage lists? Would a UK employer realistically pay £41,700 or more for the role? Can you reach B2 English? If the answer to all three is yes, the route is open and worth pursuing. If your occupation or likely salary falls short, your effort may be better spent on the Health and Care Worker route, on study followed by the Graduate visa, or on another country whose thresholds fit your profile.

Related guides

• UK Nursing Jobs for Overseas Nurses in 2026: NMC Registration, Salary and Full Costs
• Germany EU Blue Card 2026: Salary Thresholds, Requirements and the Fast Route to Permanent Residence
• Do You Need an Immigration Lawyer for a Work Visa? Costs, Benefits and How to Avoid Fake Agents

Official sources

• GOV.UK: Skilled Worker visa
• GOV.UK: your job and salary requirements
• GOV.UK: how much it costs
• GOV.UK: Register of Licensed Sponsors

Figures were checked in October 2026. UK immigration rules change often, so confirm the current requirements on GOV.UK before you apply. This article is general information and not immigration advice.