UK Skilled Worker Visa 2026: Complete Guide to Eligibility, Salary, English and Fees

The UK Skilled Worker visa lets you work in the UK for a Home Office-licensed employer in an eligible job. As of October 2026, the job usually has to be at degree level (RQF 6 or above), pay at least £41,700 a year or the going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher, and you need English at B2 level. The visa can last up to 5 years and currently leads to settlement after 5 years.

Key points

• You need a job offer and a certificate of sponsorship (CoS) from a licensed sponsor. There is no route without a sponsor.
• Since 22 July 2025, most new roles must be at RQF 6 (graduate level). Medium-skilled roles only qualify if they appear on a shortage list.
• The general salary threshold is £41,700, with a floor of £33,400 for certain applicants.
• New applicants have needed B2 English since 8 January 2026.
• Visa fees start at £819 from outside the UK, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 a year.

Who the Skilled Worker visa is for

The Skilled Worker visa is the UK’s main long-term work route. It replaced the old Tier 2 (General) visa. To qualify you must:

1. Work for a UK employer approved by the Home Office (a “sponsor”).
2. Have a certificate of sponsorship from that employer with details of the job.
3. Do a job on the list of eligible occupations.
4. Be paid at least the minimum salary for that job.
5. Prove your knowledge of English.

These requirements are set out on the official Skilled Worker visa page. Check that your employer holds a sponsor licence before you rely on a job offer. The Home Office publishes a register of licensed sponsors.

The job: skill level and occupation codes

Every job is matched to a four-digit occupation code. The your job page on GOV.UK explains how to find yours.

The RQF 6 rule since July 2025

The Statement of Changes HC 997 raised the skill threshold to RQF 6 (roughly bachelor’s degree level) for new applications from 22 July 2025. According to the HC 997 explanatory memorandum, this removed around 180 occupations from the route.

Medium-skilled jobs (RQF 3 to 5) can still be sponsored only if:

• the occupation is on the Temporary Shortage List (TSL) or Immigration Salary List (ISL), or
• you are a prison officer extending or switching.

Workers sponsored in RQF 3 to 5 roles from these lists generally cannot bring dependants. Both lists are due to expire at the end of 2026. Read our explainer on what happens to the Temporary Shortage List after December 2026 for the latest position.

Transitional protection for existing workers

If you were already on the Skilled Worker route before 22 July 2025, you can keep extending, change employer and take supplementary work in roles below RQF 6. GOV.UK confirms that people extending whose first CoS was issued before 22 July 2025 can apply even if their medium-skilled job is not on the ISL or TSL. The government has said these arrangements will be reviewed and will not last indefinitely.

Care workers

Overseas recruitment of care workers and senior care workers (codes 6135 and 6136) closed on 22 July 2025. See UK care worker visa closed: what options remain? if this affects you.

Salary requirements

As of October 2026, you must usually be paid the higher of:

• £41,700 a year, or
• the going rate for your occupation code.

The threshold rose from £38,700 on 22 July 2025. Some applicants can be paid less, for example people under 26 or switching from a Student or Graduate visa (new entrants), people with a PhD relevant to the job, and postdoctoral researchers. Even then, the salary usually cannot fall below £33,400 a year. Healthcare and education roles on national pay scales follow separate rules.

Salary is the most common reason applications fail, so we cover it in its own post: Skilled Worker salary thresholds and going rates explained.

English language requirement

According to the knowledge of English page, you must show English at B2 on the CEFR scale if you are applying for the first time or switching from another visa. This replaced the B1 requirement on 8 January 2026.

Your situation	Level needed
First Skilled Worker application	B2
Switching from another visa (except Health and Care Worker)	B2
Extending or updating a visa you held before 8 January 2026	B1
Switching from a Health and Care Worker visa	No new proof needed

You can prove English with:

• a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider
• a GCSE, A level or Scottish equivalent in English, started before you were 18
• a degree taught in English (a non-UK degree needs an Ecctis confirmation)
• evidence from a previous successful visa application

You do not need to prove English if you are a national of a listed majority English-speaking country, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the USA. Doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives and vets who passed an English assessment accepted by their regulator are also exempt.

Costs

Fees below are from the Home Office fees table dated 8 October 2026 and the how much it costs page.

Application	Up to 3 years	Over 3 years
From outside the UK	£819	£1,618
From inside the UK (extend, switch, update)	£943	£1,865
Immigration Salary List job	£628	£1,235

On top of the application fee you will usually pay:

• Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): £1,035 per year of the visa, for you and each dependant.
• Maintenance funds: at least £1,270 held for 28 days in a row, unless you have been in the UK on a valid visa for 12 months or your sponsor certifies maintenance on your CoS.
• English test fees, if you need a SELT.
• Optional priority (£500) or super priority (£1,000) services where offered.

Your employer pays the CoS fee (£525) and the Immigration Skills Charge. They are not allowed to pass the Immigration Skills Charge on to you.

How to apply: step by step

1. Get a job offer from a licensed sponsor. Confirm the occupation code, salary and start date.
2. Receive your certificate of sponsorship. This is an electronic record with a reference number, not a paper document.
3. Check English and funds. Book a SELT early if you need one, and make sure your savings have been held for 28 consecutive days.
4. Apply online. You can apply up to 3 months before the start date on your CoS. Pay the fee and the IHS.
5. Prove your identity. Depending on your nationality, you either use the UK Immigration: ID Check app or attend a visa application centre.
6. Get a decision. GOV.UK says decisions usually take about 3 weeks from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside the UK.
7. Set up your UKVI account. Your status is issued as an eVisa, which you use to prove your right to work.

Bringing your family

Your partner and children under 18 can usually apply as your dependants. Each pays the same application fee and the IHS and needs their own maintenance funds unless the sponsor certifies them. The main exception is the dependant ban for RQF 3 to 5 roles sponsored through the TSL or ISL since 22 July 2025. The HC 997 memorandum lists limited exemptions, including children born in the UK.

What you can and cannot do

On a Skilled Worker visa you can work in the sponsored job, study, travel abroad and return, do some additional work in certain circumstances, and volunteer. You cannot claim most public funds or change job or employer without applying to update your visa.

Settlement after 5 years, and what may change

Under the rules in force in October 2026, Skilled Workers can apply for indefinite leave to remain after 5 years. The ILR fee is £3,226.

The government consulted on an “earned settlement” model that would make 10 years the standard qualifying period. As of 11 October 2026 the consultation outcome has not been published and no new settlement rules have been laid. The Home Office has said the policy will be set out before the end of 2026. Check our updates page and the UK country hub for the latest position before you plan around a specific date.

What to do next

• Ask your employer for the occupation code and salary in writing, and check both against the GOV.UK going rates table.
• Book an approved English test now if you do not yet have B2 evidence.
• Start saving the £1,270 maintenance funds at least 28 days before you plan to apply, unless your sponsor will certify maintenance.
• If your case is unusual, for example a past refusal or a change of occupation code, speak to an OISC/IAA-regulated adviser or a solicitor. This guide is general information, not legal advice.