Skilled Worker Visa Salary Threshold 2026: £38,700 + Going Rate

TL;DR

The UK Skilled Worker salary threshold in 2026 is £38,700 per year (general minimum) or the going rate for your occupation, whichever is higher. Lower minimums apply to new entrants (£30,960), roles on the Immigration Salary List (80% of the going rate), and the Health and Care Worker route (£29,000). Only guaranteed basic pay counts — not bonuses, overtime or allowances.

The two tests your salary must pass

A Skilled Worker salary has to clear both of these, and the higher one is what actually binds:

If your occupation's going rate is £49,400 and the general minimum is £38,700, you need £49,400. If your going rate is below £38,700, you still need £38,700. You can never go below the general minimum that applies to your case.

The thresholds in 2026

The £38,700 general minimum took effect on 4 April 2024 (up from £26,200). For the history and what may change next, see salary threshold changes.

What counts as salary — and what doesn't

This catches more applicants than any other part of the rule. Only guaranteed basic gross pay for your normal contracted hours counts.

Does not count towards the threshold:

• Overtime, even if regular
• Bonuses (annual, performance, signing)
• Tips, gratuities and service charge
• Shift premiums and on-call payments
• Allowances, unless they are guaranteed, permanent and paid for the life of the visa
• Employer pension contributions
• The cash value of benefits-in-kind (accommodation, car, healthcare)

So a £36,000 base salary with a £6,000 bonus does not meet £38,700 — only the £36,000 base counts.

How to check the going rate for your role

1. Find the SOC code (Standard Occupational Classification) for the job — your employer assigns this on the Certificate of Sponsorship.
2. Look up that code in the Home Office list of eligible occupations and going rates.
3. The going rate is quoted as an annual figure based on a 37.5-hour week — it is pro-rated to your actual contracted hours.
4. Compare it to the general minimum that applies to you and take the higher figure.

Run our points calculator to check whether your salary and role clear the 70-point Skilled Worker requirement before you apply.

The new-entrant rate (£30,960)

You can use the reduced new-entrant minimum if any of these apply:

• You're under 26 on the date of application
• You're switching from a Student or Graduate visa
• You're within 4 years of starting your professional career
• The role is a postdoctoral position in science or higher education

The new-entrant rate lasts up to 4 years. After that, an extension or new application must meet the standard threshold — so plan a salary path that reaches £38,700 (or your going rate) before the 4 years are up.

Immigration Salary List roles

Occupations on the Immigration Salary List get 80% of the going rate and reduced application fees on visas over 3 years (£1,084 instead of £1,500). The general £38,700 minimum still applies as a floor. The list is reviewed periodically and is much shorter than the old Shortage Occupation List.

Working out your exact required figure

Take the two tests, apply any reduction you qualify for, and use the higher number:

Example — standard applicant, Marketing Manager (illustrative going rate £40,500):

• General minimum: £38,700
• Going rate: £40,500
• Required: £40,500 (going rate is higher)

Example — new entrant switching from Graduate, same role:

• New-entrant minimum: £30,960
• Going rate at 70%: £40,500 × 0.70 = £28,350
• Required: £30,960 (the new-entrant floor is higher than the discounted going rate)

So a new entrant in this role needs £30,960, while a standard applicant needs £40,500 — a large gap that's worth understanding before you negotiate salary.

Part-time and pro-rata

The going rate is pro-rated to your contracted hours (based on a 37.5-hour week), so part-time hours reduce it. But the general minimum (£38,700 / £30,960) is an absolute floor that is not pro-rated down for fewer hours. In practice this means most part-time roles can't meet the threshold unless the full-time-equivalent salary is very high. If you're considering reduced hours, model the figure carefully with your employer before the CoS is assigned — a salary that looks fine full-time can fall below the floor once pro-rated.

Common ways applicants fall short

• Counting the bonus. Base pay alone must hit the threshold.
• Missing the going rate. The base clears £38,700 but is below the higher going rate for the SOC code.
• Wrong SOC code. The employer picks a code with a lower going rate than the job actually warrants — a mismatch the caseworker can flag.
• Pro-rating down. Part-time hours pro-rate the going rate but not the £38,700 general minimum, which is an absolute floor.

If a refusal turns on salary or SOC code, it's worth a professional review before you re-apply.

Where to find sponsoring employers

The threshold only matters once you have an offer from a licensed sponsor. To find UK employers actively sponsoring Skilled Worker visas — and the salaries they advertise — see our sister site Tarve.

Once you have an offer, use the checklist generator to assemble exactly the documents your application needs.