We confirm eligibility on both sides, the role and the employer. Where the employer doesn’t yet hold a sponsor licence, we advise on whether the licence application is the right starting point.
Private Immigration
For individuals taking up sponsored employment with a UK based employer.
Overview
The UK Skilled Worker visa allows eligible individuals to live and work in the UK in a qualifying role with a Home Office approved sponsor.
It is one of the main routes for sponsored employment and can lead to settlement after five years.
To qualify, you will need a job offer from an employer that holds a sponsor licence, in a role that meets the required skill level, with a salary that meets the threshold for your occupation. The correct salary will depend on the occupation code, the role and your individual circumstances, so these points should be checked carefully before the application is made.
Key Benefits
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Right to live and work in the UK in the sponsored role
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Five-year route to settlement
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Dependant partner and children can be included
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Access to NHS and public services
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Ability to move to a new sponsor or role, with a new application
Key Requirements
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You must have a job offer from an employer holding a valid Skilled Worker sponsor licence. Your sponsor assigns you a Certificate of Sponsorship, which must be used within its validity period.
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The role must be classified at graduate level (RQF Level 6) under the Home Office’s occupation codes. This is one of the most common reasons a role does not qualify, and it depends on how the job is classified, not on how senior it feels.
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You must meet both the general salary threshold, currently £41,700 per year, and the going rate for your specific occupation, whichever is higher. The going rate is set by the Home Office and varies by role. Reduced thresholds apply in specific circumstances, including Health and Care visa roles in the NHS and care sectors, new entrants such as recent graduates and those under 26, occupations on the Immigration Salary List, roles where a PhD is relevant, and education roles paid on national pay scales. Which one applies depends on the role, the candidate and the occupation code.
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B2 level on the Common European Framework, shown through an approved test or a qualifying degree.
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You must show £1,270 held for 28 days, unless your sponsor certifies your maintenance on the Certificate of Sponsorship. Most established sponsors do this routinely.
Where applications fall short
The most common issues we see under the post-2024 rules:
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Since the April 2024 rise to RQF Level 6, some sponsored roles look graduate-level on paper but fall short on closer reading of the SOC code requirements. This is now the most common reason for refusal.
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Confusing the general threshold and the going rate is the most common employer error. Both must be met. A £40,000 offer for a role with a going rate of £45,000 fails, even though it exceeds the general threshold.
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The CoS, contract, and job description must align. Inconsistencies between them cause refusals even where eligibility is otherwise clear.
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New entrant rates, ISL discounts, and PhD discounts apply only in specific circumstances. Generic application of “new entrant rates” without properly meeting the criteria is a recurring error.
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Where a sponsor faces an audit or compliance action, applications under their licence can be delayed or refused.
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Dependants need separate evidence of relationship, finances, and English (where required), and weak dependant applications can hold up the principal.
Is this route right for you?
The Skilled Worker route is likely to suit you if:
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You have a job offer from a UK-based employer with a valid sponsor licence
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The role meets the RQF Level 6 skill threshold
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The salary meets both the general threshold and the going rate
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You are looking for a long-term route to settlement in the UK
If your role sits below RQF Level 6, or the salary is below the relevant threshold, the standard Skilled Worker route is unlikely to apply. The Innovator Founder, Global Talent, or Global Business Mobility routes may be alternatives depending on circumstances. We assess this at the initial consultation.
How we approach Skilled Worker applications
Initial Assessment
Application Preparation
We work with the applicant and the sponsor to align the Certificate of Sponsorship, employment contract, and supporting evidence. Most refusals stem from inconsistencies here, and getting them right at the outset saves time and risk.
Submission and Tracking
Submission and tracking: We prepare and submit the application, advise on biometrics and dependants, and track through to decision.
Extensions and Settlement
Most clients return to us at the extension and settlement stages. Settlement requires meeting the salary threshold in force at that time, which can change, so we plan for this from the start of the engagement.
Highly Rated By Our Clients
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5-Star
Client-rated
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22+
Years’ experience
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes, but each change requires a new CoS from the new sponsor and a new visa application. You cannot start the new role until the new visa is granted.
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You have 60 days (or until your visa expires, whichever is shorter) to find a new sponsor, switch routes, or leave the UK.
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Yes, after five years of continuous residence, subject to meeting the requirements (including the salary threshold then in force) at the time of the settlement application.
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Yes. Your partner and dependent children can apply as dependants, either at the same time or later.
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In most cases, yes, depending on your current immigration status. You generally cannot switch from a visitor visa.
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Yes. Most Skilled Worker applications are not for ISL roles. ISL inclusion gives a salary discount but is not a requirement.
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The employer would need to apply for one, which is a separate process with its own requirements and typical 8–12 week timeline. This is covered on our Sponsor License page.
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Skill level is determined by the SOC code assigned to the role, not by the job title. Borderline cases benefit from careful review against the SOC code requirements before any CoS is issued, since correcting this after a refusal is more costly than getting it right first time.
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No. The salary at the point of application must meet the relevant threshold. Anticipated future raises don’t count.
Speak To Us
Whether you are an applicant or an employer considering sponsorship, the first step is to assess whether the role and salary meet the Skilled Worker requirements and identify the most suitable route forward.
What Our Clients Say
Clear, calm advice at the point we needed it most — and there wasn’t a word of jargon in any of it.
Private client
Spouse visa
We were kept informed at every stage and never once had to chase an update. Knowing exactly where the application stood made a difficult year considerably easier to carry.
Private client
Skilled Worker visa
Moving part of our senior team to London looked impossible on the timescale we’d been given. The route was mapped out at the first meeting, the Home Office correspondence was handled end to end, and every application came back granted.
HR Director
Corporate client
Contact Us
For advice on moving to, working in or settling in the UK, our immigration lawyers are here to guide you through every stage of the process.