UK Skilled Worker Visa 2026: Salary Thresholds, Skill Level and the Route to Settlement

The Skilled Worker visa is the UK's main route for taking up a job with a UK employer. It has changed a lot since 2024, and the 2026 version is meaningfully harder to qualify for than the one many older guides describe. Here is where it stands.

The three requirements that filter most people out

1. A licensed sponsor and a Certificate of Sponsorship. You need a genuine job offer from a UK employer that holds a Skilled Worker sponsor licence, and they must assign you a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for the specific role. No licensed sponsor, no visa.

2. The job has to be skilled enough. Since 22 July 2025, the role must sit at RQF Level 6 — roughly bachelor's-degree level — up from RQF Level 3. That change removed a large number of mid-skill occupations (many technician, care, and hospitality roles) from the route entirely.

3. The salary. You must be paid the higher of:

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

There are lower thresholds for some situations — new entrants, certain health and education roles, and roles on the Immigration Salary List — but the base case in 2026 is £41,700 or the going rate, whichever is more. The Home Office also checks that you are paid the required amount in every pay period, not just as an annual average.

English: B2 from January 2026

From 8 January 2026, new Skilled Worker applicants must demonstrate English at CEFR B2 (upper-intermediate), up from B1. You prove this with an approved test, a degree taught in English, or by being a national of a majority-English-speaking country.

How the 70 points work

You need 70 points:

• 50 mandatory points: sponsorship by an approved employer + a job at the required skill level + English at B2.
• 20 tradeable points: usually from salary at or above the required level. You can also earn them with a relevant PhD, a PhD in a STEM subject, or a job on the Immigration Salary List.

The route to settlement

Time on a Skilled Worker visa counts toward Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). The qualifying period has been the subject of significant policy change — proposals to extend the standard route to ten years have been discussed — so check the current rule for your situation. Read our note on the [ILR changes for Skilled Worker holders](/blog/uk-ilr-changes-2026-skilled-worker).

Before you count on this route

Two realistic checks:

• Is your occupation still eligible after the RQF Level 6 change? Many are not. Search your role in our [occupations catalog](/occupations) and check the going rate.
• Will the employer actually sponsor? Many UK employers do not hold a licence or will not sponsor for your level. Confirm before you build a plan around it.

Run our [Visa Fit Check](/tools/visa-checker) to see how the Skilled Worker visa ranks for you against every other UK route, or a full [Evaluation](/evaluation) for a multi-country comparison.