Understanding these changes is essential for employers and prospective visa applicants planning their immigration pathway into 2027 and beyond. This guide explains the post-ISL salary requirements, the role of the TSL, and how the RQF 6+ skill threshold shapes eligibility.
What Happens to the Immigration Salary List in 2027?
The Immigration Salary List has provided a 20% salary discount for specific occupations deemed in shortage. However, this list will be abolished on , coinciding with a broader policy shift that raises the minimum skill level for Skilled Worker sponsorship from RQF 3+ to RQF 6+.
This means that from 1 January 2027, the 20% ISL salary discount disappears for all Skilled Worker applicants at RQF 6+, and the standard general threshold applies.
Skilled Worker Visa Salary Thresholds from January 2027
The £41,700 general threshold took effect on 22 July 2025 and remains in place for 2027 applications. It applies to all RQF 6+ Skilled Worker roles unless you qualify for one of the limited exceptions outlined in the "when you can be paid less" guidance.
Even if your occupation's going rate is lower than £41,700, you must still meet the general threshold. For example, if your occupation has a going rate of £38,000, your Certificate of Sponsorship must confirm a salary of at least £41,700.
Conversely, if the going rate for your occupation is £50,000, your sponsor must offer you at least £50,000 per year, because you must be paid whichever is higher: the general threshold or the going rate.
Part-Time Work and Pro-Rata Calculations
If you work fewer than the standard full-time hours, your salary threshold is calculated pro-rata using the formula specified in the Skilled Worker guidance:
Your actual salary must also meet the pro-rated going rate for your occupation. The Home Office will assess whichever is higher. If you work fewer than 37.5 hours per week, your hourly rate is calculated by dividing your annual salary by 52 weeks and then by your weekly hours.
Temporary Shortage List: What You Need to Know
The Temporary Shortage List replaces the ISL from 1 January 2027. It is a new policy mechanism intended to address specific, time-limited labour shortages in RQF 3–5 mid-skilled occupations—roles that fall below the new RQF 6+ threshold for the standard Skilled Worker route.
No Salary Discount on the TSL
Unlike the ISL, which offered a 20% discount on the general threshold, occupations listed on the TSL do not receive any salary reduction. Applicants for TSL roles must meet the same minimum salary as standard Skilled Worker applicants: at least £41,700 per year, or the going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher.
Because the TSL is explicitly for RQF 3–5 roles, it does not affect most Skilled Worker applicants in professional or managerial occupations at RQF 6 or above. However, for workers in eligible mid-skilled roles, the TSL provides a continued route to UK sponsorship that would otherwise be closed after the skill threshold increase.
Transitional Provisions for Current Visa Holders
If you already hold a Skilled Worker visa and wish to extend it, transitional provisions may allow you to continue under the previous, lower salary thresholds—provided you apply before a specified cut-off date.
However, if your extension application is submitted on or after 1 December 2026, or if you are making a new initial application from 1 January 2027 onwards, you must meet the £41,700 general threshold (or higher going rate), even if your occupation was previously on the ISL.
RQF 6+ Skill Requirement
From 1 January 2027, all occupations eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship must be at RQF level 6 or above. RQF 6 corresponds to degree-level qualifications and professional roles.
This means that occupations previously eligible at RQF 3, 4, or 5—such as many care, hospitality, and trade roles—are no longer sponsorable under the standard Skilled Worker route unless they are specifically listed on the Temporary Shortage List.
The skill threshold increase is intended to focus the Skilled Worker visa on graduate-level and highly skilled professional roles, with targeted exceptions managed through the TSL for demonstrable labour shortages.
When You Can Be Paid Less Than the General Threshold
Certain limited circumstances allow you to be paid below the £41,700 general threshold. These exceptions are set out in the Skilled Worker visa: when you can be paid less guidance and remain in force after the ISL expires.
New Entrants
If you meet the new entrant criteria, the minimum salary is 70% of the going rate for your occupation, or £30,960 per year, whichever is higher.
Working towards a recognised professional qualification in your occupation
The £30,960 minimum threshold for new entrants applies for the first three years of Skilled Worker sponsorship. After that period, you must meet the standard salary requirements to extend your visa.
Health and Care Workers
Health and care workers sponsored under the separate Health and Care Worker visa route are subject to different thresholds. From July 2025, the general salary threshold for this route increased by seven per cent from £29,000 to £31,300. This threshold remains distinct from the Skilled Worker route and is unchanged by the expiry of the ISL.
PhD-Level Jobs
If your job is in an eligible PhD-level occupation code and requires a PhD qualification relevant to the role, the minimum salary may be reduced to 90% of the going rate for the occupation, provided it is not lower than £41,700. This discount applies only if the PhD is directly relevant to the sponsored role.
How to Check Your Occupation's Going Rate and Eligibility
To determine whether your occupation is eligible for sponsorship and what your minimum salary must be from 1 January 2027:
Compare the going rate to the £41,700 general threshold. Your sponsor must offer you whichever is higher.
If your occupation is at RQF 3–5, check whether it appears on the Temporary Shortage List. If it does not, it is not sponsorable from 1 January 2027.
Your sponsor is responsible for confirming that your role meets both the skill level and salary requirements before issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. Incorrect or non-compliant sponsorship may result in visa refusal or curtailment.
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) Salary Requirements
For applicants planning to settle permanently in the UK, salary requirements for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) remain distinct and are not affected by the ISL expiry or TSL introduction.
To qualify for ILR based on long residence as a Skilled Worker, you must have spent five continuous years in the UK and meet the salary requirements set out in the ILR guidance. These are linked to the going rate for your occupation at the time you apply for settlement.
If your salary fell below the standard threshold during your visa period due to transitional provisions or new entrant status, you should review the ILR salary requirements carefully at least 12 months before you intend to apply.
These thresholds apply unless you qualify for an exception under the "when you can be paid less" rules. Always confirm your sponsor's offer meets both the general threshold and the going rate for your occupation.
Planning Ahead: What Employers and Applicants Should Do
For Employers
Review current ISL sponsorships: If you sponsor workers in occupations currently on the ISL, check whether those roles meet the RQF 6+ threshold. If they do, prepare to meet the £41,700 general threshold from 1 January 2027.
Check RQF levels of your workforce: Roles at RQF 3–5 that are not on the TSL will no longer be sponsorable under the Skilled Worker route after 31 December 2026. You may need to recruit domestically or explore alternative visa routes.
Update salary offers in Certificates of Sponsorship: From 1 January 2027, all new and extension CoS applications must reflect the post-ISL thresholds. Offering a salary below the required minimum will result in visa refusal.
Monitor TSL updates: The Migration Advisory Committee reviews the TSL periodically. Check GOV.UK regularly for changes to the list of eligible occupations.
Confirm your occupation's going rate and RQF level: Use the going rates for eligible occupation codes guidance to check your role's classification. If your occupation is at RQF 3–5 and not on the TSL, you will not be eligible for sponsorship from 1 January 2027.
Discuss salary increases with your sponsor: If your current salary is below the £41,700 threshold, speak to your employer about adjusting your offer in advance of the 2027 changes.
Consider new entrant status: If you are under 26 or meet other new entrant criteria, you may qualify for a reduced threshold of £30,960, easing the transition during the first three years.
