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SkilledJobs
Eligibility guide

Skilled Worker Visa Jobs in the UK

Which occupations qualify under the current Skilled Worker rules, what you need to be paid, and how to find employers that hold a sponsor licence. Updated for the July 2025 rule changes.

How to read the employers on this site

Every employer shown holds a Skilled Worker sponsor licence, verified against the Home Office register. A licence does not guarantee sponsorship for any specific vacancy.

What the Skilled Worker route requires

Four conditions have to hold at once. Failing any one of them ends the application, however strong the rest are.

A licensed sponsor

Your employer must hold a Skilled Worker sponsor licence and issue you a Certificate of Sponsorship. You cannot obtain one yourself. Check an employer’s licence status.

An eligible occupation

The role must appear on the Home Office list of eligible occupations and, since 22 July 2025, sit at RQF Level 6 or above under the standard route.

A qualifying salary

The higher of your occupation’s going rate and the general threshold — £41,700 standard, £33,400 new entrant. Compare an offer against the thresholds.

English language

You must prove English at the required level, by test, degree taught in English, or nationality, depending on your circumstances.

What changed in July 2025

Two changes reshaped who qualifies. Both are still in force.

Skill threshold raised to RQF Level 6

From 22 July 2025 the standard Skilled Worker route requires occupations at RQF Level 6 — broadly graduate level — where the previous floor was RQF Level 3. A large number of roles that qualified before that date no longer do under the standard route. If you were researching eligibility before mid-2025, check the occupation again rather than relying on what you found then.

Care Worker and Senior Care Worker closed to new overseas applicants

Care Worker (SOC 6135) and Senior Care Worker (SOC 6136) closed to new overseas applicants from 22 July 2025. Transitional arrangements allow in-country switching and extensions for workers already legally employed by their sponsor until 22 July 2028. This is the change most often missed by guidance written before mid-2025, and it is the one most likely to waste an applicant’s time — care roles were among the most common Skilled Worker occupations before the closure.

Sources: GOV.UK — Skilled Worker visa, eligible occupations appendix, and the immigration rules statements of changes.

Eligible occupations at a glance

Counts come from our synced copy of the GOV.UK eligible occupations appendix.

306
Eligible occupations

SOC codes currently listed as eligible for the Skilled Worker route.

23
On the salary list

Eligible occupations that also sit on the Immigration Salary List.

11,800+
Licensed employers

Organisations on the Home Office register of licensed sponsors.

Eligible occupations appendix — verified .

Browse eligible roles by field

Each occupation page shows the going rate we hold for that SOC code and the licensed employers matched to it.

Browse all Skilled Worker eligible occupations or check the Immigration Salary List.

Find employers licensed to sponsor

By employer

See which companies can sponsor a UK visa, broken down by sector and region.

By current listing

Browse UK visa sponsorship jobs at licensed sponsors, refreshed daily.

Check yourself first

Use the Skilled Worker eligibility checker before you start applying.

Common questions

Does a sponsor licence mean they'll sponsor me?

No. A sponsor licence means the Home Office permits that employer to sponsor Skilled Worker visas. It does not mean they are currently sponsoring, that any particular vacancy is open to sponsorship, or that they would sponsor you. Plenty of licensed employers sponsor only a few people a year. The licence is what makes sponsorship possible; it is not a commitment to provide it. Always ask the employer directly before you build an application around a role.

What changed for the Skilled Worker visa in July 2025?

Two changes matter most. First, the skill threshold rose from RQF Level 3 to RQF Level 6 on 22 July 2025, so occupations must now sit at graduate level to qualify under the standard route. Second, Care Worker (SOC 6135) and Senior Care Worker (SOC 6136) closed to new overseas applicants from 22 July 2025. Transitional arrangements allow in-country switching and extensions for workers already legally employed by their sponsor until 22 July 2028.

Can care workers still get a Skilled Worker visa?

Not from overseas. New entry clearance applications for SOC 6135 and SOC 6136 have been closed since 22 July 2025. If you are already in the UK and legally employed by a licensed sponsor in one of these roles, in-country switching and extension routes may remain open under transitional arrangements until 22 July 2028. Related roles such as Care Manager (SOC 1242) and registered health professionals are unaffected. Speak to a regulated adviser about your own position.

What salary do I need for a Skilled Worker visa?

You generally need the higher of the going rate published for your occupation and the general threshold, which is £41,700 for standard applicants and £33,400 for new entrants. Where no going rate is published for an occupation, the general threshold applies on its own. Each occupation page on this site shows the going rate we hold for that SOC code.

Do I need a job offer before I apply?

Yes. The Skilled Worker route requires a confirmed job offer from an employer that holds a sponsor licence, and that employer must issue you a Certificate of Sponsorship. You cannot apply on the strength of qualifications alone, and you cannot obtain a Certificate of Sponsorship yourself.

How do I find employers licensed to sponsor my occupation?

Start from the occupation you are eligible for, then look at licensed employers in that sector and area. Every organisation on this site is drawn from the published Home Office register of licensed sponsors, so you can confirm licence status before spending time on an application.