The main work visa route. Requires a licensed sponsor, a job offer in an eligible SOC code, and a salary meeting the general threshold or the going rate, whichever is higher. First-time applicants need English at CEFR B2.
Enter your offered salary and SOC codeStandard Occupational Classification: the official code the Home Office uses for your job role. to see if you meet the salary threshold for this route.
| Effective date | SOC code | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-22 | General | £41,700 | General threshold raised from £38,700 to £41,700 |
| 2025-07-22 | 2131 | £58,200 | Going rate for IT project managers |
| 2025-07-22 | 2132 | £55,000 | Going rate for IT managers |
| 2025-07-22 | 2133 | £54,900 | Going rate for IT business analysts, architects and systems designers |
| 2025-07-22 | 2134 | £54,700 | Going rate for programmers and software development professionals |
| 2025-07-22 | 2135 | £48,500 | Going rate for cyber security professionals |
| 2025-07-22 | 2139 | £52,300 | Going rate for IT professionals n.e.c. (includes DevOps) |
| 2024-04-04 | General | £38,700 | General threshold raised from £26,200 to £38,700 |
| 2024-04-04 | 2133 | £45,000 | Going rate for IT specialist managers |
| 2024-04-04 | 2134 | £41,000 | Going rate for IT project and programme managers |