// SKILLED WORKER
sponsor required

The main work visa route. Requires a licensed sponsor, a job offer in an eligible SOC code, and a salary meeting the general or going-rate threshold.

SALARY THRESHOLD
£38,700 / yr
VISA DURATION
5 years
// PROCESSING TIME
15 days median
90th percentile: 40 days · snapshot 2025-03-01T00:00:00Z
// SALARY THRESHOLD HISTORY
EFFECTIVE DATE SOC CODE AMOUNT NOTES
2024-04-04T00:00:00Z General £38,700 General threshold raised from £26,200 to £38,700
2024-04-04T00:00:00Z 2133 £45,000 Going rate for IT specialist managers
2024-04-04T00:00:00Z 2134 £41,000 Going rate for IT project and programme managers
2024-04-04T00:00:00Z 2135 £38,700 Going rate for IT business analysts, architects and systems designers
2024-04-04T00:00:00Z 2136 £40,000 Going rate for programmers and software development professionals
2024-04-04T00:00:00Z 2137 £38,700 Going rate for web design professionals
2024-04-04T00:00:00Z 2139 £38,700 Going rate for IT professionals NEC (includes cyber security)
2024-04-04T00:00:00Z General £38,700 General threshold raised from £26,200 to £38,700
2024-04-04T00:00:00Z 2133 £45,000 Going rate for IT specialist managers
2024-04-04T00:00:00Z 2134 £41,000 Going rate for IT project and programme managers
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