The UK skilled worker visa route is for foreign workers looking to work in the UK. The employers hiring foreign workers in specified job roles where the skill set of a foreign worker matches the job requirement. Any UK organization looking to hire foreign workers has to have a sponsor license first. Only a licensed sponsor can issue a certificate of sponsorship to foreign workers. A certificate of sponsorship is a key requirement for both a sponsor and a skilled worker visa applicant.

Another key requirement of a skilled worker visa is the minimum salary offered. In this article, we will see the salary required for new entrants under a skilled worker visa.

Who is a new entrant under a skilled worker visa?

You will be a new entrant if any one of the following is true:

• You’re under 26 on the date of application.
• You are currently studying at a bachelor’s degree level or above in the UK on a student visa—or you have been in the last 2 years, and your most recent visa was a student or v.
• You are currently on a graduate visa in the UK, or you have been in the last 2 years.
• You will be working towards a recognized professional qualification in a UK-related profession.
• You will be working in the job you’re being sponsored for towards full registration or chartered status.

Your total stay cannot be more than 4 years in the UK if you apply for one of the above reasons. This is inclusive of any time you have already spent on a graduate visa in the UK.

• You have a postdoctoral position in science or higher education, and your job is in one of the following occupation codes:
• Occupation code – 2111 - Chemical scientists
• Occupation code - 2112 - Biological scientists 
• Occupation code - 2113 - Biochemists and biomedical scientists
• Occupation code - 2114 - Physical scientists 
• Occupation code – 2115 - Social and humanities scientists 
• Occupation code 2119 - Natural and social science professionals not elsewhere classified
• Occupation code - 2162 - Other researchers, unspecified discipline
• Occupation code – 2311 - Higher education teaching professionals

Your total stay cannot be more than 4 years in the UK if you apply for a postdoctoral position in an occupation code mentioned above. This is inclusive of any time you have already spent on a graduate visa in the UK.

New entrants are, however, granted maximum of 4 years period of leave. After this period, you must further apply if you wish to remain in the UK. You would no longer be a ‘new entrant’ if you are continuing under the UK Skilled Worker route.

Salary Requirements for New Entrants under UK Skilled Worker Visa

Usually, someone who received their first certificate of sponsorship on or after 4 April 2024 must be paid at least £38,700 or their job’s standard ‘going rate,’ whichever is higher. However, fresh graduates or individuals under 26 years old applying for their first professional role are eligible for a lower salary threshold. This means qualifying new entrants can be paid less than £38,700 or their job’s standard ‘going rate.’ Their salary must be equal to or exceed all of the following:

• 70% of their job’s standard going rate
• Annual salary of at least £30,960
• £15.88 per hour

Lower salary requirements will cease to exist for applications made after 4 April 2030. You must keep yourself updated with changing salary requirements and your salary will still need to go up in line with the updated ‘going rates’ each time you apply.

Each occupation has its unique code and its own annual going rate. You can check the going rate for your job here.

These going rates are based on a 37.5-hour working week and must be pro-rated for other working patterns based on the weekly working hours stated by the applicant’s sponsor.

If You Applied Before 4 April 2024

The new entrants who received their first Certificate of Sponsorship before 4 April 2024 must be paid at least 70% of their job’s lower going rate if their salary is at least £23,200 per year.

Components of Salary for New Entrants under Skilled Worker Visa

There are several components of salary for a skilled worker visa. However, the primary component of your salary is the basic gross salary. Other components usually include allowances, commissions, bonus and overtime. Only the basic salary is considered while assessing your minimum salary requirements.

a. Base Salary -

This is the fixed annual amount to be paid to the employee agreed upon by the employer and employee in the employment contract.

b. Various Allowances -

In the calculation of salary, certain allowances, such as accommodation or travel expenses, can be included.

c. Bonuses and Overtime -

Generally, these are not included unless guaranteed by the employer and contractual.

What is Included in Calculating New Entrant’s Salary

Generally, only guaranteed basic gross pay is included. Other payments, such as London weighting, can also be included, but only where it has been confirmed by the sponsor that they are guaranteed and are treated exactly the same as basic gross pay for pension, tax, and national insurance purposes.

No other pay and benefits, such as allowance, bonus, and commission, must be included when assessing salary.

If You Will Be Working in a Postdoctoral Position in Science or Higher Education

You can be paid 70% of your job’s standard going rate if you have a job offer to work in a postdoctoral position in certain science or higher education roles.

If You Work in the Healthcare or Education Sector

Different salary rules will apply if you work in some healthcare or education jobs. In such a job, your salary must be at least £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) per year or more if your job’s ‘going rate’ is higher.

The going rates for these jobs are set by relevant independent bodies such as the NHS, and they are based on the national pay scales.

How Can We Help?

If you want to apply for a UK skilled worker visa, we can help you immensely. Our expert UK immigration caseworker will guide you on the salary requirements for the visa. If you are looking to apply as a new entrant, we will help you understand whether you meet the requirements of the new entrant. If you do, we also help you understand whether the job and salary offered to you meet the minimum salary threshold requirement. We help you know your job occupation code, its ‘going rate,’ and working hours a week requirements. Other than assistance on salary requirements, we help you complete the UK skilled worker visa application without any hassle.

For any query or issue, you can call us at +44 (0)20 3411 1261.