The British government has taken several measures since early 2025 to stop illegal immigration and curb net inward immigration in the UK. The government wants to allow people who can significantly contribute to the UK’s economy and society to come and later settle in the UK. To achieve this objective, the Home Office first increased salary level and skill level for people applying as Skilled Worker on or after 22 July 2025 and then they also have increased English language level from 8 January 2026. 

The government intends to allow only those who get high-skilled jobs, are paid higher salary, and can meet higher English language threshold to come (leave to enter), stay (leave to remain) and them make UK their home through ILR (also known as settlement).

In this attempt, the minimum salary requirements for the Skilled Worker visa were updated in 2025, and after this update, those applying for a fresh Skilled Worker visa on or after 22 July 2025 must meet the new, higher minimum salary level. In other words, UK employers with a sponsor licence looking to hire global talent must offer a minimum salary threshold if they issue a Certificate of Sponsorship on or after 22 July 2025.

From this date, the standard salary requirement for Skilled Workers has been increased to £41,700 per year from £38,700 per year.

Your employer must make sure they pay you at least the minimum wage and also follow the UK rules for how many hours a week you work. If they do not do this, your Skilled Worker visa application will be refused.

In this article, we will explore further the UK Skilled Worker Visa Minimum salary in 2026.

Standard minimum salary requirement for a fresh UK Skilled Worker visa in 2026

In 2026, the minimum salary for the type of work you will be doing as a Skilled Worker is 

• £41,700 per year; or

• the ‘going rate’ for the type of work you will be doing

whichever is higher.

For example, if you have salary of £45,000 per year, but your job’s annual going rate is £46,000, you do not satisfy the standard salary requirements for this visa.

Having a correct salary on your Certificate Of Sponsorship is essential to receive a successful outcome on your skilled worker application. 

Please note that each job/occupation code has its own annual going rate.

What is ‘Going Rate’?

Please note that the ‘going rate’ is calculated using labour market data from the ONS (Office for National Statistics) and then published by the UK government for each job type and SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code.

You can check your job’s standard going rate in the going rates table.

Lower salary threshold for Skilled workers in 2026

If your job is eligible but your salary is less than the standard salary requirement of £41,700 or the standard ‘going rate’ for your job, you might still be able to apply for a Skilled Worker visa.

You can be paid less than £41,700 per year or your job’s standard ‘going rate’, whichever is higher, in the following conditions:

1. If you are aged under 26, studying or a recent graduate, or you are in professional training

You can be paid 70% of the standard going rate or £33400 whichever is higher and one of the following applies:

• You are aged under 26 on the date of application; or

• You are currently in the UK on a Student Visa route studying at the level of a bachelor’s degree or above (or you have been in the last 2 years, and a student or Visit Visa was your most recent visa); or

• You are currently in the UK on a Graduate Visa route (or you have been in the last 2 years, and a Graduate or Visit Visa was your most recent visa); or

• You will be working as a Skilled Worker towards a recognised qualification in a UK-regulated qualification; or 

• You will be working as a Skilled Worker towards full registration or chartered status in the job your employer is sponsoring you for

Your total stay in the UK can be no more than 4 years if you apply for one of these reasons, including any time you have already spent in the UK on a Graduate visa route.

2. If you have a PhD-level qualification in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Maths) that is relevant to your job 

If you have a STEM qualification that is relevant to your job, you can be paid 80% of your job’s standard going rate, as long as you will still be paid an annual salary of at least £33,400.

3. If you have a non-PhD-level qualification in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Maths) that is relevant to your job 

If you have a non-STEM qualification, you can be paid 90% of your job’s standard going rate, as long as you will still be paid an annual salary of at least £37,500.

Whether you have a STEM or non-STEM qualification, you must:

• have a UK PhD level qualification or an equivalent doctorate-level overseas qualification; and 

• be able to show your qualification is relevant to the job you will be doing as a Skilled Worker in the UK – this can be confirmed by your employer

4. If you have a postdoc position in science or higher education

You can be paid 70% of the standard going rate for your job if you will be working in a postdoc position (a paid research role for PhD graduates to gain more experience before becoming independent researchers or professors) in certain science or higher education roles.

To qualify for this salary discount, your job must be in one of the following occupation codes:

• 2111: chemical scientists

• 2112: biological scientists

• 2113: biochemists and biomedical scientists

• 2114: physical scientists

• 2115: social and humanities scientists

• 2119: natural and social science professionals not elsewhere classified

• 2162: other researchers, unspecified discipline

• 2311: higher education teaching professionals

If this applies to you, you can check how much you will need to be paid to qualify for the Skilled Worker visa.

Other situations where you can be paid less than the standard salary level include:

Other situations may include your job being on the ISL or you have a job in health or education sector. You can be paid less than £41,700 in both the situations. 

1. Your job is on the ISL (Immigration Salary List)

You must be paid an annual salary of at least £33,400 if you are being sponsored for a job that appears on the ISL. You must still be paid at least your job’s standard going rate.

2. If you work in the healthcare or education sector

Different salary rules apply if you work in some healthcare or education sector jobs, where the going rate is based on national pay scales (pay levels are often based on data from the ONS (Office for National Statistics)). These going rates apply whether you will be working in the private sector or the public sector.

For such jobs, you must be paid an annual salary of at least £25,000 or your job’s ‘going rate’, whichever is higher.

Minimum salary requirement for UK Skilled Worker visa extension in 2026 if you obtained your first Certificate of Sponsorship on or after 4 April 2024

The salary rules for a UK Skilled Worker visa extension in 2026 will be the same as mentioned above for a fresh UK Skilled Worker visa application made on or after 22 July 2025 if you obtained your first Certificate of Sponsorship on or after 4 April 2024.

Standard minimum salary requirement for UK Skilled Worker visa extension in 2026 if you obtained your first Certificate of Sponsorship before 4 April 2024

You can be paid at least £31,300 per year or the lower going rate for your occupation if you make an application to extend your visa where you got your CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) for your first Tier 2 or Skilled Worker visa prior to 4 April 2024, and you have continually held at least one Skilled Worker visa since then.

You can check your job’s lower going rate in the going rates table.

Please note that these salary requirements will only be in place for Skilled Worker visa applications made before 4 April 2030. The Home Office will regularly update these salary requirements, and your salary will still need to rise in line with the updated going rates each time you apply.

Lower salary threshold for Skilled workers visa extensions in 2026 if you obtained your first Certificate of Sponsorship before 4 April 2024

If your job is eligible but your salary is less than the standard salary requirement of £31,300 or the lower ‘going rate’ for your job, you might still be able to apply for a Skilled Worker visa.

You can be paid less than £31,300 per year or your job’s lower ‘going rate’, whichever is higher, in the following conditions:

1. If you are aged under 26, studying or a recent graduate, or you are in professional training

You can be paid 70% of the lower going rate for your job if your annual salary is at least £25,000. 

Your total stay in the UK can be no more than 4 years if you apply for one of these reasons, including any time you have already spent in the UK on a Tier 2 (General) or Graduate visa route.

2. If you have a PhD-level qualification in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Maths) that is relevant to your job 

If you have a STEM qualification that is relevant to your job, you can be paid 80% of your job’s lower going rate, as long as you will still be paid an annual salary of at least £25,000.

3. If you have a non-PhD-level qualification in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Maths) that is relevant to your job 

If you have a non-STEM qualification, you can be paid 90% of your job’s lower going rate, as long as you will still be paid an annual salary of at least £28,200.

4. If you have a postdoc position in science or higher education

You can be paid 70% of the lower going rate for your job if your salary will be at least £25,000 per year, if you will be working in a postdoc position (a paid research role for PhD graduates to gain more experience before becoming independent researchers or professors) in certain science or higher education roles 

5. If your job is on the immigration salary list

If your job is on the ISL (Immigration Salary List), you need to be paid an annual salary of at least £25,000 or the full going rate for your job, whichever is higher.

How can Visa and Migration help?

The UK visa landscape, including the Skilled Worker visa, has changed significantly after the government’s commitment to reduce net inward immigration. In this process, the Home Office has increased the salary requirements for occupations across the Skilled Worker route. 

In this context, if you are looking to apply for a fresh Skilled Worker visa or an extension of it, you should seek an expert’s help.

We help applicants to meet the latest salary requirements for a Skilled Worker visa in 2026. We ensure your application does not fall for refusal because you failed to meet the latest requirements.

If you are a business in the UK, we can help you plan to sponsor overseas workers with new salary level requirements so that you can plan and manage your human resources promptly and meet the sponsor’s responsibilities properly.

If you are looking to apply for a Skilled Worker visa extension in 2026, we can help you plan for it early.

For expert advice and queries on the UK Skilled Worker visa minimum salary in 2026, you can call us at +44 (0)20 3411 1261 or write to info@visaandmigration.com