The Skilled Worker route is the main work visa for people coming to the UK to take an eligible job with a licensed sponsor. It replaced Tier 2 (General) at the end of 2020 and has had several salary and occupation updates since.
Who the route is for
A Skilled Worker visa applies when four things line up at the same time: a job offer from a Home Office licensed sponsor, a role on the eligible occupation list, a salary that meets the higher of the general or occupation-specific threshold, and an English-language requirement met by test, degree or nationality.
Finding a licensed sponsor is the first practical step. Every organisation that can sponsor a Skilled Worker visa appears on the Home Office Register of Licensed Sponsors. You can search that register directly on this site — filter by sector and city, open any sponsor page, and check whether they cover the Skilled Worker route.
What a sponsor actually does
A sponsor licence gives an employer access to the Sponsor Management System (SMS). Through SMS they can issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), which is a reference number the applicant uses in their visa application.
The CoS is not the visa. It is a record that the employer is offering a specific job, at a specific salary, for a specific period, and that they take on compliance duties. Those duties include reporting changes, keeping right-to-work records, and co-operating with compliance audits.
Salary thresholds
Since April 2024 the general salary threshold sits at £38,700 per year for most applicants. Occupation-specific “going rates” apply on top — some jobs require more, a few specific categories less. Certain transitional cases, health and care workers, and some new entrants have different floors.
Always check the current figure on gov.uk before relying on a number you read elsewhere.
English-language requirement
Applicants prove English at CEFR level B1 or above. This can be done through a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider, an academic qualification that was taught in English, or by being a national of a majority-English-speaking country.
Family
Partners and children under 18 can apply as dependants at the same time or join later. They share the same visa expiry as the main applicant.
Settlement
Five continuous years on the Skilled Worker route, a qualifying salary, and a clean immigration history can lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain. Time spent on other work routes can sometimes count towards this.
Where to look next
If you have a specific employer in mind, open its entry in our sponsor directory to confirm the licence is active and covers Skilled Worker. If you are weighing up routes, read Global Talent or Health and Care Worker.
This guide is a plain-English summary. For advice on your situation, consult an OISC-regulated immigration adviser or a solicitor registered for immigration work.
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