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Skilled Worker Visa Salary Thresholds in 2025 Explained

Written by Harry Wilson | Oct 24, 2025 10:13:26 AM

Skilled Worker Visa Salary Thresholds in 2025 Explained: £41,700 vs £29,000 

Understand the 2025 Skilled Worker visa salary rules: who needs £41,700, who qualifies for £29,000 or £31,300, and how to meet the right threshold.  

Have you heard both £41,700 and £29,000 are acceptable salaries for the Skilled Worker visa in 2025? Here’s what they really mean. 

Big changes to Skilled Worker visa salaries came into effect in July 2025, following earlier updates in April 2024. These reforms aimed to align immigration salaries more closely with the UK labour market and reduce overall migration numbers. 

  • New standard salary: £41,700 
  • Some transitional applicants can apply  
  • Which one applies to you depends on when you got your visa and what job you’re doing 

What Changed in 2025? 

On 22 July 2025, the Home Office introduced another major update to the Skilled Worker visa salary thresholds. 

  • The general salary threshold for most new Skilled Worker visa applications is now £41,700. 
  • This follows the April 2024 rise, when the threshold first increased from £26,200 to £38,700. 
  • The £29,000 figure now only applies to certain Health & Care visa applicants or pre-April 2024 transitional cases. 
  • A £31,300 transitional threshold was created for those extending visas granted before 4th April 2024, where tradable points options can bring this down as low as £25,000. 

In Short: £41,700 is the new normal, but £31,300 or even £25,000 can still appear in some transitional cases. 

£41,700 vs £29,000 vs £31,300 — Who Needs What? 

Here’s how to know which salary figure applies to you: 

Applicant Type 

Salary Threshold (2025) 

Notes 

New Skilled Worker applicants 

£41,700 

Applies to all Certificates of Sponsorship issued on or after 5 April 2024 

Extensions (pre-April 2024 visa holders) 

£31,300 

Transitional rate for Skilled Workers who first applied before 4 April 2024 

Health & Care visa holders (pre-July 2025) 

£29,000 

Transitional rate for Health & Care roles 

 

Tradeable Points – When You Can Earn Less Than £41,700 

The Skilled Worker visa operates under a points-based system. While the standard salary floor is £41,700, applicants can still qualify by “trading” points for certain characteristics such as qualifications or shortage occupations. 

Option 

Category 

Requirements 

A 

General Threshold 

Salary equals or exceeds the higher of: 

  • £41,700 
  • Going rate for the SOC 2020 code 

B 

PhD in Relevant Subject 

PhD in a subject relevant to the job, and salary equals or exceeds the higher of: 

  • £37,500 
  • 90% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 code 

C 

STEM PhD 

PhD in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) subject relevant to the job, and salary equals or exceeds the higher of: 

  • £33,400 
  • 80% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 code 

D 

Immigration Salary List (ISL) 

Job included in the Immigration Salary List, and salary equals or exceeds the higher of: 

  • £33,400 
  • Going rate for the SOC 2020 code 

E 

New Entrant 

Applicant is a new entrant at the start of their career, and salary equals or exceeds the higher of: 

  • £33,400 
  • 70% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 code 

The following tradeable points options are only available to those individuals whose first Certificate of Sponsorship was issued on or before 3 April 2024. 

F 

General Threshold 

The applicant’s salary equals or exceeds both: 

  • £31,300 per year; and 
  • the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code 

G 

PhD in Relevant Subject 

The applicant has a PhD in a subject relevant to the job and their salary equals or exceeds both: 

  • £28,200 per year; and 
  • 90% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code 

H 

STEM PhD 

The applicant has a PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job and their salary equals or exceeds both: 

  • £25,000 per year; and 
  • 80% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code 

I 

Immigration Salary List (ISL) 

The applicant is being sponsored for a job on the Immigration Salary List and their salary equals or exceeds both: 

  • £25,000 per year; and 
  • the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code 

J 

New Entrant 

The applicant is a new entrant at the start of their career and their salary equals or exceeds both: 

  • £25,000 per year; and 
  • 70% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code 

K 

Listed Health or Education Occupation 

The applicant is being sponsored for a job in a listed health or education occupation and their salary equals or exceeds both: 

  • £25,000 per year; and 
  • the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code 

 

Note: Even if a discount applies, the salary must also meet the occupation’s going rate for the SOC code.  

How to Calculate Salary Requirements 

  1. Identify your occupation code (SOC) — check the GOV.UK Skilled Worker salary tables.
  2. Find the “going rate” — the Home Office lists annual going rates based on a 37.5-hour week, which is different for each SOC code.
  3. Apply the correct rule:
  • Take the higher of the general threshold applicable from the above table or their going rate, 
  • Then apply any permissible tradeable discount if applicable (e.g. 90%, 80%, or 70%), 
  • If the hours of work per week are different from 37.5 hours (e.g. 40 hour work per week), pro-rate the salary figures for the correct hours of work per week.  

Skilled Worker Visa Extensions – What If I Already Have a Visa? 

If you’re extending an existing Skilled Worker visa, the transitional salary rules may apply. 

  • CoS issued before 4 April 2024 → You can still rely on one of the transitional thresholds. 
  • CoS issued on or after 4 April 2024 → You must meet the new general threshold. 

Example: 

  • “I got my first Skilled Worker visa in 2023 and I’m extending it in 2026 – do I need £41,700?” 
  • No — since your initial CoS was issued before April 2024, you fall under the transitional rate of £31,300.  

Important: 

When applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), you must meet the full £41,700 or going rate — transitional discounts do not apply for Settlement.  

How Employers Should Prepare 

  • Check CoS issue dates: This determines whether £31,300 or £41,700 applies. 
  • Review pay structures: Especially for graduate roles or those using a PhD. 
  • Use updated occupation code lists: The Home Office revised the SOC codes list in 2024. 
  • Communicate early: Many confusion cases arise from mixing 2023, 2024, and 2025 salary tables.  

FAQs 

What is the Skilled Worker visa salary in 2025? 

Most new applicants must earn at least £41,700 or the occupation’s going rate, whichever is higher. 

 

Why are there two salary figures – £41,700 and £29,000? 

£41,700 applies to new applicants from July 2025. £29,000 only applies to older Health & Care or transitional cases that pre-date April 2024. 

 

Can new entrants still qualify under £33,400? 

Yes — the “new entrant” category allows salaries from £33,400, provided all eligibility criteria are met. 

 

What if my job’s going rate is higher than £41,700? 

You must meet the higher figure — the going rate always overrides the general threshold. 

How do I know if I’m a transitional applicant? 

Check when your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) was issued. If it was before 4 April 2024, you can rely on one of the transitional rates.  

Conclusion 

In Summary: 

  • £41,700 – new standard salary from July 2025. 
  • £31,300 – transitional rate for pre-April 2024 visa holders. 
  • £29,000 – applies mainly to Health & Care transitional roles.  

Next Step: 

Need help confirming which rate applies to your role or extension? 

Contact Migrate UK at info@migrate-uk.com or +44 1235 645 800 for to ensure your application meets the latest Home Office rules. 
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