Skilled Worker visa
The main employment route. It requires a licensed sponsor, a role at graduate level, and a salary at or above both a general threshold and the going rate for the occupation.
Who it is for. People with a job offer from a UK employer holding a sponsor licence.
Worth knowing. The general salary threshold was raised to around £41,700 during 2025 and the skill level lifted to graduate level, with lower thresholds for new entrants and some shortage roles. Thresholds have changed repeatedly — check the current figure in the Immigration Rules. The immigration health surcharge, payable up front for every year of the visa, usually costs far more than the visa fee itself. A 2025 white paper proposed extending the qualifying period for settlement, which had not taken effect when this dataset was compiled.
- Income required
- £41,700
- Savings required
- Not stated
- Investment required
- None
- Application fee
- £769
- Processing time
- 15–60 days
- Permission lasts
- 60 months
- Permanent residence
- After 5 years
- Citizenship
- After 6 years
a year
Renewable
Sources
Worth knowing. The general salary threshold was raised to around £41,700 during 2025 and the skill level lifted to graduate level, with lower thresholds for new entrants and some shortage roles. Thresholds have changed repeatedly — check the current figure in the Immigration Rules. The immigration health surcharge, payable up front for every year of the visa, usually costs far more than the visa fee itself. A 2025 white paper proposed extending the qualifying period for settlement, which had not taken effect when this dataset was compiled.
Check this against
- Immigration Rules (opens in a new tab)Home Office · National immigration authority
- Visas and immigration — routes, eligibility and fees (opens in a new tab)UK Government · National immigration authority