UK Skilled Worker Visa 2026 Guide: Eligibility, Requirements & Costs
The Skilled Worker Visa is a key route for foreign professionals to live and work in the UK. It offers opportunities for dependant family members and potential settlement. Learn how to apply for a UK Skilled Worker Visa with our step-by-step guide on eligibility, salary, documents, costs, and how to secure sponsorship.
What is the UK Skilled Worker Visa?
The UK Skilled Worker Visa is for foreign nationals who have a job offer from a UK employer that holds a valid sponsor licence. It is for “skilled” jobs: the job must meet a required skill and salary level. It allows you to live and work in the UK for the duration of that job.
Who is Eligible for a UK Skilled Worker Visa?
To be eligible for a Skilled Worker Visa, you will generally need the following:
Job Offer from an Approved Sponsor
Your UK employer must be approved (“licensed”) by the Home Office to sponsor Skilled Workers. They can apply for a licence to become approved sponsors and be able to offer a work visas to foreign talent they wish to hire in the UK.
Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)
The UK employer/sponsor will give you a CoS. This is a digital document that contains crucial information and the job you will be doing in the UK, and its unique reference number must be included in your visa application. Your sponsor will need to apply first for a CoS and then assign it specifically to you, before you can make your visa application.
Eligible Occupations and Skill Requirements
The job must be on the list of eligible occupations, which are classified by codes. These codes are part of the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) by the Home Office. Based on your job duties, you will be assigned a specific SOC which will have its own requirements.
Minimum Salary Requirements
You must be paid at least either:
The “standard” salary threshold, which will vary depending on your own circumstances. For example, if you are a New Entrant to the job market or if you work in the health care or education sectors;
OR
The “going rate” for your specific occupation, if that is higher. Each occupation will have its own hourly salary requirement.
English Language Proficiency
You must be able to speak, read, write, and understand English at a specified level. You can show this by either sitting a specific type of test approved by the Home Office, by relying on academic qualifications taught in English, or you may be exempt if you are an English native speaker. From 8 January 2026, this has increased to B2 for new applications (but there are exceptions).
Maintenance Requirements
You will need to show you have enough personal savings to live in the UK for the first month before you receive your first salary. Your employer can also make an undertaking on your behalf instead.
To illustrate how the requirements can apply in different cases, here are a few hypothetical scenarios:
Engineer from abroad with a job offer from a UK engineering firm, gross salary is £75,000 per year, CoS issued, native English speaker:
Likely qualifies: job eligible, salary above standard, employer licensed, documents in order.
IT professional on a “new entrant” or “junior” role with lower salary, under 26 years old. Was a Student and is switching visas:
Likely qualifies: within the permitted age and taking a junior role, but must verify salary thresholds and if study course was completed.
Graduate teacher being paid at national pay scale which is lower than the generic threshold, but the going rate for teaching is lower:
Could qualify: education roles have special salary rules, so must verify specific going rate and whether job meets occupation code.
Nurse from overseas applying via Health and Care Worker Visa option (within the Skilled Worker route):
Could qualify: the health sector has different fees and potential health surcharge exemptions, so must verify specific going rate, occupation code and qualifications of the worker.
Step-by-Step: How to Apply for a UK Skilled Worker Visa
These are the main steps in the application process:
Obtain Job Offer + Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)
First, you must have accepted a job offer from a licensed sponsor (UK employer). The sponsor/employer then issues the CoS, and once you have it, you can apply for the visa. We can help sponsors obtaining a licence and CoS.
Gather Documents + Apply Online
Ensure you have evidence of meeting each requirement in the correct documentation formats with certified translation if needed. You then apply on GOV.UK using an online form and upload your supporting documents. We can give you a detailed checklist tailored to your circumstances, review your documents and prepare your application form.
Prove Identity / Biometrics
As part of the process, you may need to attend an appointment to provide your biometric data (photographs and fingerprints). If during processing the Home Office decides to interview you, they will contact you beforehand, but this is not guaranteed to happen. Some biometric passport holders may be able to prove their identity using their mobile via the UKVI’s ID Verification App instead.
Decision Times
The clock starts counting from when you provide your biometrics. Generally, you may expect a decision within the following times (subject to change and delays may occur):
If applying from outside the UK, normally within 3 weeks.
If applying from inside the UK, normally within 8 weeks.
There are also priority services subject to availability.
Post-Decision
You will receive a decision letter from the Home Office on whether your application was successful or not. If successful, it normally outlines the next steps and how to prove your immigration status in the UK.
Extensions & Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain)
You may be able to switch sponsors or extend your current sponsorship with the same sponsor. After you have lived in the UK for a certain amount of time (commonly five years under the Skilled Worker route, but this is currently under consultation and may change in the Spring of 2026), you may be able to apply for permanent residence (Indefinite Leave to Remain - ILR), provided you meet the continuous residence, salary, knowledge of language and Life in the UK test, and other standard ILR requirements. We can assist you with your ILR application (see here more details on our services).
What You Can and Cannot Do Under the Skilled Worker Visa
✅ What You Can Do:
Work in the job described in your CoS with your sponsor.
Study in the UK (while holding this visa, subject to some restrictions).
Bring your partner and children with you as dependants, provided you meet certain requirements (some types of occupations do not allow dependants).
Travel abroad and return to the UK.
Do voluntary work (within certain constraints).
After 5 years (period currently under consultation and may change in the Spring of 2026) apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain/Settlement if other criteria are met.
❌ What You Cannot Do:
You generally cannot access “public funds” (welfare benefits from the Government).
You cannot change you job type or employer unless you update your visa (unless you are doing supplementary or secondary work, subject to some restrictions).
Risks and Common Pitfalls
Even if you believe you meet all the formal requirements, there are common mistakes and pitfalls which can lead to refusal or delay. Here are some to watch out for, and advice to help avoid them:
Incorrect Occupation Code or Job Description: If your job description does not match the eligible role (SOC code) in the CoS, or if the employer misclassifies your duties, the application may fail. We can help ensuring you select the correct SOC.
Salary Too Low or “Going Rate” Mismatch: Even if your salary meets the generic threshold, if it is below the going rate for your specific occupation code, you may be refused. Do not assume the generic minimum is enough in all cases. We can help ensuring you are under the correct salary level.
Employer Not Licensed / Sponsor Problems: Your employer must hold a valid sponsor licence. If their licence is suspended or revoked, applications can fail. Also, the employer must meet their ongoing sponsor duties and obligations. We can help sponsors obtaining a licence and staying compliant.
Inadequate Documentation: Missing documents are a frequent cause of refusal or delays. We can give you a detailed checklist tailored to your circumstances and check your application pack to ensure it meets the requirements.
Entitlement & Knowing Your Rights: Understanding what you can and cannot do under your visa is important to avoid infringement which can lead to curtailment of your visa or future refusal. We offer in depth consultations to discuss any questions you may have on your visa conditions.
Timing Issues: Applying too early or too late, or not applying from the correct location, can cause problems. Also, changes in rules may apply from a date that affects your eligibility or the salary required. We can guide you through the process with up-to-date knowledge of the Immigration Rules.
Changes in the Immigration Rules and Transitional Provisions: Sometimes new salary thresholds or English tests are introduced; there may be transitional rules for those already in the system. What applies to a future applicant may differ from the rules for those extending or switching visas. We can advise you on the latest changes.
Impact on Employers
For UK employers considering sponsoring Skilled Workers, there are responsibilities and costs which are essential to understand.
Costs and Fees
Applying for the Skilled Worker Visa comes with a variety of fees and charges, some paid by the applicant, others by the employer. Key costs include (subject to change):
Type of Cost / Amount / Who Must Pay
Sponsor Licence / £574 (small co.) or £1,579 (large co.) / The sponsor must pay
Certificate of Sponsorship / £525 / The sponsor must pay
Skills Charge / £480/year (small co.) or £1,320/year (large co.) / The sponsor must pay
Visa Application Fee / From £769 to £1,751 depending on your circumstances / May be paid by the worker or sponsor
Healthcare Surcharge (IHS) / £1,035/year (adults) or £776/year (children) / May be paid by the worker or sponsor
Additional costs may include:
Certified translation of documents if not in English or Welsh
Criminal record checks
Tuberculosis screening test
English language tests
ECCTIS verification of degree taught in English
Biometrics appointment
Optional priority services
Recent and Upcoming Rule Changes to Watch for in 2026
Since UK Immigration Rules are frequently updated, staying informed of current Home Office policy is critical. Mistakes or misinterpretation can lead to delays, refusals, or higher costs.
As of 8 January 2026, English language requirements will be raised for Skilled Workers. That means a higher standard for speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
The UK government in its White Paper “Restoring Control Over the Immigration System” has proposed increasing qualification levels and restricting some lower-skill skilled worker visas.
The “earned settlement” model is under consultation by the government and the qualifying period for ILR may change in 2026.
Salary thresholds have been under review and transitional provisions may apply.
Given these shifts, it is especially important for applicants and employers to check the current Home Office rules at the time of application. Changes often come into effect after consultation, which means some transitional arrangements may apply. At Outpost, we can advise you with our expert knowledge of the Immigration Rules.