The UK Skilled Worker visa needs
£41,700 a year.
Or the going rate, whichever is higher.

The pay in a UK job advert is only half the story. For anyone who needs sponsorship, the number that decides whether the job is even possible is the visa salary threshold. Miss it and no employer can hire you, however good the role looks.

So here is the whole rule, in plain numbers. We break down the £41,700 threshold, the “going rate” that can push your real minimum higher, the lower floors that let some applicants earn less, and how the bar compares to what UK workers actually take home.

Over 7 years, we’ve helped more than 5,000 professionals find jobs abroad. Want to know whether your profile and target salary clear the UK visa bar? Find your career consultant.

What Is the Skilled Worker Salary Threshold in 2026?

The general Skilled Worker salary threshold in 2026 is £41,700 a year, or 100% of the going rate for the job, whichever is higher. It has applied since 22 July 2025, replacing the old £38,700 figure.

The £41,700 is a gross annual figure, before tax. It is not the whole rule, though, and this is where offers fall down. The Skilled Worker visa has two salary bars, not one, and your pay has to clear the higher of them. The first is this general threshold. The second is the “going rate” for your specific job. If your job’s going rate is above £41,700, that going rate becomes your real minimum.

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The Two Bars You Must Clear

You must be paid the higher of the £41,700 general threshold or your job’s going rate. Going rates are set at the median (50th percentile) pay for each occupation code, so well-paid fields sit far above £41,700.

For higher-paying jobs the going rate does the work and £41,700 is irrelevant. For lower-paid eligible roles, the general threshold is the number that bites. Here is how a few occupations look at 100% of the going rate.

Going rates use median pay from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Health, care and teaching roles follow their own national pay scales rather than the standard going rate. Always check your exact occupation code in the official going-rates table before you rely on an offer.

If the salary works, the next step is practical: our guide to jobs in the UK for foreigners shows where sponsored hiring actually happens, and the average UK salary breakdown puts these thresholds next to real take-home pay.

When You Can Be Paid Less

Not everyone has to reach £41,700. New entrants, relevant PhD holders and jobs on the Immigration Salary List have lower floors, from £33,400. Health and care roles start from £25,000.

This is the section most international applicants miss, and it can decide whether a lower offer still qualifies. All of these floors have applied since 22 July 2025.

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The new-entrant route can be used for up to four years. The Immigration Salary List replaced the old Shortage Occupation List and is still in force, though the government has proposed a Temporary Shortage List in its place, so check the current list before you apply.

How the Threshold Compares to the Average UK Salary

The £41,700 threshold is higher than what the average British worker earns. The median full-time UK salary is £39,039, so a standard sponsored hire must be paid £2,661 above the national median.

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That gap is deliberate. The rule steers sponsorship toward higher-paid roles. There is a flip side worth knowing: the £33,400 floors for new entrants and shortage-list jobs sit below the median, so early-career and shortage-role applicants can qualify below the average wage, while everyone else has to beat it. In monthly take-home terms, the thresholds look like this.

Net figures are for a single person with no student loan on 2026/27 rates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Median pay is ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, April 2025 data, released 23 October 2025.

What Counts Toward the Salary

Only your guaranteed basic gross salary counts toward the threshold. Bonuses, overtime, commission, allowances and benefits in kind do not count.

Two practical points catch people out:

• Part-time does not lower the £41,700. The cash threshold must be met in full, whatever your hours. The going rate, by contrast, is scaled to your weekly hours (counting up to 48 hours a week).
• The sponsor must be able to pay it. The salary sits with a licensed sponsor. No sponsor licence, no visa, however strong your CV.

Key Takeaways

• The 2026 general threshold is £41,700, in force since 22 July 2025.
• You must clear the general threshold or your job’s going rate, whichever is higher.
• Only guaranteed base pay counts. Bonuses and overtime do not.
• Lower floors from £33,400 apply to new entrants, relevant PhDs and Immigration Salary List jobs; health and care from £25,000.
• The standard threshold sits above the average UK salary, so target well-paid eligible roles.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum salary for a UK Skilled Worker visa in 2026?

For most jobs it is £41,700 a year, or the going rate for the job if that is higher.

Does the £41,700 include bonuses?

No. The threshold is measured on guaranteed basic salary. Bonuses, overtime, commission and allowances do not count.

Can I get a Skilled Worker visa on a lower salary?

Yes, if you qualify for a lower floor. New entrants, Immigration Salary List jobs and relevant PhD holders can go down to £33,400, and health, care and education roles follow their pay scales from £25,000.

Is the salary threshold pro-rated for part-time work?

The £41,700 cash floor is not pro-rated and must be met in full. The going rate is scaled to your weekly hours.

How does the threshold compare to the average UK salary?

It is higher. The median full-time UK salary is about £39,039, which is £2,661 below the £41,700 threshold.

Related reading: the full average UK salary, by sector and region, and jobs in the UK for foreigners on the Skilled Worker route.