Skilled Worker Visa Points System

Skilled Worker Visa Points System - Group of Overseas Workers

Sanwar Ali workpermit.com

Index of Contents

• Introduction to the Skilled Worker Visa
• Mandatory Points
• Tradeable Points
• Salary Requirements
  • £38,700 for Experienced Workers
  • £30,960 for New Entrants
  • £23,200 for Healthcare Workers
• PhD and STEM Subject Points
• Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)
• Skilled Worker Visa Financial Requirements
• English Language Requirements
  • Approved English Language Tests
  • List of Majority English-Speaking Countries
• Summary Table of Points

Introduction to the Skilled Worker Visa

Skilled Worker visa applicants must score 70 points on the UK visa points system to be eligible for the visa. The points are awarded based on specific criteria, which include mandatory and tradeable points. Following the April 2024 changes, salary thresholds and tradeable options have been updated, reflecting the evolving needs of the UK labor market.

To qualify, applicants need to meet the following criteria:

• Employer Sponsorship: The employer must hold a valid sponsor licence and issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to the applicant.
• Skill Level: The job must be at RQF Level 3 (A-level equivalent) or higher.
• Salary Requirements:
  • The minimum salary for most roles is now £38,700.
  • New entrants (those under 26 years old or switching from a Student visa, provided they have completed their course) qualify with a reduced salary threshold of £30,960 or 70% of the going rate, whichever is higher.
  • For healthcare roles, the minimum salary is £23,200, or they may be paid according to NHS pay scales.

The employer sponsorship and job offer provide the core 50 points, while additional points can be earned through tradeable characteristics such as salary level, education, and PhD qualifications. This ensures that applicants meet the overall 70-point requirement.

For more details on how points are allocated under the Skilled Worker visa, refer to the summary table below.

Mandatory Points

To qualify for the Skilled Worker visa, you need to earn 50 mandatory points from the following:

• Offer of a job by an approved sponsor: 20 points
• Job at the appropriate skill level (RQF 3 or above): 20 points
• English language proficiency at the required level: 10 points

Tradeable Points

Applicants must earn 20 tradeable points from one of the following categories:

• Salary of £38,700 or above, or at least the going rate for the job: 20 points
• Salary of £30,960 (for new entrants) or 70% of the going rate for the job: 0 points
• Job on the Immigration Salary List: 20 points
• Holding a PhD in a relevant subject: 10 points
• Holding a PhD in a STEM subject: 20 points

Salary Requirements

The salary requirement for the Skilled Worker visa varies depending on the job, whether you are considered a new entrant, and whether your job is in healthcare.

£38,700 for Experienced Workers

The minimum salary threshold for most experienced workers is £38,700.

£30,960 for New Entrants

New entrants, such as those under 26 years old or switching from a student visa, can qualify with a salary of £30,960 or 70% of the going rate for the job, whichever is higher.

£23,200 for Healthcare Workers

For healthcare workers under the Health and Care Visa, the salary threshold is lower at £23,200, or based on national pay scales for healthcare roles.

English Language Requirements

Applicants must meet the required English language proficiency at B1 level or above on the CEFR scale. You can meet this requirement by passing an approved English language test, holding a degree taught in English, or being a national of a majority English-speaking country.

PhD and STEM Subject Points

Points are awarded if you hold a PhD in a subject relevant to your job, with 10 points awarded for a PhD, and 20 points if your PhD is in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subject.

Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)

In order to apply for a UK Skilled Worker visa, you must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from the employer who has offered you a job. The employer must have a sponsor licence and have been issued with a CoS.  The CoS and visa conditions are as follows:
 

• Your Skilled Worker visa application will be made no more than 3 months after the CoS is issued, and you will start work no more than 3 months after your visa application is made.
   
• The job in question meets the minimum skill level requirement, which should be checked in the Skilled Workers going rate.  This means it must usually be Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 3 or above, or RQF level 4 or above if it is on the shortage occupations list, or it is in certain creative fields such as dance, theatre and opera, and television and film.
   

There are two types of Certificate of Sponsorship: Defined and Undefined. Those prospective employees based outside the UK will need a Defined certificate of sponsorship.

• Defined Certificates of Sponsorship are for prospective employees who are based abroad, and planning to work in the UK. The exception is for partners of Tier 4 visa holders who wish to switch to a Skilled Worker visa. These applicants do need a Defined certificate of sponsorship.
   
• Undefined Certificates of Sponsorship are for prospective employees who are already in the UK (except dependent family members of Tier 4 visa holders).

Skilled Worker Visa Appropriate Salary

Skilled Worker visa applicants must have a job offer which pays an appropriate salary. The appropriate salary varies depending on the going rate for the job and whether the applicant is considered to be a new entrant, or on the Shortage Occupation List or comes under the experienced worker category or comes under some other type of worker under the points system. Those who come under "new entrant" can be paid at the rate of £20,480 per annum or 70 per cent of the going rate, whichever is higher. 

Most will need to be paid at the experienced worker rate of a least £25,600, or the appropriate rate based on the SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code for the job in the Going Rates for skilled workers, whichever is higher.  Lower rates than the Going Rate can be paid in some circumstances depending on scoring on the points system.  Health care workers, for example come under the NHS pay scale.

Applicants come under the new entrant salary rate if all of the following conditions apply:

• Aged 25 or under, or has recently been on a degree level course or higher in the UK and is switching from a student visa to a Skilled Worker visa (no age restrictions).
• The combined total for periods of stays under Skilled Worker visa as a new entrant should not be more than 4 years.  For example if you have been in the UK already on a Tier 2 General visa for one year (under any salary rate) then you can apply for an additional three years stay under the Skilled Worker visa category new entrant rate.     

English Language

Skilled Worker visa applicants must come under one of the following to meet the English Language requirements:

• Are a citizen of a majority English speaking country (see table below)

• Hold a degree which is equivalent to a UK Bachelor's degree or higher, which was taught or researched in English (UK NARIC evaluation required if not taught in a majority English speaking Country)
• Have passed an UKVI recognized English language test with at least a B1 score Council of Europe’s common European framework for language and learning.
• Have previously met the English Language requirement during a grant of leave in the UK
• Qualify under transitional arrangements (this is rare)
   

Majority English Language Speaking Countries outside UK to meet Skilled Worker visa English language requirements.

Approved English Language Tests for Skilled Worker visa at B1 or above include:

You must have reached the required level in all areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening. MUST BE AN UKVI VERSION OF THE TEST

Skilled Worker Visa Financial Requirements

Employer-Certified Maintenance:

In most cases, Skilled Worker visa sponsors (employers) will guarantee their prospective employee’s maintenance. If the employer certifies maintenance on the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), this means they are confirming that they will cover the applicant's living costs for the first month in the UK, up to £1,270. When maintenance is guaranteed by the employer, applicants do not need to show personal funds to meet the financial requirement.

If your employer guarantees maintenance, it typically also covers dependents. The Certificate of Sponsorship should clearly state this, confirming the employer's commitment to supporting you and your family.

Personal Funds Requirement:

If your employer does not guarantee maintenance, you will need to show you have £1,270 in personal savings, held for at least 28 consecutive days. The funds must be in your account within 31 days of applying for the visa.

Financial Requirements for Dependents:

In addition to showing funds for yourself, you must also prove you have sufficient savings to support any dependents you plan to bring with you to the UK. The required amounts are:

• £285 for a partner.
• £315 for the first child.
• £200 for each additional child.

For example, if you are applying with a partner and two children, you would need to show £2,070 in savings (£1,270 for yourself, £285 for your partner, £315 for your first child, and £200 for the second child). These funds must also be held for 28 consecutive days.

Exemptions:

You do not need to show personal savings if:

1. Your employer certifies maintenance on the CoS. This means your employer guarantees your maintenance costs for the first month in the UK.
2. You have been in the UK for at least 12 months on a valid visa.

Required Documentation:

If you need to show personal funds, the financial documents you provide (e.g., bank statements) must clearly show:

• The total amount available.
• That the funds have been held for at least 28 days.
• The name of the account holder, which must match the applicant's name or be in a joint account with the applicant.

Summary of Skilled Worker Visa Points Requirements

Further information, help, and advice

Workpermit.com's team of specialists has over thirty years of experience in international visa services, and have helped thousands of people to study and work in the UK. We work in conjunction with OISC registered advisers who can submit your UK sponsor licence application and visa application to UK Visas and Immigration at the Home Office. 

For more details, please contact us at:

• Phone: 0344 991 9222
• Email: london@workpermit.com