United Kingdom — Home Office
UK Skilled Worker visa points calculator
Check whether you hit the 70-point threshold for a UK Skilled Worker visa. 50 mandatory points from a sponsor offer + skill level + English, plus a further 20 points from one tradeable combination (salary, PhD relevance, STEM PhD, new entrant, Immigration Salary List, or national pay-scale health / education role).
Does not currently meet 70 points
50 / 70
- Sponsor
- 20
- Skill level
- 20
- English
- 10
- Tradeable (Option A — salary £41,700 or more (and at least going rate))
- 0
Salary floor for chosen option: £41,700 — not met ✗.
Meets occupation going rate: yes ✓.
- • Salary £40,000 is below the option floor of £41,700. Tradeable points do not apply unless salary meets the floor.
- • All three mandatory requirements must be met AND at least 20 tradeable points earned to reach the 70-point pass threshold.
Worked examples
Typical profiles scored against the points table. The points and verdict below are produced by the same calculator above. You need 70 points: 50 mandatory plus at least 20 tradeable.
| Profile | Detail | Points | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sponsored professional on the general route | Licensed sponsor offer at £42,000, above both the £41,700 Option A floor and the SOC going rate, with B1 English. | 70 / 70 | Passes |
| STEM PhD holder, lower salary floor | STEM PhD relevant to the role on £34,000 — Option D drops the floor to £33,400, and salary still meets the going rate. | 70 / 70 | Passes |
| Immigration Salary List role below the going rate | Role on the Immigration Salary List at £34,000 — clears the £33,400 ISL floor; ISL roles are not zeroed for falling under the headline going rate. | 70 / 70 | Passes |
| General route, salary below the going rate | Clears the £41,700 floor at £42,000 but the SOC going rate is £45,000 — under Option A the tradeable points are lost, so the profile falls short. | 50 / 70 | Does not pass |
| Strong salary but no sponsor | High salary and English met, but no licensed-sponsor job offer — the mandatory sponsor points are missing, so the profile cannot reach 70. | 50 / 70 | Does not pass |
| Listed health / education pay-scale role | NHS / national pay-scale role at £26,000 on the discounted £25,000 floor — listed roles use published pay scales rather than the standard going rate. | 70 / 70 | Passes |
Points are scored against the GOV.UK table only. Passing the points test does not by itself grant a visa — sponsor licence status, the going rate, and other caseworker checks still apply.
About this calculator
The UK Skilled Worker visa is the headline sponsored-work route under the points-based immigration system. It replaced Tier 2 (General) in December 2020 and received major reforms in April 2024 and again on 22 July 2025, including the £41,700 general salary floor and the replacement of the Shortage Occupation List with the Immigration Salary List. The calculator here scores a profile against the current GOV.UK rules but does not evaluate sponsor licence status, genuineness of vacancy, or other caseworker discretionary tests.
Primary source
GOV.UK — Skilled Worker visa
https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa
Last checked: 2026-04-20.
FAQs
How many points do I need for a UK Skilled Worker visa?
Exactly 70 points: 50 from mandatory requirements (sponsor, skill level, English) plus a further 20 from the tradeable characteristics table (most commonly met through salary).
What is the general salary threshold?
From 22 July 2025, the general salary threshold is £41,700 for Option A, with a reduced £33,400 floor for PhD relevance, STEM PhD, new entrant, and Immigration Salary List roles, plus specific national pay-scale health and education roles.
What is the "going rate" and why does it matter?
The Home Office publishes occupation-specific "going rates" aligned to SOC codes. For most tradeable options, your salary must meet BOTH the option floor AND the occupation’s going rate. Listed health and education roles have their own published pay scales instead.
Does this calculator determine my eligibility?
No. It scores the points table only. Eligibility also depends on sponsor licence status, a valid Certificate of Sponsorship, genuine-vacancy tests, criminal-record checks, TB testing (for certain countries), and financial maintenance. The authoritative review is a Home Office caseworker decision, not this tool.
What happened to the Shortage Occupation List?
The Shortage Occupation List (SOL) was replaced by the Immigration Salary List (ISL) in April 2024. The discount for shortage roles was reduced and the salary threshold for ISL roles is now £33,400 (after the 22 July 2025 uplift). The calculator reflects the ISL framework.