United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland visa salary thresholds
The UK Home Office sets separate salary floors for different variants of the Skilled Worker route and for the Health and Care Worker route. Each floor is compared against the occupation-specific "going rate" published in Appendix Skilled Occupations, and the higher of the two applies.
Last checked 20 April 2026.
Threshold table
| Route | Amount | ~USD | In force since | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Skilled Worker — general threshold The default minimum salary for Skilled Worker applications made on or after 4 April 2024. Applicants must also meet the occupation-specific "going rate" — whichever is higher. | £38,700 / year | $49,000 | 2024-04-04 | GOV.UK — Appendix Skilled Worker |
Skilled Worker — Immigration Salary List discount Reduced floor for occupations on the Immigration Salary List (the successor to the Shortage Occupation List), capped at 20% below the going rate. | £30,960 / year | $39,000 | 2024-04-04 | GOV.UK — Immigration Salary List |
Skilled Worker — Health and Care Worker / education national pay-scale Applies to Health and Care Worker roles and to school-teacher roles on national pay-scales. Going rate is set by reference to the NHS Agenda for Change bands or the relevant teacher pay-scale. | £23,200 / year | $29,500 | 2024-04-04 | GOV.UK — Health and Care Worker |
Skilled Worker — PhD relevant to job (Tradeable point C) Salary floor where the applicant holds a PhD relevant to the job (90% of going rate applies instead of 100%). | £34,830 / year | $44,000 | 2024-04-04 | GOV.UK — Appendix Skilled Worker |
Skilled Worker — STEM PhD / new-entrant / shortage Tradeable-options floor for STEM PhD holders relevant to the role, new-entrant applicants (under 26 or switching from student/graduate visas), and ISL occupations. | £30,960 / year | $39,000 | 2024-04-04 | GOV.UK — Appendix Skilled Worker |
Health and Care Worker — absolute minimum Absolute salary floor for Health and Care Worker applications; most NHS Agenda for Change bands 3+ meet this automatically. | £23,200 / year | $29,500 | 2024-04-04 | GOV.UK — Health and Care Worker |
Global Talent — endorsement tier pay expectations (indicative) Global Talent has no headline salary floor. Endorsing bodies (Tech Nation successor — UK Research and Innovation, Royal Society, Royal Academy of Engineering, British Academy, Arts Council) evaluate evidence of recognition or exceptional promise. | Not applicable | — | 2023-02-01 | GOV.UK — Global Talent |
How often this changes
Thresholds jumped substantially in April 2024 (general rate from £26,200 to £38,700) and are typically revised in spring each year. Watch the spring Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules for the next adjustment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum salary to qualify for a work visa in United Kingdom?
The UK Home Office sets separate salary floors for different variants of the Skilled Worker route and for the Health and Care Worker route. Each floor is compared against the occupation-specific "going rate" published in Appendix Skilled Occupations, and the higher of the two applies.
How often do United Kingdom salary thresholds change?
Thresholds jumped substantially in April 2024 (general rate from £26,200 to £38,700) and are typically revised in spring each year. Watch the spring Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules for the next adjustment.
Does meeting the headline threshold guarantee approval?
No. Headline floors are one of several criteria. Most jurisdictions also apply an occupation-specific going rate, character and health checks, and — for sponsored routes — employer/sponsor compliance. Failing any one of these can lead to refusal even where salary is above the threshold.