UK Skilled Worker Visa Salary in 2026: The Real Minimum

Search for the UK Skilled Worker salary requirement and you'll see a single figure quoted everywhere. That figure is real, but treating it as the answer is the most common, and most costly, mistake applicants make.

It's the higher of two numbers

Your salary must be at least the HIGHER of two things: the general threshold (£41,700/year as of 22 July 2025), or the published 'going rate' for your specific occupation code. For many skilled roles the going rate is well above the general threshold.

Why a flat check misleads you

Take a software developer (SOC 2134). The general threshold is £41,700, but the going rate is £54,700. An offer of £45,000 sails past a naive '£41,700 minimum' check, yet it fails the real requirement by nearly £10,000. A flat number gives you false confidence; the rule is conditional.

Hours matter too

Going rates assume a 37.5-hour week and are pro-rated to your contracted hours, so fewer hours lowers the required figure, and more hours raises it. There's also a separate hourly minimum to clear.