Fact-checked against GOV.UK on 31 October 2026.
A job's salary alone cannot tell you whether it meets Skilled Worker visa rules.
This guide gives you a practical way to check the offer and get missing details from the employer. It cannot tell you whether your application will succeed. The rules depend on the job and, in some cases, your circumstances. Check the live GOV.UK guidance before relying on a figure.
Fact-checked against GOV.UK on 31 October 2026.
Start with the occupation code
Ask the employer which four-digit occupation code it plans to use for the role. GOV.UK says you need the code before you can check whether a job is eligible. If you already have an offer, the employer should be able to tell you the code.
Job titles do not map neatly to occupation codes. Two roles with similar titles can have different codes because the duties differ. GOV.UK gives construction examples where some trades qualify and construction labourers do not. Read the job description and compare the actual work with the code, rather than searching only for your title.
If the employer has not chosen a code, ask for the main duties and use the official CASCOT occupation coding tool as a starting point. A search result is not a decision. Ask the employer to confirm the code it will put on your Certificate of Sponsorship, and check the official eligible jobs table yourself.
Compare the offer with both salary rules
For the usual Skilled Worker salary test, GOV.UK says your pay must meet the higher of the general salary threshold and the going rate for the occupation. Each occupation code has its own going rate. That is why comparing an offer with one headline figure is not enough.
Open the current Skilled Worker job guidance, then follow its link to the going rates table. Find the exact occupation code and check its rate. The table is an official source, and the linked page records its update history. Recheck it when you assess an offer rather than relying on a salary chart saved months ago.
The two-part check is simple:
- Does the pay meet the current salary rule that applies to your case?
- Does it also meet the going rate for the occupation code and hours?
The higher applicable requirement matters. If the general figure is higher, compare against that. If the occupation's going rate is higher, compare against that instead. A salary above one figure can still fall short of the other.
Some jobs in healthcare or education use different salary rules based on national pay scales. There are also circumstances where a lower salary may be permitted, including specific extension or update situations and other provisions set out in GOV.UK guidance. Do not assume an exception applies because you have heard about it from a colleague or found it in an old article. Open the official “when you can be paid less” guidance and check your circumstances. If your case is unclear, get advice from a regulated immigration adviser.
Check hours and how pay is calculated
Salary comparisons can go wrong when the advert, offer and occupation rate do not describe the same working pattern. Gather the details together before you compare anything:
- the gross annual salary, before tax
- the weekly hours in the contract
- whether the role is full-time or part-time
- the occupation code and job duties
- any regular allowances or variable pay the employer says it has included
The GOV.UK going-rates table sets out annual rates and explains how to check the applicable rate. Do not divide, multiply or annualise a figure using assumptions about full-time hours. Ask the employer how it calculated the salary against the code and working hours, and check that method against current guidance.
Be careful with bonuses, overtime, commission, benefits and allowances. Do not count them towards a required salary unless the current rules say they can count for your situation. A recruiter may describe “total compensation” while the immigration salary calculation uses a narrower definition. Ask for the guaranteed salary figure that will appear on the Certificate of Sponsorship and which parts of the package the employer has included in its assessment.
If the role is part-time, compare the actual contracted hours and pay with the current rule for that occupation. Do not treat a full-time salary shown in a job advert as if it were the amount you will earn. Where an advert leaves hours or pay unclear, get the details in writing before relying on its headline figure.
Keep the occupation and the offer aligned
Check that the occupation code, duties, hours and salary all refer to the same job. A mismatch can appear when the advert describes a broad role but the employer plans to assign a narrower occupation code, or when the offer changes after interviews.
Before accepting, compare the advert with the written offer. Ask the employer to explain any change in title, core duties, work location, contracted hours or guaranteed pay. When the employer assigns your Certificate of Sponsorship, check that its job information matches what you agreed. Our Certificate of Sponsorship guide explains which details jobseekers should review.
A job's code also matters for whether it is eligible at all. GOV.UK distinguishes higher-skilled occupations from medium-skilled ones and sets conditions for when some medium-skilled occupations qualify. The eligible-job table and the linked current rules are the source to use; do not infer eligibility from a familiar title or an employer's past sponsorship record.
Questions to send HR
You can keep your message direct:
Could you confirm the four-digit occupation code planned for this role, the main duties it covers, the guaranteed gross salary and contracted weekly hours? Please also confirm how the salary has been checked against the current Skilled Worker salary rules and the going rate for that code, and which salary figure will appear on my Certificate of Sponsorship.
If the employer says a lower-salary provision applies, ask which provision it is relying on and where the role and your circumstances meet its conditions. Then verify that against GOV.UK or ask a regulated adviser. Avoid relying on a general statement such as “we have sponsored people on this salary before”; someone else's route, job or application date may differ from yours.
Salary is one check, not the whole application
Meeting a salary requirement does not by itself establish that the job is eligible, the employer is approved to sponsor Skilled Workers, or that UKVI will grant a visa. GOV.UK lists these as separate requirements. A sponsor licence also does not mean the employer will sponsor every vacancy it advertises.
Check the employer on the official register of licensed sponsors, then ask whether it will sponsor this specific job. The employer's answer should match the role and offer you have reviewed. Visa approval is a separate decision based on the complete application and current rules.
Your offer-check sequence
Before you decide whether the salary looks suitable, gather the code, duties, guaranteed pay and contracted hours. Check the code and job against the eligible occupations guidance, compare the offer with the current salary rule and that code's going rate, then ask the employer to resolve any mismatch in writing. Check the official guidance again before applying because rules can change.
You can search live jobs and compare each role's details with the employer's answers. If the advert does not show the occupation code or hours, ask for them before treating its salary as evidence that the role qualifies.
This guide provides job-search information, not immigration advice or an individual eligibility assessment.
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