The new minimum salary requirements for the Skilled Worker Visa
The UK has shortages of skilled workers across a number of sectors. Some of these shortages are expected to be filled by immigration into the country. The means by which this immigration is managed is through the Skilled Work Visa scheme. This replaced the Tier 2 (General Visa) as the principal UK work visa for skilled overseas nationals on December 1st, 2020, and formed a part of the government’s moves towards a points based immigration system.
The Skilled Work Visa has always had a qualifying salary component. Anyone looking to enter the UK via the scheme had to be guaranteed employment with a salary of at least £26,200 per year. This was always subject to change over time, reflecting the political priorities of governments and the UK employment market.
What is the minimum salary for a Skilled Work Visa from 2024?
In April 2024, the minimum salary required to obtain a Skilled Work Visa for an offer of employment in the UK will rise to £38,700.
This is a substantial increase and is twice the rate someone earning the UK minimum wage is likely to receive. The new salary requirement means that those likely to obtain the visa will be in high-skilled, high-demand and professional occupations.
Why is the minimum salary rising?
The UK government is looking to bring down overall levels of immigration into the country while ensuring that key talent from overseas can still access the UK job market. Raising the threshold is designed to ensure that the Skilled Worker Visa is retained for professional and high-skill immigration into the country. The government claims that had the threshold been set at the April 2024 level from the beginning this would have resulted in 300,000 fewer people entering the country.
Are there any exemptions?
Around half the people who enter the UK on work-based visas do so to fill health and social care vacancies. These occupations will be exempt from the scheme, meaning that overseas nationals coming to work in the UK in these sectors will not need to meet the minimum income requirements. Other occupations on the shortage occupations list will also be exempt, as too will applicants under 26 and some people with higher qualifications.
Comprehensive details about exemption rules can be found on the government website.
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