The Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker visas are the two main ways to work in the UK with a sponsor. This guide covers the salary rules, costs, English requirement, switching, family members and the changes coming at the end of 2026. Everything below comes from GOV.UK and the Immigration Rules. We only report what is published.
Key points
- In force now: the standard Skilled Worker salary is the higher of £41,700 or the job’s “going rate”. Lower rates apply in some cases (Skilled Worker visa guide, updated 14 September 2026).
- Health and Care Worker visa holders and their dependants do not pay the healthcare surcharge, and the visa fee is lower (Health and Care Worker visa guide).
- You usually need £1,270 in savings held for 28 days (Skilled Worker visa guide).
- Announced, with a date: from 31 December 2026 the Temporary Shortage List and almost all the Immigration Salary List stop counting for new sponsorship certificates (Appendix Skilled Worker).
- Not in force: earned settlement would change the 5-year route to settlement. No start date is confirmed (GOV.UK).
Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker: which is it?
The Health and Care Worker visa is for qualified doctors, nurses, health professionals and adult social care professionals. You must work in an eligible job for the NHS, an NHS supplier or in adult social care (Health and Care Worker visa guide). Care workers (6135) and senior care workers (6136) are only eligible if you are extending, updating or switching. In England their employer must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (Health and Care Worker visa guide).
Most other sponsored jobs use the Skilled Worker visa. Both visas need an approved employer, a certificate of sponsorship (CoS), an eligible job and a minimum salary, and both last up to 5 years (Skilled Worker visa guide).
How much do you need to earn for a Skilled Worker visa in 2026?
The standard rule is the higher of £41,700 a year or the going rate for your 4-digit occupation code. GOV.UK gives this example: a salary of £42,000 does not meet the rule if the going rate is £45,000 (Skilled Worker visa guide).
| Situation | Minimum salary rule (from GOV.UK) |
|---|---|
| Standard | Higher of £41,700 or the going rate |
| Under 26, a student or recent graduate, a Graduate visa holder, or in professional training | £33,400 minimum, paid at 70% of the going rate. The total stay is capped at 4 years, including Graduate visa time |
| STEM PhD | £33,400 minimum, at 80% of the going rate |
| Non-STEM PhD | £37,500 minimum, at 90% of the going rate |
| Job on the Immigration Salary List | £33,400 minimum, and the full going rate |
| Healthcare or education job on national pay scales | At least £25,000 or the national pay scale rate |
If you got your first sponsorship before 4 April 2024, older, lower thresholds can still apply when you extend, for applications before 4 April 2030 (Skilled Worker visa guide). Ask your employer which rule applies to you.
What are the Health and Care Worker salary rules?
Usually at least £25,000, or the going rate if that is higher. Different rules apply for care workers (6135), senior care workers (6136) and some other listed codes: at least £31,300 or the lower going rate. GOV.UK gives this example: a salary of £32,000 fails if the lower going rate is £33,000. Lower percentages of the going rate apply for under-26s, students, recent graduates and trainees (Health and Care Worker visa guide).
How much does a Skilled Worker visa cost in 2026?
You pay the visa fee, the healthcare surcharge (the IHS) and you show you have savings. Fees below are from the Home Office fees table, 8 October 2026. The table shows no fee change on 8 October 2026.
| Visa | Outside the UK | Inside the UK |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker, up to 3 years | £819 | £943 |
| Skilled Worker, over 3 years | £1,618 | £1,865 |
| Skilled Worker, Immigration Salary List job, up to 3 years / over 3 years | £628 / £1,235 | £628 / £1,235 |
| Health and Care Worker, up to 3 years / over 3 years | £324 / £628 | £324 / £628 |
The healthcare surcharge for Skilled Worker is usually £1,035 for each year of the visa. GOV.UK gives this example: 2 years from Argentina costs £819 + (2 × £1,035) = £2,889 (Skilled Worker visa guide). Dependants pay the fee for the same length of visa as yours. See our guide to UK visa fees and the healthcare surcharge.
Worked example: a family of 3 (illustration)
This is our arithmetic using official figures, not a real case. A worker, a partner and one child under 18 apply from outside the UK for a standard 3-year Skilled Worker visa. We assume the job is not on the Immigration Salary List. Fees are £819 each, so 3 × £819 = £2,457. The surcharge is £1,035 a year for each adult (£3,105 each) and £776 a year for a child under 18 (£2,328) (healthcare surcharge page). That is £8,538 in surcharge and £10,995 in total. On a Health and Care Worker visa the same family pays 3 × £324 = £972, with no surcharge.
On top of that, you must show savings: £1,270 for the main applicant, £285 for a partner and £315 for one child, so £1,870. The money must be held for 28 days in a row, ending within 31 days of applying. You are exempt if your employer certifies maintenance on the CoS, or you have been in the UK with a valid visa for 12 months or more (Skilled Worker visa guide).
What English level do you need?
New applicants, and people switching from a different visa, need English at B2 level. If you held the visa before 8 January 2026 and are extending or updating, B1 is enough and you do not need to prove it again. Proof can be a UK degree, an English-taught degree checked by Ecctis, a UK GCSE or A level started before you were 18, or an approved test. Switching from Health and Care Worker to Skilled Worker, or the reverse, needs no new proof. Nationals of some countries, such as Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago and the USA, are exempt (Skilled Worker visa guide).
Can I change employer, switch visa or take a second job?
- Extend: use this if your job, occupation code and employer stay the same (Skilled Worker visa guide).
- Update: you must apply if you change employer or occupation code. Do not start the new job until permission is confirmed. You need a new CoS and can apply up to 3 months before the start date (Skilled Worker visa guide).
- Switch: you can switch into the route from many visas, including Student and Graduate. You cannot switch from a visit, short-term student, seasonal worker or private-household domestic worker visa. Student visa holders must have finished their course, with some exceptions (Skilled Worker visa guide).
- Second job: more than 20 paid hours a week needs an update. Up to 20 hours a week is allowed if the job is higher skilled, on the Immigration Salary List, or in the same sector at the same level (Skilled Worker visa guide).
Travelling outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man while an in-country application is pending withdraws it (Skilled Worker visa guide).
Can I bring my family?
Dependants are your husband, wife, civil partner or partner (married, or together for 2 years), and children under 18, plus over-18s who already hold dependant permission. They apply separately. They can work, study and travel but cannot claim public funds (Skilled Worker visa guide). Care workers, senior care workers and people in “medium skilled” jobs face limits on bringing dependants, with exceptions such as a child born in the UK or a sole parent. The cut-off dates are 11 March 2024 and 22 July 2025 (Skilled Worker visa guide). A child born in the UK is not automatically British, so you must apply for their dependant visa.
What to do now: step by step
- Ask your employer for your CoS, occupation code, salary and start date. Check the salary against the rule that applies to you (Skilled Worker visa guide).
- Check your English evidence and savings (28 days back from your application date).
- Work out your total with the fees table and the surcharge (Home Office fees table, 8 October 2026; healthcare surcharge page).
- Apply online within 3 months of getting your CoS, and no more than 3 months before the start date. Prove your identity with the “UK Immigration: ID Check” app or at an appointment (Skilled Worker visa guide).
- Wait for the decision: usually 3 weeks from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside the UK (Skilled Worker visa guide).
Common mistakes
- Checking only the £41,700 figure and forgetting that the going rate for your code can be higher.
- Paying for the surcharge on a Health and Care Worker application. It is not required for HCW holders or their dependants (Health and Care Worker visa guide).
- Forgetting that dependants apply separately and pay their own fees.
Key dates
| Date | What happens | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 31 December 2026 | Temporary Shortage List, and almost all Immigration Salary List jobs, stop counting for new CoS (Appendix Skilled Worker) | Announced, with a date |
| 22 July 2028 | Care workers and senior care workers leave the Immigration Salary List (Appendix Immigration Salary List) | Announced, with a date |
| 2027 (no day set) | Earned settlement (GOV.UK) | Announced, no confirmed date |
| Not decided | New shortage list recommended by the MAC (report) | Proposed, no decision found |
Today, a Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa holder may be able to apply for settlement after 5 years (Skilled Worker visa guide). Earned settlement would change that for many people, so read our earned settlement explainer.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Skilled Worker visa take?
Usually 3 weeks from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside the UK, according to GOV.UK.
Can I do extra work on a Skilled Worker visa?
Yes, up to 20 paid hours a week if the extra job is higher skilled, on the Immigration Salary List, or in the same sector at the same level. More than 20 hours needs an update to your visa.
Can I switch from a Graduate or Student visa to Skilled Worker?
Yes. Student visa holders must have finished their course, with some exceptions. Graduate visa holders and new entrants can be paid 70% of the going rate, with a £33,400 minimum, for up to 4 years in total.
Do I pay the healthcare surcharge on a Health and Care Worker visa?
No. Health and Care Worker visa holders and their dependants do not pay it. You still pay for prescriptions, dental treatment and eye tests.
Do I need to prove my English again when I extend?
Not if you held the visa before 8 January 2026 and are extending or updating. B1 applies and you do not need to prove it again. New applicants and switchers need B2.
Related Visa Tide guides
- UK visa fees and the healthcare surcharge in 2026
- Graduate visa: 18 months from January 2027
- Family visa: the £29,000 minimum income requirement
- Earned settlement explained
- UK immigration rule changes: October 2026 and key dates
This is general information, not immigration advice. Check GOV.UK or speak to an IAA-regulated adviser for your situation.
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Sources
- Skilled Worker visa – GOV.UK guide, updated 14 September 2026
- Health and Care Worker visa – GOV.UK guide, updated 9 September 2026
- Healthcare surcharge page – GOV.UK, updated 18 September 2026
- Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 October 2026 – GOV.UK
- Appendix Skilled Worker – Immigration Rules, GOV.UK
- Appendix Immigration Salary List – Immigration Rules, GOV.UK
- Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report – Migration Advisory Committee, 23 July 2026
- Home Secretary unveils new rules for migrants settling in the UK – GOV.UK, 2 November 2026
All sources checked on 4 November 2026. Rules and fees change, so check the linked pages for the latest version.
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