UK Skilled Worker Visa
The UK Skilled Worker visa is points-based and formula-driven. You either meet the 70-point threshold or you do not. MigraIQ verifies your SOC code, calculates salary compliance against the occupation going rate, and surfaces nationality-specific requirements before you apply.
Free to start. No credit card required.
The 70-Point Requirement
50 of the 70 points are mandatory and fixed. The remaining 20 are tradeable — earned through salary. If your salary does not meet the threshold, no other factor can compensate.
Mandatory (50 points — cannot be traded)
Tradeable (20 points — must meet one of these)
The salary threshold most applicants get wrong
£38,700 is the general threshold. But every eligible occupation also has a going rate — the occupation-specific salary floor from ONS earnings data. Your salary must meet whichever is higher. For most technology, engineering, and finance roles, the going rate exceeds £38,700. MigraIQ calculates both and tells you which one applies to your role.
Health & Care Worker Route
Healthcare professionals and adult social care workers employed by the NHS or registered care providers qualify for a sub-route with substantially reduced costs. Same eligibility criteria, different fee structure.
- Significantly reduced application fees (approximately 80–90% lower than standard route)
- Full exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge (saving over £1,000 per year)
- Eligible roles: all clinical and direct care roles in the NHS, GP practices, and registered adult social care
- Faster processing in some cases through dedicated UKVI caseworking
Why UK Skilled Worker Applications Fail
Unlike intent-based visas, Skilled Worker refusals are almost always technical — a salary below the going rate, a CoS discrepancy, or the wrong English test. They are preventable with the right preparation.
Salary below the going rate for the SOC code
The general threshold of £38,700 is not the only salary requirement. Every eligible occupation has a going rate — the median salary for that specific role. If the going rate is higher than £38,700 (which it is for most tech, engineering, and finance roles), your salary must meet the going rate, not just the general threshold. Many applications fail because applicants check £38,700 and stop there.
Employer not on the Register of Licensed Sponsors
Your employer must hold a valid Skilled Worker sponsor licence before they can issue a Certificate of Sponsorship. The register is public — you can verify at gov.uk. An unlicensed employer cannot sponsor you, regardless of how legitimate the job offer is. Some employers only discover they need a licence after making an offer.
Certificate of Sponsorship discrepancies
The CoS must exactly match your application in job title, salary, employer name, and start date. Any discrepancy — even a small one — triggers a request for further information or a refusal. Check the CoS against your job offer letter before submitting, and ask your employer to correct and reissue if anything is wrong.
English language evidence not meeting UKVI standards
Only UKVI-approved versions of English tests are accepted — standard IELTS Academic is not valid. You need IELTS for UKVI, Trinity College SELT, or PTE Academic for UKVI. Each component (reading, writing, listening, speaking) must meet the B1 minimum — an overall pass does not compensate for a fail in one component.
What You Will Need
Your exact checklist depends on your nationality, role, and employer. MigraIQ generates a personalised list based on your answers — the items below cover the most common requirements.
- Valid passport covering your full period of intended stay
- Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number from your employer
- Job offer letter — must match CoS in all material details
- English language evidence (test certificate, degree, or nationality exemption)
- Bank statements showing £1,270 for 28 consecutive days (unless employer certifies maintenance)
- TB test certificate — required for nationals of certain countries
- Overseas criminal record certificates — from countries lived in 12+ months
- Professional registration certificate — for regulated roles (nurses, doctors, AHPs)
How MigraIQ Prepares Your Application
SOC code verification
We map your job title and duties to the correct SOC code, confirm the role is on the eligible occupations list, and pull the going rate for your occupation.
Salary compliance check
We compare your salary against both the £38,700 general threshold and your SOC-specific going rate, and calculate whether the new entrant rate applies to you.
Nationality-aware checklist
TB test, English language exemption, and criminal record certificates are all determined by your nationality. We flag exactly what applies to you — not a generic list.
CoS verification guide
We walk you through checking every field on your Certificate of Sponsorship before you submit — catching discrepancies that would otherwise cause delays or refusal.
Check your Skilled Worker eligibility
Answer a few questions about your job offer and we will calculate your points, verify your salary against the going rate, and generate your personalised checklist.