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Academic and Research roles

All following job categories/roles are eligible for a Skilled Worker visa.

The terminology for each job role used below is taken from the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes, developed by the Office for National Statistics. The SOC Codes are used to determine eligibility for a Skilled Worker Visa.

For University purposes, please choose a job category below to see specific examples of equivalent job roles/job titles at the University, and receive guidance on whether those roles would meet minimum salary requirements for a Skilled Worker Visa. 

  • Where a role below is denoted as meeting minimum salary requirements, the individual applying for the Skilled Worker Visa will be able to score the required 20 points for salary.
  • Alternatively, where a minimum salary figure is specifically stated you must check if the salary offered to the individual would meet this minimum amount in order for the individual to score 20 points for salary.
  • In some cases, certain roles can benefit from a lower salary due to the individual holding a STEM or non-STEM PhD relevant to the job. This is only relevant for jobs in certain SOC Codes. Where this is applicable, it is for you as the recruiting department to determine if the PhD is relevant to the job, by way of the recruitment process.
  • Where any given role will be undertaken part-time, please contact the HR Compliance Team to verify if the pro-rata salary will meet minimum requirements for a Skilled worker Visa.

 

All 'generic' postdoctoral research roles (SOC 2119)

Example job roles

SOC Code

Can the role meet minimum salary requirements? 

 
  • Research Assistant

 

  • Research Associate/Fellow

 

  • Research Nurse

 

  • Senior Research Associate

 

  • Any postdoc holding an individual fellowship (e.g. Marie Curie, Leverhulme, Smuts etc.)

 

(It is also open to you to use SOC Codes 2111-2114 for postdoc roles according to their specific research discipline/field, as below)

 

 

2119

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For roles at Grades 7 and 9, on a 37 hour per week contract, all salary spine points will automatically meet minimum salary requirements without the need to 'trade' salary points.

 

For roles at Grade 5, on a 37 hour per week contract, the minimum salary would have to be: £34,138, unless:

  

  • The “new entrant” salary rules apply, in which case all salary spine points of Grade 5 would meet minimum salary requirements; or

 

  • The individual holds a STEM PhD relevant to the job; the minimum payable salary would be: £27,311; or

 

  • The individual holds a non-STEM PhD relevant to the job; the minimum payable salary would be: £30,724

 

 

 
Chemical Scientists (SOC 2111)

Relevant job roles

SOC Code

Can the role meet minimum salary requirements? 

 

Chemical Scientists

 

Any research field specific Research Assistant, Research Associate/Fellow or Senior Research Associate role can be classified under this code, where code 2119 is not used

 

 

2111

 

 

For roles at Grades 5, 7 and 9, on a 37 hour per week contract, all salary spine points will automatically meet minimum salary requirements without the need to 'trade' salary points.
Biological Scientists and Biochemists (SOC 2112)

Relevant job roles

SOC Code

Can the role meet minimum salary requirements? 

 

Biological scientists and biochemists

 

Any research field specific Research Assistant, Research Associate/Fellow or Senior Research Associate role can be classified under this code, where code 2119 is not used

 

 

 

 

2112

 

Shortage occupation role

All roles defined under this code are classified as “shortage occupation”

For roles at Grades 5, 7 and 9, on a 37 hour per week contract, all salary spine points will automatically meet minimum salary requirements on account of being classed as a shortage occupation. 'New entrant' salary rules are not applicable. 
Physical Scientists (SOC 2113)

Relevant job roles

SOC Code

Can the role meet minimum salary requirements? 

 

Physical scientists

 

Any research field specific Research Assistant, Research Associate/Fellow or Senior Research Associate role can be classified under this code, where code 2119 is not used

 

 

 

 

2113

 

For roles at Grade 9, on a 37 hour per week contract, all salary spine points will automatically meet minimum salary requirements without the need to 'trade' salary points.

For roles at Grades 5 and 7, on a 37 hour per week contract, the minimum salary would have to be: £32,165, unless:

  

  • The “new entrant” salary rules apply, in which case all spine points of Grade 5 and 7 would meet minimum salary requirements; or

 

  • The individual holds a STEM PhD relevant to the job; the minimum payable salary would be: £25,732; or

 

  • The individual holds a non-STEM PhD relevant to the job; the minimum payable salary would be: £29,949

 

 
Social and Humanities Scientists (SOC 2114)

Relevant job roles

SOC Code

Can the role meet minimum salary requirements? 

 

Social and humanities scientists

 

Any research field specific Research Assistant, Research Associate/Fellow or Senior Research Associate role can be classified under this code, where code 2119 is not used

 

 

 

 

2114

 

For roles at Grades 5, 7 and 9, on a 37 hour per week contract, all salary spine points will automatically meet minimum salary requirements without the need to 'trade' salary points.
Higher Education Teaching Professionals (SOC 2311)

Relevant job roles

SOC Code

Can the role meet minimum salary requirements? 

 

HE Teaching professionals

 

  • Teaching Associate

 

  • Senior Teaching Associate 

 

  • University Lecturer

 

  • University Senior Lecturer

 

  • Reader*

 

  • Professor*

 

 * Please consider for Global Talent visa in the first instance

 

 

2311

 

For roles at Grades 9,11 and 12, on a 37 hour per week contract, all salary spine points will automatically meet minimum salary requirements without the need to 'trade' salary points.

 

For roles at Grades 5 and 7, on a 37 hour per week contract, the minimum salary would have to be: £40,651, unless:

  

  • The “new entrant” salary rules apply, in which case all salary spine points of Grade 5 and 7 would meet minimum salary requirements; or

 

  • The individual holds a STEM PhD relevant to the job; the minimum payable salary would be: £32,521; or

 

  • The individual holds a non-STEM PhD relevant to the job; the minimum payable salary would be: £36,586

 
Research and Development Managers (SOC 2150)

Relevant job roles

SOC Code

Can the role meet minimum salary requirements? 

 

Research and development managers

Example job roles (not exhaustive):

 

  • Research Facility Manager/Director

 

  • Research Training Network Manager

 

 

 

2150

For all roles at Grades 8 or above, all spine points will automatically meet minimum salary requirements without the need to 'trade' salary points.

 

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