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College roles eligible for sponsorship

Following a recent statement of changes with updates to the Skilled Worker visa route, we are continuing to work on this and to establish who will be affected.

The 'headlines' are as follows, and relate only to Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) assigned on/after 22 July:

  • New Skilled Worker applicants (ie those who are coming to the UK from overseas, and those switching in the UK from a different type of visa) will need to be appointed to a role at RQF level 6 or above - this includes research and teaching roles, and some higher level professional services roles. Roles with a lower skill level (RQF 3-5) will remain sponsorable only for existing Skilled Worker visa holders whose CoS was assigned to them before 22 July 2025. These include technicians, some IT roles and administrative roles.
  • The Immigration Salary List (formerly the Shortage Occupation List) will be phased out - roles are currently due for removal from the List on 31 December 2026. We understand that the roles will still be able to be sponsored, but will no longer benefit from the reduction in visa cost.
  • Some RQF 3-5 roles have been added to a new Temporary Shortage List. The List will be kept under review, with the first review currently scheduled for the end of 2026. It is unclear whether these roles will be sponsorable beyond then.
  • Workers whose CoS is assigned to them on or after 22 July 2025 and where the role is (a) in an RQF 3-5 role and (b) on either the Immigration Salary List or the Shortage Occupation List will be unable to bring dependants. To be clear, this is not applicable to any Skilled Worker visa holder whose CoS is/was issued to them before 22 July 2025.
  • Minimum salary thresholds have mostly increased, as has the 'going rate' for some roles inline with the latest Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) data, published by the Office for National Statistics.

If you have any concerns, please contact the HR Compliance Team for advice.

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 College purposes, please choose a job category below to see specific examples of equivalent job roles/job titles, and view the minimum salary levels relevant to the job.

Notes

If the salary for the role does not meet the required minimum ("min for 20 pts from salary"), a lower salary may be sponsorable in the following circumstances:

  • Holding a PhD: jobs in certain SOC codes can benefit from a lower minimum salary due to the individual holding a STEM or non-STEM PhD (minimum salary is different for each). The PhD must be relevant to the job. Where this is applicable, it is for you as the recruiting College to determine whether (a) the PhD is in a STEM subject or not, and (b) it is relevant to the job, by way of the recruitment process.

OR

  • Being classed as a New Entrant to the labour market: jobs in all SOC codes can benefit from a lower minimum salary due to the individual meeting the eligibility criteria.

If a role will be undertaken part-time, please contact the HR Compliance Team to check whether the pro-rata salary will meet minimum requirements for a Skilled Worker Visa.

 

Junior Research Fellows and other research roles (2162)

SOC code: 2162 Other researchers, unspecified discipline

SOC code 2119 formerly used; this is now for science-based roles only. Visa extensions must normally be in the same SOC code; however, in this case, those with roles in 2119 should extend in 2162 unless the role is science-based.

Minimum salaries

Hours per week: 37.5 Min for 20 points from salary Immigration Salary List points Non-STEM PhD points STEM PhD points New Entrant points
Existing Skilled Worker visa (SWV) holders where first SWV CoS assigned before 4th April 2024 £35,000 N/A

£31,500

 £28,000 £25,000

New SWV applicants

and

Existing SWV holders where first SWV CoS assigned on/after 4th April 2024

 £40,800 N/A £36,720 £32,640 £30,960
Lector / Lektor / Lectrice (2319)

SOC code: 2319 Teaching professionals not elsewhere classified

Note: If the worker is applying for a Skilled Worker visa from overseas, they must provide a criminal record certificate from the relevant authority in any country in which they have been present for 12 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the past 10 years, while aged 18 or over. This requirement also applies to their partner/spouse if they will be applying to accompany or join them.

Minimum salaries

Hours per week: 37.5 Min for 20 points from salary Immigration Salary List points Non-STEM PhD points STEM PhD points New Entrant points
Existing Skilled Worker visa (SWV) holders where first SWV CoS assigned before 4th April 2024 £29,000 N/A £26,100 £25,000 £25,000

New SWV applicants

and

Existing SWV holders where first SWV CoS assigned on/after 4th April 2024

 £38,700 N/A £34,830 £30,960 £30,960
Lecturer / Teaching Officer (2311)

SOC code: 2311 Higher education teaching professionals

Minimum salaries

Hours per week: 37.5 Min for 20 points from salary Immigration Salary List points Non-STEM PhD points STEM PhD points New Entrant points
Existing Skilled Worker visa (SWV) holders where first SWV CoS assigned before 4th April 2024 £38,100 N/A £34,290 £30,480 26,670

New SWV applicants

and

Existing SWV holders where first SWV CoS assigned on/after 4th April 2024

 £47,700 N/A £42,930 £38,160 £33,390
Chefs (5434)

SOC code 5434: Chefs

Minimum salaries

Hours per week: 35 or 37.5 Min for 20 points from salary Immigration Salary List points Non-STEM PhD points STEM PhD points New Entrant points
Existing Skilled Worker visa (SWV) holders where first SWV CoS assigned before 4th April 2024 £29,000 N/A N/A N/A £25,000

New SWV applicants

and

Existing SWV holders where first SWV CoS assigned on/after 4th April 2024

 £38,700 N/A N/A N/A £30,960
Fundraisers and marketing professionals (3554)

SOC code: 3554 Advertising and marketing associate professionals

Formerly SOC code 3543 Marketing associate professionals

Minimum salaries

Hours per week: 35 or 37.5 Min for 20 points from salary Immigration Salary List points Non-STEM PhD points STEM PhD points New Entrant points
Existing Skilled Worker visa (SWV) holders where first SWV CoS assigned before 4th April 2024 £29,000 N/A N/A N/A £25,000

New SWV applicants

and

Existing SWV holders where first SWV CoS assigned on/after 4th April 2024

 £38,700 N/A N/A N/A £30,960
IT technicians (3131)

SOC code: 3131 IT operations technicians

Example job roles

  • Digital Administrator
  • IT Technician
  • Network Administrator
  • Systems Adminitrator

Minimum salaries

Hours per week: 35 Min for 20 points from salary Immigration Salary List points Non-STEM PhD points STEM PhD points New Entrant points
Existing Skilled Worker visa (SWV) holders where first SWV CoS assigned before 4th April 2024 £29,000 N/A £26,100 £25,000 £25,000

New SWV applicants

and

Existing SWV holders where first SWV CoS assigned on/after 4th April 2024

 £38,700 N/A £34,830 £30,960 £30,960
Managers and directors (1139)

SOC code: 1139 Managers and directors not elsewhere classified

You may instead wish to use one of the SOC codes below. If so, please contact the HR Compliance Team to discuss salary requirements.

  • 1111 Chief executives and senior officials
  • 1131 Financial managers and directors
  • 1132 Marketing, sales and advertising directors
  • 1133 Public relations and communications directors
  • 1134 Purchasing managers and directors
  • 1136 Human resource managers and directors
  • 1137 Information technology directors

Minimum salaries

Hours per week: 37.5 Min for 20 points from salary Immigration Salary List points Non-STEM PhD points STEM PhD points New Entrant points
Existing Skilled Worker visa (SWV) holders where first SWV CoS assigned before 4th April 2024 £48,800 N/A £43,920 £39,040 £34,160

New SWV applicants

and

Existing SWV holders where first SWV CoS assigned on/after 4th April 2024

 £69,900 N/A £62,910 £55,920 £48,930

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