Skilled Worker salary and English thresholds after the July 2026 rules update
02 Jul 2026
If you are on a Skilled Worker visa or planning to apply, the Immigration Rules Appendix covering your route was updated on 1 July 2026. Here is a plain-English summary of the key thresholds currently in force.
For English language, the requirement for a new or initial Skilled Worker application is level B2. If your most recent Skilled Worker permission was granted subject to a B1 requirement, you can still meet the condition at B1. For settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain on the Skilled Worker route), the requirement is currently B1. This will change on 26 March 2027, when settlement applicants will also need to meet B2.
For salary, you need 70 points in total, and 20 of those come from meeting one of the salary options. Option A, the standard route, requires at least £41,700 per year plus 100% of the going rate for your occupation. Option B, for a non-STEM PhD relevant to the role, requires £37,500 and at least 90% of the going rate. Options C, D, and E each have a minimum of £33,400 but differ in who qualifies: STEM PhD holders (80% of going rate), jobs on the Immigration Salary List (100% of going rate), and new entrants to the labour market (70% of going rate).
Before you apply, extend, or plan your settlement, check the live Appendix Skilled Worker page on GOV.UK. It includes occupation-specific going rates and transitional provisions for care workers and other affected groups that may affect which option applies to you.
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