Skilled Worker
Main work route
Employer sponsored · source
Country guide · United Kingdom
A guide for international candidates
Unless you're a British or Irish citizen or already have UK status, you'll need a visa that lets you work. The main sponsored route is the Skilled Worker visa. Since 22 July 2025 it has mainly covered degree-level jobs paying at least £41,700. Pay and rent vary by city, and most work visa applicants pay a yearly NHS surcharge.
Skilled Worker
Main work route
Employer sponsored · source
£41,700
Usual minimum salary
Or the going rate if higher · source
£1,400
Average rent a month
UK, August 2026, ONS · source
English
Language of work
Welsh, Gaelic and Scots official in Wales and Scotland · source
Pound sterling
Currency
£, GBP · source
GMT / BST
Time zone
BST (UTC+1) late March to late October · source
999
Emergency number
111 for urgent medical help · source
10.1°C
Average temperature
UK, 2025. Long-term average 9.1°C · source
Last checked 7 October 2026. Every figure links to its official source.
All regions lets you pick a place and see rent, jobs and every sector. Choose a sector to see that industry in every place.
Cyan is the region you picked. Navy is everywhere else.
Nation
Lively cities, festival summers and hills, lochs and islands never far away.
About 5.5 million people live in Scotland. Healthcare, finance and hospitality are each a little above their UK share of jobs, and average rent is £1,013 a month.
Scottish Income Tax has six rates, from 19% to 48% (2026 to 2027). About 1,573 mm of rain and 1,200 hours of sunshine a year (UK: 1,163 mm, 1,403 hours).
Sector strength vs UK average
Main cities
Job links open all UK roles for now. Sources: ONS JOBS05, Sep 2025 to Jun 2026; ONS private rents, August 2026.
| Region or nation | Jobs | Strongest sector |
|---|---|---|
| North East | 1.2m | Engineering (1.29×) |
| North West | 4.0m | Engineering (1.17×) |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 2.9m | Engineering (1.36×) |
| East Midlands | 2.5m | Engineering (1.51×) |
| West Midlands | 3.0m | Engineering (1.32×) |
| East of England | 3.3m | Engineering (1.03×) |
| London | 6.4m | Finance (2.38×) |
| South East | 5.0m | Tech (1.21×) |
| South West | 3.1m | Hospitality (1.30×) |
| Wales | 1.5m | Engineering (1.35×) |
| Scotland | 2.8m | Healthcare (1.10×) |
| Northern Ireland | 1.0m | Engineering (1.45×) |
| Region or nation | Location quotient |
|---|---|
| North East | 0.44× |
| North West | 0.67× |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 0.54× |
| East Midlands | 0.65× |
| West Midlands | 0.58× |
| East of England | 0.75× |
| London | 2.20× |
| South East | 1.21× |
| South West | 0.91× |
| Wales | 0.44× |
| Scotland | 0.62× |
| Northern Ireland | 0.68× |
| Region or nation | Location quotient |
|---|---|
| North East | 1.21× |
| North West | 1.06× |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 1.07× |
| East Midlands | 0.98× |
| West Midlands | 1.12× |
| East of England | 0.90× |
| London | 0.80× |
| South East | 0.93× |
| South West | 1.06× |
| Wales | 1.24× |
| Scotland | 1.10× |
| Northern Ireland | 1.14× |
| Region or nation | Location quotient |
|---|---|
| North East | 1.29× |
| North West | 1.17× |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 1.36× |
| East Midlands | 1.51× |
| West Midlands | 1.32× |
| East of England | 1.03× |
| London | 0.29× |
| South East | 0.81× |
| South West | 1.08× |
| Wales | 1.35× |
| Scotland | 0.98× |
| Northern Ireland | 1.45× |
| Region or nation | Location quotient |
|---|---|
| North East | 0.46× |
| North West | 0.80× |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 0.78× |
| East Midlands | 0.45× |
| West Midlands | 0.58× |
| East of England | 0.51× |
| London | 2.38× |
| South East | 0.73× |
| South West | 0.78× |
| Wales | 0.74× |
| Scotland | 1.09× |
| Northern Ireland | 0.66× |
| Region or nation | Location quotient |
|---|---|
| North East | 0.95× |
| North West | 0.99× |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 0.99× |
| East Midlands | 0.94× |
| West Midlands | 0.89× |
| East of England | 0.92× |
| London | 0.97× |
| South East | 1.00× |
| South West | 1.30× |
| Wales | 1.02× |
| Scotland | 1.08× |
| Northern Ireland | 0.86× |
Pay, rent and the sectors each city is strong in. Strong means the city's share of jobs is at least 10% above the Great Britain average.
London
Sunshine, regional average*: about 1,671 hours (South East and central southern England)
A global city with the widest choice of work, and the biggest rent bill.
See jobs in LondonNorth West
Sunshine, regional average*: about 1,374 hours (North West England and North Wales)
Big-city energy, strong finance and tech, and rents well below London's.
See jobs in ManchesterScotland
Sunshine, regional average*: about 1,283 hours (East Scotland)
A capital with a strong finance sector, and festivals every August.
See jobs in EdinburghWest Midlands
Sunshine, regional average*: about 1,485 hours (Midlands)
Strong healthcare and finance, and the lowest average rent of the four cities here.
See jobs in Birmingham*Sunshine is the regional Met Office average for 1991 to 2020, not a city figure. Job links open all UK roles for now.
Step 1 of 3
Three quick questions. Links straight to GOV.UK. This is a route to read about, not a decision on your application.
A yearly salary and a city. Pay after Income Tax and National Insurance, then average rent and Council Tax.
Take-home a month in London
£2,795.34
London's average Band D, 2026 to 2027. Student loan repayments are not included. This is an illustration from figures checked on 7 October 2026, not advice on your own tax. Find a specialist.
Pick a sector, a rent budget and how much sunshine matters. These are the top two of London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Birmingham.
Best match · North West
1,374 hours a year
9.2°C average
Also consider · West Midlands
1,485 hours a year
9.8°C average
Sunshine hours and temperature are the regional Met Office average for 1991 to 2020, not a city-centre reading. Strong means the city's share of those jobs is at least 10% above the Great Britain average. source
These describe the route. They do not say whether you qualify.
Skilled Worker visa
Jobs with a Home Office approved employer. Usually £41,700 a year or the going rate, mainly for degree-level jobs.
Health and Care Worker visa
Doctors, nurses and other health professionals. Lower fees and no health surcharge for you or your family.
Senior or Specialist Worker visa
Existing employees moving to a UK branch, with a minimum salary of £52,500.
Graduate visa
People finishing an eligible UK course. 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026, then 18 months (3 years for PhDs).
High Potential Individual visa
Recent graduates of universities on the eligible list. Lasts 2 years (3 for PhDs), with a yearly limit.
Youth Mobility Scheme
Up to 2 years of work for young people from listed countries. The fee is £340 and you need £2,530 in savings.
Global Talent visa
No job offer needed. Most people need an endorsement first. £766 in total, plus the health surcharge.
1
Before you apply
Your sponsor gives you a certificate of sponsorship. Apply within 3 months of getting it.
2
About 3 weeks
Pay the visa fee and the health surcharge online. Decisions usually take about 3 weeks from outside the UK.
3
Before travel
Set up your free UKVI account and view your eVisa. Pets need a 21-day wait after their rabies jab.
4
Arrival
Prove your right to work with a share code, open a bank account and check for your National Insurance number.
5
Settling in
Register with a GP, set up Council Tax and apply for school places if you have children.
For the Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker visas, yes. You need a confirmed offer from a Home Office approved employer and a certificate of sponsorship. Some routes don't need an offer, such as Global Talent, Graduate, High Potential Individual and the Youth Mobility Scheme. Each has its own conditions on GOV.UK.
Usually £41,700 a year or the going rate for the job, whichever is higher. Some people can be paid less, down to £33,400, for example new entrants. Check your job's occupation code and going rate on GOV.UK.
Most Immigration Salary List entries are removed on 31 December 2026, and Temporary Shortage List jobs only count when the certificate of sponsorship was issued before that date. Care worker roles stay until 22 July 2028 for people already in the UK. The Migration Advisory Committee has recommended 28 jobs for 2027 to mid-2028, but that is a proposal, not law.
Often, yes, if your job is degree level. They apply as your dependants, pay the same fees and the healthcare surcharge, and your partner can usually work. New workers in medium-skilled jobs generally can't bring dependants. GOV.UK lists the exceptions.
Most visa applicants pay an immigration health surcharge, usually £1,035 a year, and then use the NHS like residents. Health and Care Worker visa holders and their families don't pay it. Some care still costs money, such as NHS dental treatment for most adults in England.
No. Each listing shows the support the employer or agency has stated, such as visa sponsorship or relocation support. Confirm it with the employer before you apply.
If a listing asks you to pay a person for a visa, or to pay back a sponsor's certificate fee, pause and check GOV.UK. Sponsors must not recoup the certificate of sponsorship fee or the Immigration Skills Charge from the worker. Find a specialist.
Country information is checked against official sources. For advice on your own situation, find a specialist.
Create your free profile and choose whether employers and agencies can find you.
Each listing shows what the employer or agency offers: visa sponsorship, relocation support or remote work.
Move
Visa, housing, tax, and settling in. Look through listings, or ask one to get in touch.