UK Skilled Worker visa guide 2026: requirements, costs and documents
The Skilled Worker route is for an eligible job with a Home Office-approved employer. Use this general guide to understand sponsorship, salary, English, costs, documents, dependants and the different inside-UK and outside-UK pathways.
Costs, funds and key figures
Outside-UK entry applications and inside-UK extensions, updates or permitted switches have different standard fees. A qualifying sponsor can certify maintenance; someone with valid UK permission for at least 12 months may not need to prove the main maintenance amount.
Figures checked against the official source on 7 August 2026. Government charges and rules can change.Standard fee per person: up to 3 years or more than 3 years. Immigration Salary List fees are £628 or £1,235.
Verify with GOV.UK ↗Inside-UK fee£943 or £1,865Standard fee per person to extend, switch or update: up to 3 years or more than 3 years. Switching is not permitted from every route.
Verify with GOV.UK ↗Main applicant funds£1,270Normally held for 28 consecutive days, with day 28 within 31 days of applying. Sponsor-certified maintenance or the 12-month UK exception may apply.
Verify with GOV.UK ↗Dependant funds£285 + £315 + £200£285 for a partner, £315 for the first child and £200 for each additional child, in addition to the main applicant’s funds, unless an exception applies.
Verify with GOV.UK ↗Healthcare surchargeUsually £1,035 per yearPayable per person for each year of permission. Eligible Health and Care Visa applicants and their dependants are exempt.
Verify with GOV.UK ↗Salary checkJob-specificThe job must meet the route’s current salary and going-rate rules. Check the occupation code and Certificate of Sponsorship before starting.
Verify with GOV.UK ↗Go directly to the answer you need
Focused pages explain common document, cost, location, dependant and maintenance questions without repeating the whole guide.
Research whether your job may support a future Skilled Worker application
This searches the full GOV.UK eligible-occupations table—not only the Immigration Salary List—and shows the published going-rate information for possible matches.
Important: This is a general research comparison, not an eligibility decision. GOV.UK normally requires the higher of the applicable general threshold and the occupation-specific rate, adjusted for contracted hours. Healthcare, education, Immigration Salary List, Temporary Shortage List, medium-skilled, transitional and other tradeable-points rules can change the result. The sponsor must confirm the occupation code, salary, hours and Certificate of Sponsorship.
General eligibility points
Use these as research prompts. Meeting them does not guarantee a successful application.
- You have a confirmed job offer from an approved UK sponsor.
- Your employer has issued a valid Certificate of Sponsorship.
- The occupation and salary meet the applicable requirements.
- You meet the English-language requirement unless an exemption applies.
Document checklist
The exact evidence depends on the route and circumstances.
- Certificate of Sponsorship reference number.
- Evidence of English knowledge where required.
- A valid passport or other evidence of identity and nationality.
- Job title, annual salary, occupation code and sponsor details.
- Financial, TB, criminal-record or relationship evidence where applicable.
Outside and inside the UK are different pathways
Choose the column matching where the applicant will be when they apply. This is general orientation; always check the linked GOV.UK route page.
Four preparation steps
Confirm the employer is an approved sponsor
Check the occupation code and salary
Review the Certificate of Sponsorship
Prepare the application and supporting evidence
Check the current GOV.UK rules
Government requirements can change. Use these official pages as the authoritative source.
Administrative document checklist — £20 per document
We check legibility, orientation, page order and file naming, and record whether the document type appears on the published GOV.UK checklist you selected. We do not decide whether the document satisfies an immigration requirement or recommend evidence.
Important boundary: this is an administrative comparison, not immigration advice. We do not decide whether a document proves a requirement, is sufficient for a particular case or is likely to be accepted. We do not recommend evidence, interpret refusals or guarantee an outcome. Do not send documents through the enquiry form; secure delivery instructions must be agreed first.
Request a document quality check →Skilled Worker visa FAQs
Is a job offer enough?+
No. The employer must normally be approved, and the job, salary, sponsorship and applicant must satisfy the route requirements.
Can a Skilled Worker change employer?+
A new application is normally required before starting a different sponsored job or changing to a different occupation code.
Can dependants apply?+
Eligible partners and children may be able to apply, subject to relationship, age and other route-specific rules.