UK Skilled Worker Visa Points Calculator 2026

UK Skilled Worker Visa — Key Requirements 2026

The UK Skilled Worker visa uses a points-based system. You need 70 points to be eligible. 50 points are mandatory (job offer + skill level + English). The remaining 20 come from salary.

Salary Thresholds — Source Directly From GOV.UK

You must earn at least the higher of two figures: the route's general minimum (£41,700 standard, £37,500 relevant PhD, £33,400 new entrant, STEM PhD or Immigration Salary List) and the going rate for your occupation code, discounted where your route allows (70% for new entrants, 90% PhD, 80% STEM PhD). From 8 April 2026 the minimum must also be met in every pay period. Health and Care roles on national pay scales follow separate rules. Look up your occupation's going rate here:

→ GOV.UK: Find your occupation's exact salary threshold

English Language Requirements

New applicants from 8 January 2026 must prove English at B2 (CEFR). People extending a Skilled Worker visa they already held can still use B1. You can prove it through: a UKVI-approved English test (IELTS, PTE, etc.), a degree taught in English, or being a national of a majority English-speaking country.

There Is No Separate "PR Points" System — Here's How UK Settlement Actually Works

Unlike Australia or Canada, the UK doesn't run a second points test for permanent residence (called Indefinite Leave to Remain, or ILR). The 70-point system above only decides whether you're eligible for the Skilled Worker visa itself. Settlement has historically worked on time served, not points: after 5 years of continuous lawful residence on a Skilled Worker visa, maintaining your sponsored job and salary, passing the Life in the UK test, and meeting the English requirement (B1 today; B2 for settlement applications from 26 March 2027), you become eligible to apply for ILR.

This is changing. On 2 November 2026 the Home Office published its response to the Earned Settlement consultation. The standard qualifying period will rise from 5 to 10 years, with 5 years for Skilled Workers earning above £50,270 in three of the last five years and 3 years above £125,140; the proposed 15-year route for medium-skilled jobs was dropped. All applicants will need B2 English, the Life in the UK test, a clean record, no government debt and earnings of at least £12,571 a year. The rules have not been laid yet: they start from the December 2026 immigration rules, with implementation expected during 2027, so the 5-year route remains in force today. There is no general protection for people already in the UK, so if you will reach 5 years before the change, plan to apply as soon as you qualify. Check your dates with our UK ILR date calculator.

The exact commencement date and transitional rules are still to be published, so check GOV.UK before relying on any 5-year or 10-year date.

How This Score Is Calculated

We total four components, each worth a fixed number of points under the published Skilled Worker points table: a confirmed job offer from an approved sponsor (20 points), the role being at RQF Level 6 or above (20 points), meeting the English language requirement (10 points), and meeting the salary requirement (20 points). All four are pass/fail. The salary requirement is the higher of your route's general minimum and the discounted going rate you enter. There is no partial credit: a salary even £1 below the minimum scores 0 salary points.

Worked Example

A software engineer (SOC 2136) with a confirmed job offer at RQF Level 6, B2 English, offered £45,000/year against the standard £41,700 threshold: mandatory points = 50, salary points = 20 (since £45,000 ≥ £41,700), total = 70 points → eligible. If the same offer were £38,000 against the same £41,700 threshold, salary points = 0, total = 50 points → not eligible on salary. Note: the applicant must also meet the specific going rate for SOC 2136 — if higher than £41,700, that rate applies.

Assumptions

• You have already identified a UK Home Office licensed sponsor willing to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship.
• The salary threshold you enter is the correct, current figure for your specific SOC code (we do not auto-fill this — see the GOV.UK link above).
• "Going rate" and minimum salary are treated as a single threshold for simplicity; in practice the Home Office assesses both the general threshold and the going rate for your specific occupation.

Limitations

• This tool does not check sponsor licence validity, Certificate of Sponsorship allocation, or criminal record/health requirements.
• It does not cover every occupation-specific salary exception (e.g. specific NHS pay scales, PhD-level roles, new entrant discounts).
• Immigration Rules change periodically — see the "Rules Checked" date above and always cross-check with GOV.UK before applying or paying any fees.

This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute immigration advice. Always confirm current rules with the official source linked above or a licensed immigration adviser before making decisions. Page last reviewed 3 November 2026.

Sources

• GOV.UK: Skilled Worker visa, your job and salary
• GOV.UK: Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Worker (occupation and going-rate tables)
• Skilled Worker salary thresholds 2026, incl. pay-period rule from 8 April 2026
• Centuro Global: UK immigration changes 2026 (B2 English, Skills Charge, TSL)
• FSP Law: where earned settlement stands (October 2026)
• Wesbridge: Home Secretary's evidence to MPs, 15 September 2026