UK Points-Based Immigration System: Overview for Applicants
Under the UK points-based immigration system, most people coming to the UK to work must score enough points against set requirements to qualify for a visa. Irish citizens are exempt. The system gives UK employers clear routes to recruit skilled workers from overseas and helps applicants understand what they need to qualify.
To hire most workers from outside the UK, employers need a sponsor licence. Before applying to become a sponsor, employers should confirm that the roles they want to fill meet the criteria for sponsored work visas. This section summarises how the system works and what you need to know as an applicant or employer.
Skilled Worker Route: How It Works
The Skilled Worker route covers most UK jobs open to overseas recruitment. To qualify, you must have a job offer from a Home Office licensed sponsor. Since 22 July 2025 most new roles must be at RQF level 6 (graduate level), unless the job is on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List. You must meet the English language requirement: level B2 for a first Skilled Worker visa since 8 January 2026, or B1 if you extend one you already hold. The job must also meet the minimum salary threshold: the higher of £41,700 per year or the "going rate" for that occupation code.
Applicants can use "tradeable" characteristics to reach 70 points even if the salary is below the standard threshold. If the offer is at least £33,400 you may still qualify with: a job on the Immigration Salary List, a PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job, or new entrant status (under 26, a recent graduate or in professional training). A relevant non-STEM PhD needs at least £37,500. Different salary rules apply to health and education roles on national pay scales, where the minimum is £25,000.
Skilled Worker Points Table: 70 Points Required
| Criteria | Type | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Job offer from approved sponsor | Mandatory | 20 |
| Job at required skill level (RQF 6, or on a shortage list) | Mandatory | 20 |
| English at required level (B2) | Mandatory | 10 |
| Salary of at least £41,700 and the full going rate | Tradeable | 20 |
| PhD relevant to job: at least £37,500 and 90% of the going rate | Tradeable | 20 |
| STEM PhD relevant to job: at least £33,400 and 80% of the going rate | Tradeable | 20 |
| Job on the Immigration Salary List: at least £33,400 and the going rate | Tradeable | 20 |
| New entrant: at least £33,400 and 70% of the going rate | Tradeable | 20 |
Skill Level and SOC Codes
Every job has a Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code with an assigned skill level. The Skilled Worker route requires most new roles to be at RQF 6 or above. The Office for National Statistics provides an Occupation Coding Tool to match jobs to the correct SOC code. You can also use our eligible occupations and SOC codes page.
Immigration Salary List
The Immigration Salary List replaced the Shortage Occupation List in April 2024. The Migration Advisory Committee advises on it, and it lists skilled roles where there is a national shortage. Roles on the list have a lower salary threshold (£33,400) and a reduced visa fee, but they still must meet the English language requirement of the Skilled Worker route.
Other Immigration Routes (Global Talent, Graduate, Health and Care, etc.)
Besides the Skilled Worker route, the UK offers other work-related routes. Global Talent is for highly skilled individuals who can be endorsed by an approved body (or hold an eligible award) and do not need a job offer; employers do not need a sponsor licence. The Graduate route lets international graduates stay in the UK to work or look for work for two years (or three for doctoral students) without sponsorship. The Health and Care visa is part of the Skilled Worker route with lower fees and no Immigration Health Surcharge for eligible NHS and care roles. Global Business Mobility, Creative, and Sporting routes have their own rules and may require a sponsor. Youth Mobility Scheme allows young people from certain countries to work in the UK for up to two years without sponsorship.
You do not need a sponsor licence to employ Irish citizens or people who already have the right to work in the UK (e.g. EU settled or pre-settled status, or indefinite leave to remain).
Becoming a Licensed Sponsor
Employers who want to sponsor workers under the Skilled Worker route must hold a sponsor licence. Before applying, check that the roles and the people you want to hire meet the work visa requirements. Applications are usually processed within around eight weeks. You will need to choose the type of licence (Worker, Temporary Worker, or both), appoint an authorising officer, key contact, and level 1 user for the Sponsorship Management System (SMS), and pay the relevant fee (e.g. £611 for small or charitable sponsors, £1,682 for medium/large for a Worker licence). An Immigration Skills Charge also applies when you sponsor a worker: £480 for the first 12 months for small/charitable sponsors, £1,320 for medium/large, with additional six-month blocks charged accordingly. Our sponsor licence application guide covers the documents, fees and process, and the Certificate of Sponsorship guide explains what you assign to each worker.
You cannot have unspent convictions for certain immigration or fraud offences. For full steps and to apply, see GOV.UK: Sponsor workers in the UK.
Right to Work Checks
Employers must verify that job applicants have the right to work in the UK before hiring, to avoid civil penalties. Checks can be manual (e.g. passport for British and Irish citizens) or online (e.g. for eVisas, including many EU citizens with settled or pre-settled status). Since 1 July 2021, an EU passport or ID card alone is not sufficient for right to work; online checks are required except for Irish citizens. Employers must not discriminate when conducting checks; Home Office guidance sets out how to carry out checks fairly.
Official Resources
- GOV.UK — Skilled Worker visa
- Skilled Worker visa: going rates for eligible occupation codes
- GOV.UK — Sponsor workers (employers)
- GOV.UK — Hiring from the EU (points-based system)
This guide is for information only and reflects the points-based system and Skilled Worker route as commonly described by the Home Office. Rules and fees can change. Always check GOV.UK for the latest requirements.