UK Immigration Salary List 2026: Jobs Eligible for Lower Skilled Worker Visa Threshold

• The UK government published the latest Immigration Salary List, covering roles that qualify for a reduced salary threshold under the Skilled Worker visa route
• The list spans sectors including construction, healthcare, the arts, agriculture, and science, with most roles carrying a removal date of 31 December 2026
• Several roles on the list come with additional conditions, including requirements tied to work experience, professional endorsements, and sponsor registration

The UK government has published the current version of its Immigration Salary List, identifying the occupations that allow employers to sponsor overseas workers at a salary threshold lower than the standard Skilled Worker visa requirement.

The list, which appears on the official UK immigration rules guidance portal, spans a broad range of industries and applies across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, though some roles are restricted to specific nations within the UK.

The majority of roles on the list carry a removal date of 31 December 2026. Positions open to all four nations include:

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Residential, Day and Domiciliary Care Managers and Proprietors; Biological Scientists; Archaeologists; Graphic and Multimedia Designers; Pharmaceutical Technicians; Artists; Arts Officers, Producers and Directors; Fishing Industry Trades; Stonemasons and Related Trades; Bricklayers; Roofers, Roof Tilers and Slaters; Carpenters and Joiners; Retrofitters; and Nursing Auxiliaries and Assistants.

Also included for all nations are Care Workers and Home Carers, Senior Care Workers, skilled Classical Ballet and Contemporary Dancers meeting the standard of internationally recognised UK companies and endorsed by an Arts Council, and skilled Orchestral Musicians in lead or numbered string positions with orchestras that are full members of the Association of British Orchestras.

Laboratory Technicians and High Integrity Pipe Welders both require a minimum of three years of related on-the-job experience to qualify. Deckhands on large fishing vessels of nine metres and above similarly require at least three years of full-time experience in the role and are eligible across all nations.

Roles restricted to Scotland include Fishing Boat Masters, Chemical Scientists in the Nuclear Industry, and Boat and Ship Builders and Repairers. Racing Grooms, Stallion Handlers, Stud Grooms, Stud Hands, Stud Handlers and Work Riders are also listed as eligible across all nations.

Key Conditions for Sponsors and Applicants

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The UK government has attached specific conditions to several categories. Any work experience cited as grounds for eligibility must not have been obtained through illegal working.

For care-related roles in England, only sponsors registered with the Care Quality Commission and actively carrying out a regulated activity are permitted to use the list. Private households are explicitly excluded from acting as sponsors for these positions.

Roles in the performing arts, including dancer and musician positions, require formal endorsement from recognised UK industry bodies before an applicant can qualify under the reduced salary threshold.

The government has not announced any changes to the broader Skilled Worker visa framework alongside this publication. The full and current Immigration Salary List is available through the official UK immigration rules guidance.

Source: YEN.com.gh