Salary Threshold
From April 2024, in order to be eligible for a skilled worker visa, you must be paid the minimum salary rate for the type of work you will be doing.
This means that the minimum salary must be the higher of:
- £38,700 per year.
- The going rate for your job role.
This may be lower if you are extending your visa or updating it due to switching jobs or employer.
You may still be eligible if you’re paid between 70-90% of your job’s going rate (so long as the salary itself is at least £33,960 per year). However, you must either be:-
- Under 26.
- Already inside the UK and currently on a student or graduate visa.
- Working towards a recognised qualification in a UK regulated profession.
You can be paid less if you have a STEM subject PhD or a postdoctoral position in science or higher education.
There are different salary rates for some jobs in healthcare and also in education – in which case your salary must be above £23,200 or the job’s ‘going rate’, whichever is higher.
The increase was brought about as the Conservative government sought to reduce net migration by upping the costs, not only for salary thresholds and applications, but for the immigration healthcare surcharge which has soared from £624 per year to £1,035 per year, for the duration of your visa, which must be paid upfront.
This is the same with the minimum income requirement on the family visa route – currently at £29,000. Labour have confirmed this threshold will remain at this level until the Migration Advisory Committee’s (MAC) review of financial requirements is complete.
What if I started my Family Visa before 11 April 2024?
If you first applied as a partner before 11 April 2024 and you’re extending that visa, the old financial threshold of £18,600 will still apply to you. For an extension application, this minimum income requirement can be met by a combined income of both you and your spouse.
What will Future Fees Look Like?
While it is not yet known when the fees will change, a change is likely after the MAC has finished its review sometime in 2025. This will not affect the minimum income requirement applicable to you if you make an extension application, you will still be expected to meet the same salary threshold that was in place during your initial application.
Below are some links to useful information online:
- Home Office’s Immigration and Nationality Fees: 24 October 2024
- Skilled Worker Visa: Going Rates for Eligible Occupation Codes
How we can help?
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