TL;DR: Under Appendix Skilled Worker, applicants must be awarded all 50 mandatory points (SW 4.1) plus 20 points from one salary option (SW 4.2), 70 in total. Meeting the salary requirement does not replace any mandatory requirement. The Immigration Rules and official guidance control and can change.
How the 70 points are made up
Appendix Skilled Worker requires applicants to be awarded all 50 mandatory points (SW 4.1) and 20 points from one salary option (SW 4.2), 70 in total. The points are commonly described in two groups:
- 50 mandatory points, for a job offer from a licensed sponsor, a job at an appropriate skill level, and English language at the required level. All of these must be met.
- 20 tradeable points, usually awarded for salary. In some cases a lower salary can qualify where a specific condition is met, such as a job on the Immigration Salary List or a relevant PhD.
The tradeable points only affect the salary side. A salary, a PhD or a list status does not make up for a missing CoS, an ineligible job or a failed English requirement. The full wording of each requirement is in Appendix Skilled Worker, which takes precedence over any summary.
Mandatory requirements
Sponsored job offer
The applicant needs a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from an employer holding a sponsor licence, for a genuine job.
Eligible job and skill level
GOV.UK’s job and salary requirements page states that higher skilled jobs can qualify, subject to the other requirements. Medium skilled jobs only qualify in limited cases: jobs on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List, prison officers extending or switching, or certain extensions where the first CoS was issued before 22 July 2025. The earlier rule that any job at RQF level 3 or above qualifies no longer applies to new applications in general.
English language
According to GOV.UK’s knowledge of English page:
- New applicants generally need level B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening.
- People who held a Skilled Worker visa before 8 January 2026 and are extending or updating it need level B1. GOV.UK says anyone who proved their English in a previous successful application may not have to prove it again.
- People switching from a Health and Care Worker visa do not need to prove their English again. Other people switching need B2.
GOV.UK lists exemptions and different ways to prove English ability, such as nationality or a qualification taught in English.
Salary and tradeable points
GOV.UK states that the usual minimum salary is the higher of £41,700 per year or the going rate for the occupation code.
GOV.UK’s page on reduced salary options sets out reduced options:
| Option | Minimum salary | Share of going rate |
|---|---|---|
| Job on the Immigration Salary List | £33,400 | 100% |
| Relevant PhD in a non-STEM subject | £37,500 | 90% |
| Relevant PhD in a STEM subject | £33,400 | 80% |
| New entrant | £33,400 | 70% |
Each option has detailed conditions. The options do not universally combine. New entrant status is limited to four years in total, including time spent on the Graduate route. Healthcare, education and transitional arrangements can follow different rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many points does a Skilled Worker applicant need? A: At least 70 in total: 50 mandatory points under SW 4.1 and 20 salary points under SW 4.2 of Appendix Skilled Worker.
Q: Can a high salary make up for not meeting the English requirement? A: No. English language is a mandatory requirement. Salary only affects the tradeable points.
Q: Does the Immigration Salary List reduce the going rate? A: No. GOV.UK states that ISL jobs need at least £33,400 per year and 100% of the going rate.
Q: Is B1 English still the standard level? A: For new applicants, GOV.UK now generally requires B2. B1 applies to people who held a Skilled Worker visa before 8 January 2026 and are extending or updating it.
Official sources
- Immigration Rules: Appendix Skilled Worker
- Skilled Worker visa: job and salary requirements
- Skilled Worker visa: knowledge of English
- Skilled Worker visa: reduced salary options
This article summarises published GOV.UK material. The Immigration Rules and official guidance control and can change.