Skilled Worker Visa Application Checklist for 2026: Salary, Going Rate, Costs, Documents, and Timelines (for HR and Applicants)
Skilled Worker visa applications fail more often from preventable errors than from genuine ineligibility. Salary miscalculations, incorrect occupation codes, and missing documentation account for most refusals across employer-assigned Certificates and final submissions.
This checklist addresses those failure points directly. It provides HR teams and global applicants with a practical, submission-ready guide covering the exact requirements for issuing Certificates of Sponsorship and completing successful applications.
Who This Is For
Three groups benefit from this framework:
- UK employers with sponsor licences issuing Certificates of Sponsorship
- HR and recruitment teams managing international hiring workflows
- Global applicants preparing Skilled Worker visa applications
The 5 Things That Usually Decide Success
Applications succeed or fail on five core requirements:
- Role eligibility – Occupation must appear on the eligible list at the correct skill level
- Salary compliance – Pay must meet £41,700 and occupation-specific going rate, whichever is higher
- Valid Certificate of Sponsorship – Accurate CoS assigned within three months of application
- English language proof – B2-level English through approved routes (from 8 January 2026)
- Complete documentation – All mandatory and situational documents submitted correctly
Step-by-Step Flow: Employer Tasks vs Applicant Tasks
The process divides into employer responsibilities and applicant actions. Understanding this division prevents delays and reduces compliance risk.
Employer Responsibilities: From Vacancy to Certificate Assignment
Before issuing any Certificate, employers must verify their sponsor licence remains active and rated A. The vacancy must be genuine and align with the occupation code. Decision makers scrutinise job descriptions and recruitment evidence to confirm authenticity.
Occupation codes drive everything else. Employers must match job duties to SOC 2020 codes using the CASCOT tool. Once confirmed, identify the correct going rate from published tables. These rates change periodically, and outdated figures cause refusals.
The Certificate of Sponsorship is electronic, not physical. Employers assign it through the Sponsor Management System, including the correct occupation code, accurate salary, start date, job location, and working pattern. Certificates remain valid for three months from assignment.
Applicant Responsibilities: Application and Identity Verification
Applicants complete the online application through the UK Visas and Immigration platform. They provide personal details, travel history, and employment information, then upload supporting documents.
Identity verification occurs through biometric appointments at visa centres or the UK Immigration: ID Check app. This captures fingerprints and photographs for visa records.
Processing times vary by location. Applications from outside the UK typically receive decisions within three weeks. Applications inside the UK usually take eight weeks, though current data shows nine-week averages due to high demand. You can also opt for the priority service.
Salary and Going Rate Explained With Worked Examples
Salary requirements cause more failures than any other element. From 22 July 2025, most applications must meet £41,700 annually or the occupation-specific going rate, whichever is higher. Additionally, roles must meet £17.13 minimum hourly rate based on a 48-hour working week. The going rates are set at £37.5 per hour.
This creates a three-part test. All three thresholds must be met simultaneously:
- Annual salary reaches £41,700 or above
- Annual salary meets the published going rate for the occupation code
- Hourly calculation equals £17.13 or more
Example 1: A data analyst position (SOC 2425) has a £45,000 going rate. The employer offers £42,000 annually. Despite exceeding £41,700, the application fails because it misses the going rate.
Example 2: A software developer role offers £43,000 annually on a 40-hour week. This equals £20.67 hourly, meeting all requirements if the going rate is £42,000 or below.
When Salary Can Be Lower
Specific circumstances allow reduced thresholds:
- New entrants under 26 or recent graduates qualify at £33,400 minimum and 70% of the going rate
- PhD holders with relevant doctorates meet £37,500 and 90% of the going rate
- STEM PhD holders in relevant fields are reduced to £33,400 and 80% of the going rate
- Immigration Salary List roles may qualify at £33,400 and 80% (transitional arrangements end 31 December 2026). Check the Immigration Salary List for eligible roles.
Quick Salary Verification Before Issuing CoS
HR teams should run this check before Certificate assignment:
- Identify the SOC 2020 code from job duties using CASCOT
- Locate the current going rate for that code
- Calculate the annual salary and hourly rate from the offer
- Confirm all three thresholds are met, or a valid discount applies
- Document calculation and evidence
Costs You Should Budget for Before You Submit
Applicant Costs
Visa fees range from £719 to £1,500 depending on location and duration. The Immigration Health Surcharge adds £1,035 per year. A five-year visa requires £5,175 in health surcharge upfront. Healthcare workers on Health and Care Worker visas are exempt.
Maintenance funds of £1,270 may be required for applicants switching from inside the UK. This must be held in a bank account for 28 consecutive days before application. Applicants on certain existing visas may be exempt.
Employer Costs
The Immigration Skills Charge increased to £1,320 per person annually for medium and large businesses from 16 December 2025. Small businesses and charities pay £480 annually.
Each Certificate costs £525 to assign. Employers must factor ongoing compliance monitoring costs and potential legal fees for complex cases.
Documents Checklist for Skilled Worker Visa Applications
Mandatory Documents
Every applicant must provide:
- Valid passport with blank pages
- Certificate of Sponsorship reference number
- Proof of English language ability
- Tuberculosis test certificate if applying from a listed country
- Financial evidence if maintenance funds required
Situation-Based Documents
Additional documents depend on circumstances:
- Criminal record certificates for roles with children or vulnerable adults, from any country where the applicant lived 12+ months in the past decade
- ATAS certificates for certain research and STEM roles requiring pre-approval
- Relationship evidence for dependents, including marriage certificates, civil partnership certificates, or birth certificates
Common Document Mistakes
Several patterns cause preventable delays:
- Expired English language test certificates (valid for two years from test date)
- Bank statements not covering the full 28-day period
- Unofficial or digital bank statements instead of stamped originals
- Missing translations for non-English documents
- Omitted degree certificates when claiming English proficiency through qualifications
English Language Requirement and Accepted Routes
From 8 January 2026, first-time applicants need the CEFR B2 level. This increase from B1 affects new applicants but not those extending existing visas.
Applicants must pass approved Secure English Language Tests from providers like IELTS, Language Cert, Pearson, PSI Services, or Trinity College London. Certificates remain valid for two years from the test date.
Applicants with degrees taught in English can avoid separate testing. UK degrees automatically qualify. Overseas degrees require Ecctis confirmation that the qualification equals a UK degree taught in English.
Nationals from majority English-speaking countries are exempt entirely: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States.
Red Flags That Cause Refusals or Compliance Risk
Salary and Going Rate Mismatches
Offering salaries below the going rate signals undercutting. Even small shortfalls of £500-£1,000 annually cause refusals. Decision makers apply rates published at the application date, not earlier versions.
Pro-rating errors for part-time roles commonly cause failures. Employers must calculate part-time salaries correctly against the full-time going rate, ensuring the hourly rate meets minimums.
Role Description and Occupation Code Alignment
Generic job descriptions that fit multiple codes create problems. Duties must clearly align with the chosen SOC code's official definition. Vague descriptions like "general administration" fail scrutiny.
Mismatched codes between the Certificate, employment contract, and application form trigger automatic refusals. All documents must use identical codes and titles.
Inconsistent Documentation
Every document must tell the same story. Common discrepancies include different salary figures, mismatched job titles, contradictory start dates, and varying working hours across paperwork.
These inconsistencies suggest poor record-keeping or deliberate misrepresentation, both triggering heightened scrutiny.
When to Get a Solicitor Involved
Legal advice significantly reduces refusal risk for complex cases. Senior executive roles, specialised positions, or complex compensation packages benefit from legal review. Variable pay, commission structures, or international salary arrangements require careful calculation.
First-time sponsors face steeper learning curves. Legal guidance establishes compliant processes from the start, avoiding early mistakes that trigger compliance downgrades.
In-country switches from other visa categories involve specific eligibility rules. Graduate visa holders switching to Skilled Worker status must meet increased salary thresholds despite potentially being new entrants. Family member applications as dependents add complexity with varying relationship evidence requirements.
Conclusion
Skilled Worker visa success depends on precision at every stage. Salary miscalculations and documentation gaps remain primary causes of refusal. Employers must verify going rates before assigning Certificates. Applicants must submit complete evidence within the three-month validity window. Getting these fundamentals right significantly reduces refusal risk and processing delays for both parties.