The United Kingdom government has published updated salary requirements for foreign nationals seeking to work in the country under the Skilled Worker visa route. The latest guidance states that applicants must generally earn at least £41,700 per year or the applicable going rate for their occupation, whichever is higher. This new requirement may affect Ghanaians and other foreigners planning to move to the UK for skilled employment.
Under the current UK immigration rules, a person applying for a Skilled Worker visa must have a job that is eligible for the route, work for a UK employer approved by the Home Office, and receive at least the required salary. The standard minimum salary is £41,700 per year, equivalent to approximately GH¢651,354 based on an exchange rate of £1 to GH¢15.62.
However, the Home Office does not apply the same salary figure to every occupation. Applicants must normally earn whichever is higher between the general salary threshold and the going rate for their specific job. For example, a worker offered £42,000 may still not meet the requirement if the going rate for the occupation is £45,000.
Ghanaians hoping to use the Skilled Worker route must meet several conditions in addition to the salary requirement. The job must be eligible for the visa, while the prospective employer must be approved by the Home Office as a sponsor. The worker must also receive the required salary for the occupation and meet the other immigration requirements applicable to the route.
The UK government further states that sponsoring employers must comply with national minimum wage rules and UK working-hour requirements. Failure by an employer to meet these requirements can result in the visa application being refused. Some foreigners can qualify with lower salaries, such as those with a relevant PhD or certain jobs on the Immigration Salary List.
There are also separate salary rules for some healthcare and education workers, as well as certain people extending or updating existing Skilled Worker visas. Foreign nationals who obtained their first Skilled Worker or equivalent certificate of sponsorship before April 4, 2024, and have continuously held the relevant visas may also benefit from transitional salary arrangements.
For Ghanaians planning to relocate to Britain through the Skilled Worker route, the salary attached to a job offer is an important part of the visa process. A prospective applicant should not assume that securing a UK job offer automatically guarantees eligibility. Instead, they must establish whether the occupation is eligible, confirm that the employer is an approved sponsor, and check the applicable salary threshold and going rate.
Key points
- The UK government has set a minimum salary requirement of £41,700 per year for foreign nationals seeking to work in the country under the Skilled Worker visa route.
- Applicants must normally earn whichever is higher between the general salary threshold and the going rate for their specific job.
- Some foreigners can qualify with lower salaries, such as those with a relevant PhD or certain jobs on the Immigration Salary List.
