Salary threshold for international students switching to Skilled Worker Visa – March 14 Update
Hello everyone,
I want to explain recent and upcoming UK immigration updates that can impact international students. There is a lot of information online, and it is difficult to understand how these changes might affect you. So, I will simplify it for you as much as possible!
On 14th March, the government finally shared the statement of changes, clarifying the rules for Skilled Worker Visa starting from 4th April 2024.
NOTE: This is not immigration advice or official legal guidance; this is my opinion on immigration changes. I am not an immigration lawyer; I am a career consultant.
On 4th April 2024, The minimum salary threshold for a Skilled Worker visa will rise from £26,200 to £38,700 per annum.
‼️BUT!
The New Entrant Rule will stay for international students.
This means they won’t have to meet the high salary level required for skilled worker visas, and the salary level required for them will be discounted.
Here is what the statement said: the applicant, under the new entrant rule, needs to have a salary of £30,960 per year and 70% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code.
Screenshot from the statement:
Page 66:
🤔 So, what does it mean for international students?
👉 You will need to be paid at least £30,960 in annual salary as a new entrant
AND
👉 You need to be paid 70% of the going rate for your salary.
What is the going rate?
The going rate aligns salaries with the UK market rates and industry standards. The rate gives the average salary for that role, and the government recently updated the list.
When you apply for a Skilled Worker Visa, each role has its own SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code.
The government lists SOC codes and roles that can be sponsored and specifies the salary. I found the updated list in the statement of changes from page 80 onwards.
So, let’s look at the example:
Screenshots from the statement:
Example 1: Let’s say you are applying for the IT Project Manager role (2131); 70% of the going rate is £36,330, which is higher than £30,960. So, as a new entrant, you must be paid £36,330, not just £30,960.
This is because it is quite a senior and technical role, as was estimated by the government, on average, pays higher.
Example 2: let’s say you are going for a finance officer position; 70% of the going rate is £30,960, the same as the salary requirement for the new entrant, which is also £30,960. In this case, you must be paid £30,960 to be eligible for a Skilled Worker Visa as a new entrant.
🤔 How is your SOC code/job title decided when you apply for the visa?
As per my understanding, it is usually decided by the employer and their legal / immigration team. The employer or your sponsor should know how to determine which role you fall under, but it is good for you to be aware of the going rates as well.
At the end of the day, the going rates are based on pay data and give you a good estimation of a fair salary level for your position.
🤔 So, how can international students qualify as ‘new entrants’?
There are many ways to qualify, let me give you three main ones that are usually applicable for international students:
1) Be less than 26 years old when applying for a Skilled Worker Visa.
OR (not AND!)
2) Your most recent visa was a Student Visa.
The visa must either be current or have expired less than 2 years before the date of application. You studied a bachelor’s, master’s, PhD, PGCE, or PGDE course on that student visa. You have completed the course (or are applying no more than 3 months before you are expected to complete it). If you did a PhD, you don’t have to complete the whole course; it’s only 12 months.
OR (not AND!)
3) Your most recent visa was the Graduate route/visa (some people call it PSW)
The permission must be either current or expired less than 2 years before the date of application.
‼️IMPORTANT‼️
Applicants can be new entrants for a maximum of 4 years.
So either 4 years on a Skilled Worker Visa or 2 years on a Graduate Route + 2 years on a Skilled Worker Visa
So, you need to discuss this with your immigration lawyer/employer so they know how long they can sponsor you for the new entrant criteria. After 4 years, you will need to meet the general salary requirement.
😨 Further exceptions:
The policy is quite long, and there are other exceptions for PhD students and some specific roles. I cannot cover everything in this post, but I tried to cover what exceptions my audience inside GradCircle will likely fall under.
Some people have seen this salary threshold inside the statement; let me clarify:
Here is what it applies for, a quote from the statement: “They are being sponsored for a Health and Care ASHE salary job; or (ii) the date of application is before 4 April 2030, they were granted permission as a Skilled Worker under the rules in place before 4 April 2024, and they have had continuous permission as a Skilled Worker since then”
So, I understand that it is only for people already on a Skilled Worker Visa before 4th April 2024 and are extending their stay.
The factsheet also confirmed this:
Or if the candidates are applying for healthcare positions. The statement explains which roles these are; since I do not cover the healthcare sector, I will not expand on this topic here.
Another point to add is that there are discounts for some other roles, like education sector roles.
🔎 Source & more info:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fact-sheet-on-net-migration-measures-further-detail
https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2024/02/01/reducing-net-migration-factsheet-december-2023/
What are your questions? Comments? Opinions?
Note: I am not an immigration advisor; please consult immigration professionals if you need immigration advice.
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