Skilled Worker Points Calculator

What is the Skilled Worker Points-Based System?

The UK Skilled Worker visa operates on a points-based system. To secure a visa, every applicant must accumulate at least 70 points before their application can be approved. Points come from two distinct categories: mandatory characteristics and tradeable characteristics.

The mandatory points are fixed: they cannot be swapped out or compensated for by scoring higher elsewhere. They account for 50 of the 70 points required and cover three core requirements. First, you must have a confirmed job offer from an employer who holds a current Home Office sponsor licence. Second, your role must be at or above Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 3, which is broadly equivalent to A-level standard. Third, you must demonstrate English language ability at B1 level or above on the Common European Framework of Reference, either through a recognised test, a degree taught in English, or by being a national of a recognised English-speaking country.

The remaining 20 points must come from tradeable characteristics. These are flexible: you can mix and match them to reach the 20-point target. The tradeable options include meeting the going rate salary for your occupation code, meeting the general salary threshold of £38,700, holding a job in a recognised shortage occupation, or having a PhD relevant to your role. If you qualify as a new entrant, that status also carries tradeable points and allows access to a reduced salary floor.

Understanding which tradeable points you qualify for is essential before applying. That is exactly what this free calculator helps you work out.

Your Skilled Worker visa is also the most direct route to indefinite leave to remain in the UK. After five continuous years on a Skilled Worker visa, you become eligible to apply for settlement. Use our ILR eligibility calculator to find out exactly when your five-year qualifying period ends.

Mandatory Points Explained

To score the 50 mandatory points, you must satisfy all three conditions simultaneously. None of them can be waived, and failing any one of them means your application will be refused regardless of how many tradeable points you have.

Sponsorship (20 points). Your employer must hold a valid sponsor licence issued by the Home Office and must assign you a Certificate of Sponsorship before you apply. The Certificate of Sponsorship is a reference number that confirms your employer is registered and that the role being offered is genuine. If the employer's licence is suspended or revoked at any point during the application process, you will lose these points automatically and your application will be refused.

Skill level (20 points). Your role must be classified at or above RQF level 3. This is assessed through your occupation's Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. The Home Office publishes a full list of eligible SOC codes in Appendix Skilled Occupations. If your job falls below RQF 3, regardless of how qualified you personally are, you will not meet the mandatory skill level requirement.

English language (10 points). You must demonstrate proficiency at B1 level or above. Accepted routes include a recognised English language test from an approved provider, a degree that was taught and assessed in English (evidenced through UK ENIC), or citizenship of a majority English-speaking country as defined by the Home Office.

Tradeable Points Explained

Once you have secured the 50 mandatory points, you need 20 more from tradeable characteristics. You only need to reach exactly 20: you cannot accumulate bonus points beyond what is needed.

Salary at or above the going rate (20 points). The going rate is the salary floor set by the Home Office for your specific SOC code. It is published as part of the Appendix Skilled Occupations guidance and varies by occupation. If your salary meets or exceeds the going rate for your code, you score 20 tradeable points. If your salary is at least 90% of the going rate but below it, you score 10 points instead.

Salary above the general threshold (10 points). If your salary is above the general threshold of £38,700 but below the going rate for your SOC code, you may score 10 tradeable points on the basis of the general threshold alone. This can be combined with other tradeable characteristics to reach 20.

Job on the Immigration Salary List (20 points). If your SOC code appears on the Immigration Salary List, you score 20 tradeable points and benefit from a reduced minimum salary threshold of £30,960. The list is maintained by the Migration Advisory Committee and covers roles where the UK has a recognised shortage of workers across sectors including healthcare, engineering, and technology.

PhD relevant to role (10 points). If you hold a doctoral qualification in a subject relevant to your sponsored role, you score 10 tradeable points.

PhD in a STEM subject relevant to role (20 points). A STEM PhD relevant to your role scores the full 20 tradeable points, covering the entire tradeable requirement on its own. STEM covers science, technology, engineering, and mathematics subjects. This replaces the standard PhD option: you cannot claim both.

You can combine tradeable characteristics to reach 20 points. For example, if your salary qualifies for 10 salary points and you hold a relevant PhD worth 10 points, you reach the 20-point tradeable target.

Points and ILR Eligibility

The Skilled Worker visa is the primary route through which most non-EEA nationals in the UK progress towards indefinite leave to remain. After completing five continuous years on a Skilled Worker visa (or a qualifying combination of work visas), you become eligible to apply for settlement.

However, the points-based eligibility check does not end when you receive your initial visa. Throughout your five-year qualifying period, you must continue to meet the salary requirements for your role. If your salary drops below the required threshold, or if your employer's sponsor licence is revoked, your leave conditions may be breached. This could affect not only your current visa status but also your ability to qualify for indefinite leave to remain at the end of the qualifying period.

Changes in your occupation code can have similar consequences. If you switch roles or are reclassified into a different SOC code, the going rate for the new code applies from that point onwards. A role change that is not properly reported to the Home Office, or that results in a salary below the new going rate, could put your path to indefinite leave to remain at risk.

Read our guide on the ILR salary requirement to understand how salary changes during your visa period can affect your eligibility for settlement. You may also want to use the ILR eligibility calculator to track exactly how far through your qualifying period you are and when you can apply for indefinite leave to remain.

For a complete overview of the transition from Skilled Worker visa to indefinite leave to remain, including what documents you need and what the Home Office checks at settlement, see our Skilled Worker to ILR guide.

Common Reasons for Points Failure

Many applicants discover they fall short of 70 points only when they reach the application stage. Understanding the most common failure points in advance can help you address them early.

Job classified below RQF level 3. Not all jobs qualify for the Skilled Worker route. If your SOC code is not on the eligible occupations list, or the role is assessed as falling below RQF 3, you will not score the mandatory skill level points. Check the Appendix Skilled Occupations list on GOV.UK before applying.

Sponsor licence revoked or suspended. Sponsor licences can be revoked by the Home Office following compliance visits, audits, or a failure to meet reporting obligations. If your employer's licence is revoked after your visa has been granted, you must find a new licensed sponsor and switch within a specified period, or your leave will curtail. This also affects your qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain.

Salary below the going rate. Applicants sometimes assume that meeting the general salary threshold of £38,700 is sufficient for full tradeable points. However, the going rate for specific SOC codes can be higher. If your salary falls below the going rate for your occupation, you will not score 20 salary points, and you will need to compensate through other tradeable characteristics such as a shortage occupation listing or a PhD.

English language not evidenced correctly. Even if you are fluent, your proof of English must be in an accepted format. An unsupported test provider, an expired test result, or an unrecognised qualification can mean you fail the mandatory English requirement and lose 10 mandatory points. Always verify that your provider appears on the Home Office's approved list before sitting a test.