HC 997: Statement of Changes laid on 1 July 2025
HC 997 raised the Skilled Worker salary rules: the general thresholdGeneral threshold The salary most Skilled Workers must usually be paid: £41,700 a year, or the going rate for the job if that is higher. It has applied since 22 July 2025. to £41,700 a year and the new-entrant floor to £33,400. It also limited new applicants, with some exceptions, to jobs at RQF level 6 or above. These changes took effect on .
The same Statement raised two of the lower floors: with a relevant non-STEM PhD to £37,500, and with a relevant STEM PhD to £33,400.
It made one more change outside the routes this handbook covers: Scale-up salary floor £36,300 to £39,100 (APP SCU2).
Status and dates
Laid before Parliament on . Status: In force.
| Takes effect | Ledger entries |
|---|---|
Other parts of this Statement take effect on 1 July 2025 and do not change the rules this handbook covers.
The changes it made
- 22 July 2025 In force
The general salary threshold rose.
No longer applies: £38,700Applies today: £41,700 - 22 July 2025 In force
The new-entrant salary floor rose.
No longer applies: £30,960Applies today: £33,400 - 22 July 2025 In force
The salary floor for a relevant non-STEM PhD rose.
No longer applies: £34,830Applies today: £37,500 - 22 July 2025 In force
New Skilled Worker applications became limited to jobs listed as higher skilled, RQF level 6 or above.
How this Ledger is kept
This Ledger starts on . It covers the Statements of Changes reviewed so far: HC 590, HC 217, HC 334, HC 733, HC 836, HC 997, CP 1373, HC 1298, HC 1333, HC 1491, HC 1691, HC 259 and HC 584.
Sources: the Statements of Changes collection (gov.uk), each Statement and its explanatory memorandum.
- In force: in the Immigration Rules or current GOV.UK guidance, and applying today.
- Scheduled: already in the rules, but it applies only from a later date.
- Laid: in a Statement laid before Parliament that has not yet taken effect.
- Proposed: a government statement or consultation only. Never a rule.
- Dropped: a proposal or Statement withdrawn, with its source.
The target is a Ledger entry within two days of a Statement being laid. Checked against GOV.UK on .
Found an error? Write to desk@ukvisasponsorguide.com. Fixes are listed in Corrections.
Sources
- Statement of Changes HC 997 (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
APP SW2. In row A of the table following SW 4.4, for “£38,700”, substitute “£41,700”.
APP SW4. In rows C, D and E of the table following SW 4.4, for each instance of “£30,960”, substitute “£33,400”.
APP SW3. In row B of the table following SW 4.4, for “£34,830”, substitute “£37,500”.
All other changes in this Statement shall take effect on 22 July 2025. In relation to those changes, (i) if an application has been made using a certificate of sponsorship issued by a sponsor to an applicant before 22 July 2025; or (ii) if an application which does not require a certificate of sponsorship has been made before 22 July 2025; such applications will be decided in accordance with the Immigration Rules in force on 21 July 2025.
- Statement of Changes HC 590 (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
The following paragraphs shall take effect on 4 April 2024.
- Skilled Worker visa: Your job (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
You’ll usually need to be paid the ‘standard’ salary rate of at least £41,700 per year, or the ‘going rate’ for your job, whichever is higher.
If your occupation code is listed as a ‘higher skilled’ job, you can apply for this visa.
- Skilled Worker visa: When you can be paid less (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
You can be paid 70% of your job’s standard going rate if your salary will be at least £33,400 per year and one of the following applies:
If you have a non-STEM qualification, you can be paid 90% of your job’s standard going rate, as long as you will still be paid at least £37,500 a year.
- Immigration Rules: Appendix Skilled Occupations (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
These SOC 2020 occupation codes are considered to be skilled to Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 6 or above, and are eligible for the Skilled Worker route.
How each figure is checked: Sources and method.
This is general information about the rules, not legal advice. For advice on your own situation, use a solicitor or an adviser regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (gov.uk).