The UK Immigration Salary List (ISL) offers employers and skilled workers a pathway to sponsorship at reduced salary thresholds, but it is narrower, more complex, and more temporary than many realise. With major changes implemented in July 2025 and planned abolition in late 2026, understanding the ISL has never been more critical for hiring strategies.
This guide breaks down everything you need to know: which occupations qualify, how the salary thresholds work, and what’s coming next.
What Is the UK Immigration Salary List?
The Immigration Salary List is an official appendix to the Immigration Rules that specifies occupations eligible for reduced salary thresholds under the Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker visa routes.
The ISL replaced the Shortage Occupation List on April 4, 2024, but this wasn’t just a rebrand. The entire philosophy shifted. Where the old list focused purely on labour shortages, the ISL balances shortage needs with salary protection. You’ll still need to meet the full going rate for your occupation, even if you benefit from a lower general threshold.
From July 22, 2025, the standard Skilled Worker salary requirement jumped to £41,700 annually (or £17.13 per hour). That’s where the ISL becomes essential: it’s one of the only ways to sponsor workers below that point.
How the Immigration Salary List Actually Works
What causes confusion: the ISL reduces the general salary threshold from £41,700 to £33,400, but it doesn’t touch the going rate requirement. You still need to pay 100% of the going rate for the specific occupation code, based on a 37.5-hour working week.
The going rate is the minimum salary set for each Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code in Appendix Skilled Occupations. These rates vary significantly by role. A biological scientist’s going rate might be £40,300, while a bricklayer’s is £25,000.
So when does the ISL discount actually help? When the going rate for your occupation is below the standard £41,700 threshold but above the ISL threshold of £33,400. In those cases, you only need to meet the going rate instead of the higher general requirement.
Take graphic designers (SOC code 2142), for instance. They have a standard going rate of £33,400. Without the ISL, you’d need to pay £41,700. With the ISL, you only need £33,400, the actual going rate for the role.
Complete UK Immigration Salary List 2025
The current list of occupations eligible for ISL salary treatment, updated as of November 2025. Each entry shows the SOC code, job description, geographic coverage, and both standard and lower rate thresholds.
Construction and Building Trades
SOC 5313 – Bricklayers (UK wide)
- Standard rate: £33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
- Lower rate: £25,000 (£12.82 per hour)
SOC 5314 – Roofers, roof tilers and slaters (UK wide)
- Standard rate: £33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
- Lower rate: £25,000 (£12.82 per hour)
SOC 5316 – Carpenters and joiners (UK wide)
- Standard rate: £33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
- Lower rate: £27,800 (£14.26 per hour)
SOC 5312 – Stonemasons and related trades (UK wide)
- Standard rate: £33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
- Lower rate: £28,500 (£14.62 per hour)
SOC 5319 – Construction trades not elsewhere classified – retrofitters only (UK wide)
- Standard rate: £33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
- Lower rate: £27,300 (£14.00 per hour)
SOC 5213 – Welding trades – high integrity pipe welders only (UK wide)
Requirements: 3+ years related on-the-job experience (legally obtained)
- Standard rate: £34,900 (£17.90 per hour)
- Lower rate: £29,500 (£15.13 per hour)
Science and Research
SOC 2111 – Chemical scientists – nuclear industry only (Scotland only)
- Standard rate: £39,900 (£20.46 per hour)
- Lower rate: £31,300 (£16.05 per hour)
SOC 2112 – Biological scientists (UK wide)
- Standard rate: £40,300 (£20.67 per hour)
- Lower rate: £30,700 (£15.74 per hour)
SOC 2115 – Social and humanities scientists – archaeologists only (UK wide)
- Standard rate: £40,400 (£20.72 per hour)
- Lower rate: £28,000 (£14.36 per hour)
SOC 3111 – Laboratory technicians (UK wide)
Requirements: 3+ years related on-the-job experience (legally obtained)
- Standard rate: £33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
- Lower rate: £25,000 (£12.82 per hour)
SOC 3212 – Pharmaceutical technicians (UK wide)
- Standard rate: £33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
- Lower rate: £25,000 (£12.82 per hour)
Arts and Culture
SOC 3411 – Artists (UK wide)
- Standard rate: £38,200 (£19.59 per hour)
- Lower rate: £26,600 (£13.64 per hour)
SOC 2142 – Graphic and multimedia designers (UK wide)
- Standard rate: £33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
- Lower rate: £26,200 (£13.44 per hour)
SOC 3414 – Dancers and choreographers (UK wide)
Requirements: Skilled classical ballet or contemporary dancers meeting internationally recognised UK company standards. Company must be endorsed by Arts Councils.
- Standard rate: £33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
- Lower rate: £28,500 (£14.62 per hour)
SOC 3415 – Musicians (UK wide)
Requirements: Skilled orchestral musicians (leaders, principals, sub-principals, numbered string positions) meeting internationally recognised standards. The orchestra must be a full member of the Association of British Orchestras.
- Standard rate: £37,500 (£19.23 per hour)
- Lower rate: £30,100 (£15.44 per hour)
SOC 3416 – Arts officers, producers and directors (UK wide)
- Standard rate: £38,100 (£19.54 per hour)
- Lower rate: £28,800 (£14.77 per hour)
Care and Support
SOC 6131 – Nursing auxiliaries and assistants (UK wide)
Note: Only applies to roles in environments where registered nurse or healthcare professional roles exist.
- Standard rate: £25,000 (£12.82 per hour)
- Lower rate: £25,000 (£12.82 per hour)
SOC 6135 – Care workers and home carers (UK wide)
England requirement: Sponsor must hold CQC registration and carry on regulated activity. Private households cannot sponsor.
- Standard rate: £33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
- Lower rate: £25,000 (£12.82 per hour)
- Removal date: July 22, 2028 (extended)
SOC 6136 – Senior care workers (UK wide)
England requirement: Sponsor must hold CQC registration and carry on regulated activity.
- Standard rate: £33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
- Lower rate: £25,000 (£12.82 per hour)
- Removal date: July 22, 2028 (extended)
SOC 1232 – Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors (UK wide)
- Standard rate: £33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
- Lower rate: £25,000 (£12.82 per hour)
Fishing and Maritime
SOC 1212 – Fishing boat masters (Scotland only)
- Standard rate: £33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
- Lower rate: £25,800 (£13.23 per hour)
SOC 5235 – Boat and ship builders and repairers (Scotland only)
- Standard rate: £33,700 (£17.28 per hour)
- Lower rate: £29,600 (£15.18 per hour)
SOC 5119 – Agriculture and fishing trades – fishing industry only (UK wide)
- Standard rate: £33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
- Lower rate: £25,000 (£12.82 per hour)
SOC 9119 – Fishing occupations – deckhands on large vessels (UK wide)
Requirements: Large vessels (9+ metres), 3+ years full-time experience (legally obtained)
- Standard rate: £33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
- Lower rate: £25,000 (£12.82 per hour)
Animal Care
SOC 6129 – Animal care services (UK wide)
Limited to: Racing grooms, stallion handlers, stud grooms, stud hands, work riders
- Standard rate: £33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
- Lower rate: £25,000 (£12.82 per hour)
Understanding the Two-Tier Salary Structure
The standard rate applies to most new applications submitted with a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) assigned after April 4, 2024. If you’re applying for the first time or switching employers, this is your rate.
The lower rate applies in two specific scenarios. First, if you’re applying for a Health and Care Worker visa in certain eligible occupations (primarily codes 6131, 6135, 6136). Second, if you received your first Skilled Worker CoS before April 4, 2024, and have held continuous Skilled Worker leave since then. This is transitional protection for existing visa holders.
Both rates are based on a 37.5-hour working week. If you work more or fewer hours, the salary must be pro-rated. But there’s also an hourly minimum of £17.13, calculated on a maximum 48-hour week. Your actual salary must meet both the annual threshold and the hourly floor.
What Changed in July 2025
The July 22, 2025 changes were significant. The general salary threshold increased from £38,700 to £41,700. The hourly minimum rose from £15.88 to £17.13. And crucially, the minimum skill level jumped from RQF Level 3 (A-level equivalent) to RQF Level 6 (graduate level).
That skill level change eliminated approximately 180 mid-skill occupations from eligibility. Unless a job appears on the Immigration Salary List or the new Temporary Shortage List, it must now require graduate-level skills to be sponsored.
The ISL itself was also trimmed. It went from roughly 30 occupations to the current 25. Roles that didn’t demonstrate continued shortage or didn’t meet the new skill criteria were removed.
For applications, there are no transitional arrangements. Any application submitted with a CoS assigned on or after July 22, 2025 must meet the new requirements, regardless of when you received a job offer or started recruitment.
Geographic Restrictions You Need to Know
Not all ISL roles apply UK-wide. Some occupations are restricted to specific nations.
Chemical scientists in the nuclear industry qualify only in Scotland. Fishing boat masters are Scotland-only. Boat and ship builders can only be sponsored in Scotland.
The Home Office determines geographic eligibility based on the job’s “working at” address on the Certificate of Sponsorship. A Scottish address for a Scotland-only occupation meets the requirement. An English address for the same role results in application failure.
This creates planning challenges for employers with multiple UK locations or roles involving travel across nations.
RQF Level 6 Requirement and Exceptions
From July 22, 2025, sponsored jobs under the Skilled Worker route must generally be at RQF Level 6 or higher. That’s roughly graduate level. Think bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional qualification.
The Immigration Salary List provides one of the few exceptions. Jobs on the ISL remain eligible for sponsorship even if they’re below RQF 6, protecting roles like care workers (RQF 3), bricklayers (RQF 3), and carpenters (RQF 3).
The new Temporary Shortage List provides another exception for select RQF 3-5 roles, but it’s much shorter and has stricter time limits.
If your occupation isn’t on either list and isn’t RQF 6+, it cannot be sponsored under Skilled Worker.
How Employers Should Use the Immigration Salary List
First, verify your role qualifies. Check the official ISL on GOV.UK on the date you assign the Certificate of Sponsorship, not when you start recruiting. The list changes with little notice, and outdated versions don’t protect you.
Second, identify the correct SOC 2020 code. Use the CASCOT occupation coding tool if you’re uncertain. Getting this wrong causes refusals and compliance action.
Third, confirm any additional eligibility criteria. Some ISL roles have specific requirements: three years’ experience, industry endorsements, geographic restrictions. These aren’t optional.
Fourth, calculate the salary correctly. Find the going rate in Appendix Skilled Occupations for your chosen option. Apply the ISL discount if it benefits you. Pro-rate for actual working hours. Check the hourly minimum. Keep detailed calculations with the contract and CoS.
Fifth, mark it on the CoS. You must specify in the Certificate of Sponsorship that the job is on the ISL. The Home Office won’t infer this automatically.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Understanding what not to do is as important as knowing what to do. These are the errors we see most often in ISL applications.
Using an Incorrect SOC Code
The single biggest compliance issue is selecting the wrong occupation code. Employers sometimes choose a code that seems close to the actual role but doesn’t precisely match the duties and requirements.
For example, classifying care workers as nursing auxiliaries (code 6131 instead of 6135) or pharmaceutical technicians as laboratory technicians. Even small classification errors mean the ISL discount doesn’t apply, and the application must meet the standard £41,700 threshold instead.
The Home Office can refuse the application for not meeting salary requirements, and sponsors face compliance action for incorrect CoS information. In serious cases, this can lead to licence suspension.
Not Checking the ISL on Assignment Date
Some sponsors check whether a role qualifies for the ISL during recruitment, then assign the Certificate of Sponsorship weeks or months later without rechecking. The ISL changes with little notice.
A role eligible in September might be removed by October. If you assign a CoS marked as ISL-eligible after the occupation has been removed, the application will be refused. The Home Office assesses eligibility based on the CoS assignment date, not when you started recruiting or made the job offer.
Always verify the live ISL on GOV.UK immediately before assigning each Certificate of Sponsorship, and keep a timestamped copy as evidence.
Applying Scotland-Only Codes to English Locations
Certain ISL occupations are restricted to Scotland: chemical scientists in nuclear industry, fishing boat masters, boat and ship builders. Sponsors sometimes assign these codes to roles based in England or Wales.
The Home Office determines geographic eligibility from the “working at” address on the Certificate of Sponsorship. An English address for a Scotland-only occupation results in automatic application failure, regardless of the company’s headquarters location or whether the worker will occasionally travel to Scotland.
This applies even if the company is Scottish but the specific role is based elsewhere.
Including Non-Qualifying Salary Components
Employers occasionally inflate the salary figure on the Certificate of Sponsorship by including overtime pay, performance bonuses, travel allowances, or accommodation benefits that aren’t guaranteed.
The Home Office only counts guaranteed basic salary and certain specific allowances that are guaranteed and payable in the UK. Overtime that might typically be available doesn’t count. One-time signing bonuses don’t count. Accommodation that could be withdrawn doesn’t count.
If the guaranteed salary falls below the threshold when these non-qualifying elements are removed, the application gets refused even though the worker would typically earn more.
Forgetting to Mark ISL Status on the CoS
The Certificate of Sponsorship requires sponsors to specify whether the job is on the Immigration Salary List. Some sponsors complete all other fields correctly but forget to mark this designation.
Without the ISL marker, the Home Office assesses the application against standard thresholds. An application that would have succeeded at £33,400 under the ISL fails at the £41,700 standard rate, despite the occupation being eligible.
This is a simple checkbox error that causes expensive refusals.
Incorrect Pro-Rating for Part-Time Work
ISL salary thresholds are based on a 37.5-hour working week. Part-time or non-standard hour contracts must be pro-rated proportionally, but employers frequently calculate this incorrectly.
The common error is simply dividing the full-time salary by the hours worked. The correct approach requires calculating the hourly rate from the 37.5-hour baseline, then multiplying by actual contracted hours, while also checking against the £17.13 hourly minimum calculated on a 48-hour maximum week.
Getting this calculation wrong means the worker doesn’t actually meet the salary requirement, causing refusal.
Attempting to Combine Multiple Discounts
Some applications attempt to claim both the ISL discount and a new entrant or PhD discount simultaneously. The points-based system doesn’t permit stacking discounts from different salary options.
You must choose one pathway: either use the ISL-eligible options (A-D or F-I) at their rates, or use new entrant options (E or J) at different rates. Attempting to combine them results in the application being refused for not following the Immigration Rules structure.
Ignoring Additional Eligibility Criteria
Certain ISL occupations have specific requirements beyond just the occupation code. High integrity pipe welders need three years’ experience. Dancers need endorsement from Arts Councils. Musicians must be in the Association of British Orchestras member organisations.
Applications sometimes include the correct code and salary but miss these additional criteria. The Home Office refuses these applications even though the basic occupation qualifies for the ISL, because the specific eligibility conditions aren’t met.
These requirements aren’t optional extras; they’re mandatory conditions for ISL eligibility.
Using Outdated ISL Information
Immigration forums, old blog posts, and even some professional advice may reference the ISL as it existed in 2024 or early 2025. The July 2025 changes substantially altered which occupations qualify and what requirements apply.
Applications based on outdated information may claim ISL eligibility for occupations that have been removed, or apply old salary thresholds that are no longer valid. The refusal can come as a surprise to applicants who did their research but didn’t verify the current rules.
Always check the official GOV.UK Immigration Salary List, not secondary sources, and verify the date of any guidance you’re relying on.
The Future: TSL and Planned Abolition
In May 2025, the government published a white paper titled “Restoring Control Over the Immigration System.” It announced the Immigration Salary List will be abolished alongside the introduction of a new framework.
Most ISL roles currently show a removal date of December 31, 2026 (except care worker codes 6135 and 6136, which extend to July 22, 2028). After those dates, the occupations lose ISL eligibility unless they move to another category.
The Temporary Shortage List, launched in July 2025, will operate concurrently with the ISL until the transition. The TSL focuses primarily on sub-degree level roles (RQF 3-5) with stricter conditions and time limits. It’s designed to be genuinely temporary rather than semi-permanent like the old Shortage Occupation List.
The stated policy goal is ensuring international recruitment never becomes a cheap alternative to employing settled workers. The Migration Advisory Committee has been tasked with reviewing the entire salary threshold framework to support this aim.
For employers, this means planning beyond 2026. If you’re currently sponsoring ISL roles, start scenario planning now. Will the roles move to the TSL? Will you need to increase salaries to standard thresholds? Will you restructure jobs to RQF 6+ levels? These questions need answers before the system changes.
ISL and Other Discounts Don’t Stack
The ISL discount cannot be combined with other reductions, such as the new entrant discount or PhD reductions.
Under the points-based system, you choose one salary option from the tables in Appendix Skilled Worker. Options A-D (Table 1) and Options F-I (Table 2) apply ISL-eligible occupations. But if you use these options, you can’t also claim a new entrant or PhD discount.
New entrants can use Option E (Table 1) or Option J (Table 2), which have their own reduced thresholds (£33,400 for Table 1, £25,000 for Table 2). But these apply standard going rates, not ISL rates.
It’s either-or, not both. Choose the path that gives you the lowest combined requirement while meeting the occupation’s going rate.
For Workers: What ISL Eligibility Means
If your job is on the Immigration Salary List, it makes UK sponsorship more accessible. You might be offered a salary below the standard £41,700 threshold, potentially as low as £33,400 for some roles, while still qualifying for a Skilled Worker visa.
You’ll still need a licensed sponsor willing to issue you a Certificate of Sponsorship. The ISL doesn’t create job offers; it makes existing offers more financially feasible for employers.
Settlement prospects remain unchanged. Being on the ISL doesn’t affect your path to Indefinite Leave to Remain. You’ll still need five years’ continuous residence under Skilled Worker rules, meet the knowledge of language and life requirements, and satisfy other standard ILR conditions.
Dependents can join you under the same rules that apply to all Skilled Worker visa holders. However, if you’re in an RQF 3-5 role sponsored after July 22, 2025, new dependents cannot be granted leave, though existing dependents can continue their permission.
ISL eligibility makes your role sponsorable at a lower salary, but it doesn’t guarantee sponsorship or make the application process easier. You still need to meet all other Skilled Worker requirements.
Checking Your SOC Code
If you’re unsure which SOC code applies to your job, use the CASCOT occupation coding tool provided by the Office for National Statistics. It’s free and straightforward.
Enter your job title and a brief description of duties. The tool suggests the most appropriate SOC 2020 code based on skill level, tasks, and qualifications. Always verify the code matches your actual responsibilities, not just the job title.
Employers should document how they determined the correct code. Keep the CASCOT results, job descriptions, and any supporting rationale with your sponsorship records. If the Home Office queries the classification later, you’ll need evidence of a reasonable decision-making process.
Wrong codes cause serious problems. They lead to visa refusals for workers, compliance action for sponsors, and potential licence suspension or revocation. It’s worth getting expert advice if there’s any ambiguity.
Key Takeaways
The Immigration Salary List is narrower and more temporary than its predecessor. It offers targeted salary relief for specific occupations experiencing genuine shortages, but only until late 2026 for most roles.
If you’re an employer relying on ISL occupations, develop contingency plans now. Salary structures may need adjustment when the list expires. Job descriptions might need reworking to meet RQF 6 standards. Alternative recruitment strategies should be explored.
If you’re a worker in an ISL occupation, understand your advantages are time-limited. The visa route won’t disappear, but the salary discount might. If you’re on a pathway to settlement, factor in potential salary increases you’ll need to sustain sponsorship after 2026.
For both employers and workers, staying informed is essential. The immigration landscape is changing rapidly. What works today might not work in 18 months.
Need Expert Guidance?
The Immigration Salary List involves complex regulations, frequent updates, and serious compliance risks. If you’re unsure about eligibility, salary calculations, or your long-term immigration strategy, professional advice can prevent costly mistakes.
Contact us to discuss your specific situation and ensure your application meets all current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the Immigration Salary List for a work visa extension?
Yes, if your occupation remains on the ISL at the time of your extension and your salary continues to meet the relevant threshold. Check the live ISL on GOV.UK when your sponsor assigns your new Certificate of Sponsorship.
What happens if my job gets removed from the ISL before my visa expires?
Your current visa remains valid until its expiry date. However, any extension or new application after the removal date must meet standard salary thresholds unless you qualify under different provisions.
Does the ISL apply to all Skilled Worker applications?
The ISL primarily applies to Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker routes. It doesn’t apply to other immigration categories like Global Talent, Innovator Founder, or family visas.
Can I combine the ISL discount with the new entrant discount?
No. You must choose one salary option from the Immigration Rules tables. You can’t stack multiple discounts from different options.
Are there different ISL requirements for healthcare roles?
Healthcare occupations on the ISL (codes 6131, 6135, 6136) have additional requirements in England, including CQC registration for sponsors. They also have extended removal dates compared to other ISL roles.
How often does the Immigration Salary List change?
The Home Office can update the ISL at any time with little notice. Most recent changes were in July 2025 and October 2025. Always check the current version on GOV.UK when preparing applications.
What if my role is partially based in different UK nations?
The geographic restriction is based on the “working at” address on your Certificate of Sponsorship. If a role is Scotland-only, the primary work location must be in Scotland. Jobs involving multi-location work may not qualify if restricted to specific nations.
