UK Points Based Visa Calculator
Calculate your points for the UK Skilled Worker visa. Check if your salary, qualifications, and sponsorship meet the 70-point threshold.
UK Points Based Visa Calculator
Calculator
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Formula: Total Points = Job Offer (20) + Skill Level (20) + English (10) + Salary (0-20) + Shortage (0-20) + PhD (0-20)
Worked example — 70 points — ELIGIBLE | Meets all mandatory + salary threshold
Formula
Total Points = Job Offer (20) + Skill Level (20) + English (10) + Salary (0-20) + Shortage (0-20) + PhD (0-20)
The UK Skilled Worker visa requires a minimum of 70 points. Three mandatory categories provide 50 points. The remaining 20+ points come from tradeable categories: salary level, shortage occupation status, and relevant academic qualifications.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Software Developer Application
Problem:A software developer has a job offer from a UK sponsor paying £35,000 with a Bachelor's degree and B2 English.
Solution:Job offer from sponsor: 20 points ✓ Job at RQF 3+ skill level: 20 points ✓ English B1+: 10 points ✓ Salary £35,000 (≥ £25,600): 20 points ✓ No shortage occupation: 0 points No PhD: 0 points Total: 70 points
Result:70 points — ELIGIBLE | Meets all mandatory + salary threshold
Example 2: Nurse in Shortage Occupation
Problem:A nurse has a job offer paying £22,000 (shortage occupation) with a relevant PhD and IELTS 7.0.
Solution:Job offer from sponsor: 20 points ✓ Job at RQF 3+ skill level: 20 points ✓ English B1+: 10 points ✓ Salary £22,000 (£20,480–£23,039): 0 points Shortage occupation: 20 points ✓ PhD relevant to job: 20 points ✓ Total: 90 points
Result:90 points — ELIGIBLE | Shortage + PhD compensate for lower salary
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the UK points-based immigration system work?
The UK points-based immigration system, introduced in January 2021 after Brexit, requires applicants to score at least 70 points to be eligible for a Skilled Worker visa. Points are awarded across mandatory and tradeable categories. Three mandatory requirements must be met: a job offer from an approved sponsor (20 points), a job at the appropriate skill level of RQF 3 or above (20 points), and English language ability at B1 level or above (10 points). These provide 50 mandatory points, meaning applicants need 20 additional tradeable points from salary level, shortage occupation status, or relevant qualifications. The system replaced the previous Tier 2 visa route and applies equally to EU and non-EU citizens, creating a single immigration framework based on skills rather than nationality.
What salary do I need for a UK Skilled Worker visa?
The general salary threshold for a UK Skilled Worker visa is £25,600 per year (or £10.75 per hour), which awards the full 20 tradeable salary points. However, applicants earning between £20,480 and £25,599 can still qualify if they make up the points deficit through other tradeable categories such as working in a shortage occupation or holding a PhD. Specifically, a salary of £23,040 to £25,599 earns 10 points, while £20,480 to £23,039 earns 0 salary points but may still qualify with sufficient tradeable points. Some occupations have different going rates which may set a higher salary requirement. New entrants to the labor market (under 26, recent graduates, or those in professional training) may be eligible for a lower salary threshold of £20,480.
What qualifications earn extra points for a UK visa?
Educational qualifications can earn significant tradeable points in the UK points-based system. A PhD or equivalent qualification in a subject relevant to the job earns 20 additional points, which is the highest academic bonus available. A PhD in any other subject earns 10 additional points. These academic points are particularly valuable for applicants whose salary falls below the standard £25,600 threshold, as they can compensate for the salary shortfall. The qualification must be recognized by UK ENIC (the UK's national information centre for global qualifications). Bachelor's and Master's degrees do not earn additional tradeable points but are generally needed to meet the minimum skill level requirement of RQF 3 or above for the job itself.
What is the UK shortage occupation list?
The UK shortage occupation list identifies roles where there are not enough resident workers to fill available positions. Jobs on this list receive 20 tradeable points and benefit from a lower salary threshold, making it easier for overseas workers to qualify. The list is reviewed regularly by the Migration Advisory Committee and includes occupations across various sectors. Recent shortage occupations have included roles in healthcare (nurses, medical practitioners, paramedics), engineering (civil, mechanical, electrical engineers), IT (programmers, software developers), construction (bricklayers, roofers), and education (secondary school teachers in certain subjects). Being on the shortage list also means lower visa application fees and reduced Immigration Health Surcharge costs. Applicants should verify the current list as it changes periodically.
How long does the UK Skilled Worker visa process take?
The UK Skilled Worker visa processing time varies depending on where you apply and the service level chosen. Standard processing from outside the UK typically takes 3 to 8 weeks from the date of the biometric appointment. Priority processing (available in some countries for an additional fee) reduces this to approximately 5 working days. Super priority processing, where available, can deliver a decision within 1 to 2 working days. Applications from within the UK to switch or extend a visa generally take 8 weeks for standard processing. Before applying, the employer must complete the sponsorship certificate of sponsorship process, which can take 1 to 3 months including the resident labor market test exemption period. Total timeline from job offer to visa approval is typically 2 to 4 months, including sponsor license and CoS processing time.
What is a Certificate of Sponsorship and why does the employer need a licence?
You cannot claim the 20 job-offer points on your own. The employer must first hold a sponsor licence from the Home Office, and then assign you a Certificate of Sponsorship, an electronic record carrying a reference number, your job title, its occupation code, the salary and the dates of the role. You quote that reference in your application, and the details on it are what the caseworker scores. If the sponsor loses its licence or the role changes materially, the CoS no longer supports the claim.
What does RQF 3 mean and how is a job's skill level decided?
RQF is the Regulated Qualifications Framework, the ladder used to rank English qualifications, where level 3 sits around A-level standard. The route requires the role itself to sit at that level or above, judged not by your own degree but by the occupation code the employer picks from the Standard Occupational Classification. The code fixes both the skill level and the published salary rate, so choosing an inaccurate code is one of the most common reasons a sponsored application fails at scoring.
What is the going rate for an occupation and how does it interact with the salary threshold?
Each occupation code carries a published going rate reflecting typical pay for that job. Your salary is tested against both the general threshold for the route and that occupation-specific rate, and you must clear the higher of the two. A generous offer that beats the general threshold can still fail if it undercuts a well-paid profession's going rate. Only guaranteed basic gross pay counts toward the test; allowances, bonuses, overtime and shift premiums are normally excluded.
How do I evidence English at the required level?
There are several accepted routes to the 10 English points. Most applicants sit a Secure English Language Test from a Home Office approved provider, passing all four components at the required level. Nationals of certain majority English-speaking countries are treated as meeting it, as are holders of a degree taught in English, which is confirmed through UK ENIC where the qualification was awarded overseas. Once you have met the requirement on a previous UK application at that level or higher, you generally do not repeat the test.
Is the Immigration Health Surcharge separate from the visa application fee?
Yes. The application fee pays for processing the visa, while the Immigration Health Surcharge is a separate charge covering access to the National Health Service. It is calculated per person for each year of permission requested and is paid up front as a lump sum rather than monthly, so a longer grant costs proportionally more at the point of application. Dependants are charged in their own right, which is why family applications cost far more than the headline visa fee suggests.
References
Reviewed for accuracy by Abdullah, Technical Content Specialist · Editorial policy
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