If you are on a Skilled Worker visa, you need to earn enough to get ILR. The number depends on when you got your first visa and what job you do. Answer a few questions to see your number.
You can find your going rate in Appendix Skilled Occupations on GOV.UK. Your employer or your Certificate of Sponsorship will show your job code.
The five salary rows
Rule SW 24.3 of the Immigration Rules sets five rows. You also need to meet the going rate for your job code, and whichever is higher is your real target.
| Row | Who it is for | Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| A | Most people | £41,700 |
| B | Last visa was for a job on the Immigration Salary List | £33,400 |
| C | First Skilled Worker visa before 4 April 2024, no break since, applying before 4 April 2030 | £31,300 |
| D | Row C people on the Immigration Salary List, or health and education jobs in Table 3 | £25,000 |
| E | Some Tier 2 time as a scientist, R&D manager or university lecturer | £25,000 |
Why you see different numbers online
The rules changed more than once. Many pages still show £38,700 and £29,000. Those were the figures from April 2024. The current rules say £41,700 for most people and £31,300 for the transitional group. If a page does not say when it was last checked, be careful.
Two dates to watch
- 1 December 2026. Before this date, guaranteed allowances like London weighting can count towards your salary if you stay with the same sponsor. From this date they no longer count. Some older going rates also stop applying.
- 4 April 2030. The £31,300 transitional row only works if you apply before this date and you have had Skilled Worker permission without a break since before 4 April 2024.
What counts as salary
Your basic gross pay counts. Overtime, bonuses and most one-off payments do not. If you were off work, for example on maternity leave, your salary is checked based on your return to work.
Source: Immigration Rules: Appendix Skilled Worker (SW 4.2, SW 14.5, SW 24.3, SW 24.4).
Last checked against GOV.UK: 11 October 2026
Questions people ask
What is the ILR salary requirement in 2026?
For most Skilled Workers it is £41,700 a year, or the going rate for your job if that is higher. People whose first Skilled Worker visa was granted before 4 April 2024 may only need £31,300 if they apply before 4 April 2030.
Is the ILR salary still £38,700?
No. That was the figure from April 2024. The current rule for most people is £41,700.
Do allowances count towards the ILR salary?
Only if you apply before 1 December 2026, stay with the same sponsor, and the allowance is guaranteed, like London weighting. From 1 December 2026 they no longer count.