Skilled Worker visa: Lowest Salaries for New Entrants

A Strategic Analysis of Minimum Salary Thresholds for New Entrants under the UK Skilled Worker Visa Route

Introduction

The United Kingdom's Skilled Worker visa route serves as the primary mechanism for employers to recruit global talent into a wide range of eligible occupations. Within this framework, the "New Entrant" salary provision offers a significant strategic advantage, allowing sponsors to employ individuals at the start of their careers at a reduced salary threshold. This is designed to facilitate the recruitment of graduates and other early-career professionals who, while possessing the requisite skills, may not yet command the salary of their more experienced counterparts.¹

However, navigating this provision is an exercise in complexity, fraught with compliance risks for the unwary. The landscape has been fundamentally reshaped by a series of rule changes, culminating in the significant reforms of 22 July 2025. These changes have introduced a higher minimum skill threshold, increased salary floors, and altered the pool of eligible occupations, rendering previous assumptions obsolete.² A forward-looking, compliance-focused approach is no longer advisable; it is essential. Simply identifying a low "going rate" for an occupation is insufficient and may lead to a refused visa application.

This report provides a definitive and exhaustive analysis of the regulations governing New Entrant salaries under the post-July 2025 Skilled Worker route. Its objective is to deliver a step-by-step guide for employers, HR professionals, and legal representatives to accurately identify the lowest compliant salaries for New Entrant candidates. The analysis will deconstruct the intricate interplay between Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes, national going rates, absolute salary floors, and the critical new skill level requirements. By moving beyond a superficial reading of the rules, this report will equip decision-makers with the necessary intelligence to make recruitment decisions that are not only cost-effective but also robustly compliant with Home Office requirements.

Section 1: The Architecture of Skilled Worker Salary Requirements

Understanding the minimum salary for a New Entrant requires a foundational knowledge of the architectural principles governing all Skilled Worker salaries. The system is not based on a single figure but on a series of interacting thresholds and rules that must all be satisfied. Misunderstanding this architecture is the most common reason for sponsorship failure.

The Points-Based System: Trading Salary for a Visa

The Skilled Worker visa operates on a points-based system, where an applicant must accrue a total of 70 points to be eligible.⁵ These points are divided into two categories:

• Mandatory (Non-Tradeable) Points (50 points): These are the foundational requirements of the route. An applicant must secure all 50 points from this category. They are awarded for having a job offer from an approved sponsor (20 points), ensuring the job is at the appropriate skill level (20 points), and demonstrating the required level of English language proficiency (10 points).¹ There is no flexibility in this category.

• Tradeable Points (20 points): The remaining 20 points are awarded based on the applicant's salary. The term "tradeable" signifies that an applicant can meet this requirement through various options, depending on their personal characteristics (such as holding a PhD) or the nature of their job (such as being on the Immigration Salary List or qualifying as a New Entrant).⁵ It is this tradeable nature that creates the different salary pathways, including the discounted route for New Entrants.

This structure establishes a critical context: salary is not merely a condition of employment but a core component of visa eligibility itself. The specific salary offered directly determines which "tradeable" option an applicant can use to secure their final 20 points.

The Golden Rule: The 'Higher Of' Calculation

The central principle of all Skilled Worker salary calculations is the 'higher of' rule. For any given tradeable option, the salary paid to the worker must equal or exceed the higher of two separate and distinct figures ²:

1. A General Salary Threshold: This is an absolute minimum cash value, often referred to as the "cash floor." For New Entrants, this floor varies depending on the type of role.

2. A Specified Percentage of the Going Rate: This is a proportion of the national "going rate" for the specific 4-digit Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) 2020 code that corresponds to the job. The going rates are published by the Home Office and are based on a 37.5-hour working week, requiring pro-rating for any other work pattern.⁸

An employer must calculate both figures and ensure the offered salary meets or surpasses whichever is the higher amount. Relying on only one of these two pillars—for instance, assuming that meeting the 70% going rate is sufficient without checking it against the cash floor—is a frequent and fatal error in visa applications.

The Key 'Tradeable' Options for New Entrants

For the specific purpose of sponsoring a New Entrant, two primary tradeable options from the Home Office's list (Options A-K) are relevant. The choice between them depends on the nature of the occupation.⁵

• Option E: The Primary New Entrant RouteThis is the standard option for most New Entrant applications. To secure 20 points under Option E, the applicant's salary must equal or exceed the higher of:

• £33,400 per year (the general salary threshold); and

• 70% of the standard going rate for the applicable SOC 2020 occupation code.²

• Option J: The Health, Care, and Lower Rate RouteThis option is available for New Entrants sponsored in specific roles that qualify for a lower salary threshold. This primarily includes jobs eligible for the Health and Care Worker Visa or those sponsored by individuals who have held continuous sponsorship from before 4 April 2024.5 To secure 20 points under Option J, the salary must equal or exceed the higher of:

• £25,000 per year (the general salary threshold); and

• 70% of the lower going rate for the applicable SOC 2020 occupation code.⁵

The Non-Negotiable Floor: The £17.13 Hourly Rate

A crucial overlay to the annual salary calculation is the mandatory minimum hourly rate. As of 22 July 2025, all Skilled Worker roles, regardless of the tradeable option used, must pay a minimum of £17.13 per hour.³ This rule is calculated based on a maximum of a 48-hour working week and acts as a third and final check on the salary's compliance.³

This hourly rate is not a minor detail; it can override the annual salary calculation, particularly in roles with long or non-standard working hours. For example, if an annual salary meets the relevant cash floor and the discounted going rate, but the weekly hours are high enough that the hourly pay drops below £17.13, the application will be refused.

Furthermore, the £33,400 general threshold for New Entrants under Option E is not an arbitrary number; it is a direct function of this minimum hourly rate. The official government "going rate" tables are benchmarked against a standard 37.5-hour working week.⁸ A simple calculation reveals the origin of the cash floor:

£17.13 per hour×37.5 hours per week×52 weeks per year=£33,401.25

This demonstrates that the £33,400 annual threshold is the government's mechanism for ensuring the minimum hourly rate is met for a standard full-time week. The two thresholds are intrinsically linked, designed to prevent employers from circumventing minimum pay standards by manipulating working hours while adhering to an annual figure.

Section 2: The New Entrant Gateway: Defining Eligibility

Before any salary calculations can be performed, an employer must first determine if the candidate meets the strict and narrow definition of a "New Entrant" as set out in the Immigration Rules. This status is not automatically conferred on all new hires or individuals new to the UK; it is reserved for those demonstrably at the very beginning of their professional careers.¹

The Official Definition: More Than Just a New Hire

An applicant can only leverage the New Entrant salary discount if they meet one of the specific criteria outlined in paragraph SW 12 of Appendix Skilled Worker on the date of their visa application. The primary qualifying conditions are ¹:

• Age: The applicant is under the age of 26.

• Student Switcher: The applicant is switching from a Student visa (or Tier 4 visa). This comes with additional conditions: their most recent visa must have been as a Student, it must have expired less than two years before the application date, and they must have successfully completed a UK bachelor's degree, master's degree, PGCE/PGDE, or at least 12 months of a UK PhD during that or a previous period of student permission.

• Recent Graduate: The applicant is a recent graduate who meets the same conditions as a Student Switcher but may be applying from outside the UK.

• Postdoctoral Position: The job offer is for a postdoctoral role in one of a specific list of scientific and academic occupation codes:

• 2111 Chemical scientists

• 2112 Biological scientists and biochemists

• 2113 Physical scientists

• 2114 Social and humanities scientists

• 2119 Natural and social science professionals not elsewhere classified

• 2311 Higher education teaching professionals

• Professional Training: The role is in a UK-regulated profession, and the applicant is working towards a recognised professional qualification or full registration/chartered status with the relevant UK professional body.

These criteria make it clear that the provision is intentionally targeted. It is designed to support the transition from education to work or the very early stages of a professional career, not to provide a general discount for all junior hires.¹

The Four-Year Cliff: A Critical Limitation

A crucial and often overlooked constraint is that an individual can only be sponsored as a New Entrant for a maximum cumulative period of four years.⁹ This four-year clock includes any time the individual has already spent in the UK on a Graduate visa, a Tier 2 visa, or a previous Skilled Worker visa. It is a hard limit on the availability of the salary discount.

This rule has profound strategic implications for employers, creating what can be described as a mandatory, time-bound salary review point. An employer cannot simply sponsor a New Entrant indefinitely at the discounted rate. The journey of a sponsored employee illustrates this "four-year cliff":

1. An employer sponsors a 23-year-old recent graduate for a three-year Skilled Worker visa, correctly classifying them as a New Entrant under the "under 26" criterion and paying the discounted salary.

2. Three years later, the employee is 26 and their visa is due for renewal. At the point of the extension application, they no longer meet the "under 26" criterion.

3. Unless they happen to meet one of the other, more specific New Entrant criteria (such as working towards a professional qualification, which is unlikely in many roles), they are no longer eligible for the New Entrant discount.

4. To extend the employee's visa and retain them, the employer is now legally required to increase their salary to meet the full, non-discounted threshold. This means paying at least 100% of the going rate for the occupation code at that time, which will likely be significantly higher than the initial New Entrant salary.

This mechanism effectively builds a salary escalation into the sponsorship journey. An employer who hires a New Entrant is not just securing a low-cost employee; they are committing to a substantial, non-discretionary salary increase within a maximum of four years. This must be factored into long-term financial planning and budgeting from the outset to avoid being caught unprepared by a sudden and significant rise in payroll costs.

Section 3: The RQF Level 6 Filter: A Shrinking Pool of Eligible Jobs

Perhaps the most significant reform impacting the sponsorship of New Entrants is the change to the minimum skill level required for the role. This change acts as a primary filter that must be applied before any salary considerations are made, and it fundamentally alters the landscape of eligible occupations.

The New Skill Threshold

Effective from 22 July 2025, the minimum skill level for most new applications under the Skilled Worker route has been raised from Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Level 3 (equivalent to A-levels) to RQF Level 6 (equivalent to a bachelor's degree).⁴ This represents a deliberate policy shift by the government to refocus the visa route on graduate-level employment and encourage employers to invest in domestic talent for intermediate-skilled roles.⁴

While there are transitional arrangements for workers already sponsored in RQF 3-5 roles before this date, any new Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) issued for a new hire must be for a role that meets this higher RQF Level 6 standard.¹⁰

The Impact: Disqualification of ~180 Occupations

The direct consequence of this policy is the immediate disqualification of a large number of occupations from eligibility for new Skilled Worker sponsorship. The Home Office and industry analysts estimate that around 180 occupations at RQF Levels 3, 4, and 5 are no longer eligible unless they appear on a specific shortage list.² This has a profound impact on sectors that have historically relied on the route to fill skilled trade and technical roles, such as construction, hospitality, and manufacturing.

This change means that the full list of occupation codes published by the Home Office in Appendix Skilled Occupations is now highly misleading for employers looking to sponsor new workers.⁸ That table contains numerous RQF 3-5 roles (e.g., chefs, carpenters, bricklayers, care workers) which, while still listed, are no longer eligible for sponsorship for a

new applicant under the main Skilled Worker route (though some, like care workers, remain eligible under the specific Health and Care Worker visa sub-category).

The Strategic Devaluation of Certain "Going Rates"

The elevation of the skill threshold to RQF Level 6 has a critical secondary effect: it renders the "going rate" data for a vast swath of occupations strategically irrelevant for the purpose of sponsoring new New Entrants. An employer seeking the lowest-cost sponsorship options can be easily misled if they fail to apply the RQF filter first.

Consider the following scenario for an employer reviewing the official occupation code tables:

1. The employer's goal is to identify the cheapest possible role to sponsor a New Entrant.

2. They review the full government table ⁸ and identify SOC 5313 Bricklayers, which has a standard going rate of £33,400.

3. Applying the Option E formula, they calculate 70% of this rate (£23,380) and see that it is lower than the £33,400 cash floor. They conclude, incorrectly, that they can sponsor a New Entrant bricklayer for £33,400 per year.

4. This conclusion is fundamentally flawed. The role of a bricklayer is classified at RQF Level 3. Due to the rule changes, a new applicant for a bricklayer position cannot be sponsored under the Skilled Worker route after 22 July 2025, regardless of the salary offered.⁴

5. Therefore, the entire analysis of the going rate for this occupation is moot for a new hire. The primary, non-negotiable filter is now the skill level of the job.

This demonstrates that any strategic analysis of New Entrant salaries must begin not with the salary tables, but with a verification of the job's RQF level. Employers must first confirm that a role is at RQF Level 6 or above before proceeding to calculate the required salary. Failure to do so will result in wasted time, misaligned recruitment strategies, and ultimately, refused visa applications.

Section 4: Analysis of Standard Occupations (Option E)

For the majority of graduate-level roles that meet the RQF Level 6 threshold, the path to sponsoring a New Entrant is governed by Option E. This section provides a practical guide to calculating the minimum compliant salary for these standard occupations and identifies the roles that can be sponsored at the lowest possible cost under this option.

The Option E Formula in Practice

To determine the minimum qualifying salary for a New Entrant in a standard occupation, an employer must meticulously follow a four-step process, adhering to the 'higher of' rule:

1. Identify the Standard Going Rate: Using the official government tables for eligible occupation codes, locate the 4-digit SOC code for the job and identify its corresponding "Standard going rate".⁸

2. Calculate the 70% Discount: Multiply the standard going rate by 0.70 to find the discounted salary figure.

3. Identify the Cash Floor: The absolute cash floor for Option E is £33,400 per year.²

4. Determine the Final Salary: Compare the result from Step 2 with the £33,400 cash floor from Step 3. The minimum compliant salary that must be paid is the higher of these two numbers.

For example, for SOC 2134 Programmers and software development professionals, the standard going rate is £54,700.⁸

• 70% of £54,700 is £38,290.

• This is higher than the £33,400 cash floor.

• Therefore, the minimum compliant salary for a New Entrant programmer is £38,290.

Conversely, for SOC 2419 Legal professionals not elsewhere classified, the standard going rate is £33,400.⁸

• 70% of £33,400 is £23,380.

• This is lower than the £33,400 cash floor.

• Therefore, the minimum compliant salary is dictated by the cash floor, which is £33,400.

Table 1: Minimum Qualifying Salaries for New Entrants in Standard RQF Level 6+ Occupations

The following table performs this calculation for a selection of common RQF Level 6 and above occupations, providing a clear reference for employers. It synthesizes data from multiple government sources to present a single, actionable salary figure for each role.²

Occupation code	Job type	Standard Going Rate	Calculated 70% Discounted Salary	Option E Cash Floor	Final Minimum Qualifying Salary (Higher of previous two columns)
2111	Chemical scientists	£39,900	£27,930	£33,400	£33,400
2112	Biological scientists	£40,300	£28,210	£33,400	£33,400
2113	Biochemists and biomedical scientists	£45,900	£32,130	£33,400	£33,400
2114	Physical scientists	£54,600	£38,220	£33,400	£38,220
2121	Civil engineers	£50,400	£35,280	£33,400	£35,280
2122	Mechanical engineers	£46,800	£32,760	£33,400	£33,400
2133	IT business analysts, architects and systems designers	£54,900	£38,430	£33,400	£38,430
2134	Programmers and software development professionals	£54,700	£38,290	£33,400	£38,290
2141	Web design professionals	£43,800	£30,660	£33,400	£33,400
2142	Graphic and multimedia designers	£33,400	£23,380	£33,400	£33,400
2412	Solicitors and lawyers	£51,600	£36,120	£33,400	£36,120
2419	Legal professionals not elsewhere classified	£33,400	£23,380	£33,400	£33,400
2421	Chartered and certified accountants	£49,200	£34,440	£33,400	£34,440
2431	Management consultants and business analysts	£50,200	£35,140	£33,400	£35,140
2432	Marketing and commercial managers	£50,100	£35,070	£33,400	£35,070
2451	Architects	£47,600	£33,320	£33,400	£33,400
2492	Newspaper and periodical broadcast journalists and reporters	£34,000	£23,800	£33,400	£33,400
2493	Public relations professionals	£37,000	£25,900	£33,400	£33,400

Key Findings: Identifying the £33,400 Occupations

The analysis in Table 1 reveals a crucial pattern. For any occupation where the full standard going rate is approximately £47,714 or less (£33,400/0.70), the 70% calculation will fall below the cash floor. In these cases, the £33,400 cash floor becomes the de facto minimum salary.

These occupations represent the lowest possible cost for sponsoring a New Entrant in a standard RQF Level 6+ role. Based on the analysis, the following job types are examples of roles that can be sponsored at the £33,400 minimum threshold:

• Scientific Roles: Chemical scientists (2111), Biological scientists (2112), Biochemists and biomedical scientists (2113).

• Engineering and Design: Mechanical engineers (2122), Web design professionals (2141), Graphic and multimedia designers (2142), Architects (2451).

• Business and Legal: Legal professionals not elsewhere classified (2419).

• Media and Communications: Newspaper and periodical broadcast journalists and reporters (2492), Public relations professionals (2493).

For employers seeking to utilize the New Entrant route in a cost-effective manner for graduate-level positions outside of the health and care sector, these occupations represent the primary targets for recruitment.

Section 5: The Absolute Lowest Thresholds: Health, Care, and Lower Rate Occupations (Option J)

While Option E provides a significant discount for many graduate roles, the absolute lowest salary thresholds are reserved for a specific subset of occupations eligible for the "lower rate." This is primarily accessed via the Health and Care Worker visa, which allows for sponsorship under Option J, unlocking a cash floor of just £25,000.

Eligibility for the "Lower Rate"

An applicant and their sponsor can utilize the "lower going rate" and the associated Option J salary calculations if they meet one of two main conditions ⁸:

1. Health and Care Worker Visa: The applicant is being sponsored for a role eligible for the Health and Care Worker Visa. This visa is a specific sub-category of the Skilled Worker route for designated health and social care professions.

2. Transitional Arrangements: The applicant received their first Certificate of Sponsorship for a Skilled Worker visa before 4 April 2024 and has maintained continuous sponsorship since then. This is a transitional measure to protect existing visa holders from the full impact of the recent salary increases.

For the purposes of recruiting new talent, the focus of this analysis is on the first condition: roles eligible for the Health and Care Worker Visa.

The Option J Formula: The £25,000 Floor

The calculation for Option J mirrors that of Option E but with lower thresholds. An employer must follow these steps:

1. Identify the Lower Going Rate: From the official tables, find the "Lower going rate" for the relevant SOC code.⁸

2. Calculate the 70% Discount: Multiply the lower going rate by 0.70.

3. Identify the Cash Floor: The absolute cash floor for Option J is £25,000 per year.⁵

4. Determine the Final Salary: The minimum compliant salary is the higher of the discounted going rate (Step 2) and the £25,000 cash floor (Step 3).

Table 2: Minimum Qualifying Salaries for New Entrants in Health, Care, and Other Lower Rate Occupations

The following table applies the Option J formula to key occupations that qualify for the lower rate. This analysis pinpoints the specific roles that can be sponsored at the UK's lowest possible salary threshold for a New Entrant.

Occupation code	Job type	Lower Going Rate	Calculated 70% Discounted Salary	Option J Cash Floor	Final Minimum Qualifying Salary (Higher of previous two columns)
1172	Social services managers and directors	£33,100	£23,170	£25,000	£25,000
2115	Social and humanities scientists	£28,000	£19,600	£25,000	£25,000
3111	Laboratory technicians	£25,000	£17,500	£25,000	£25,000
3212	Pharmaceutical technicians	£25,000	£17,500	£25,000	£25,000
3214	Complementary health associate professionals	£25,000	£17,500	£25,000	£25,000
3221	Youth and community workers	£26,500	£18,550	£25,000	£25,000
3232	Early education and childcare practitioners	£25,000	£17,500	£25,000	£25,000
3240	Veterinary nurses	£25,000	£17,500	£25,000	£25,000
6135	Care workers and home carers	£25,000	£17,500	£25,000	£25,000
6136	Senior care workers	£25,000	£17,500	£25,000	£25,000

Key Findings: The £25,000 Occupations

The analysis in Table 2 provides a definitive answer to the query of which jobs can be paid the lowest possible salary. Any occupation where the "lower going rate" is approximately £35,714 or less (£25,000/0.70) will have its New Entrant salary capped by the £25,000 cash floor.

This analysis identifies a specific list of occupations where a New Entrant can be compliantly sponsored on a salary of £25,000 per year. These roles are the most cost-effective sponsorship options available in the entire Skilled Worker system. Key examples include:

• Health and Social Care: Care workers and home carers (6135), Senior care workers (6136), and Social services managers and directors (1172). Note that for care workers, the employer must also be registered with the Care Quality Commission in England.⁷

• Technical and Scientific Support: Laboratory technicians (3111), Pharmaceutical technicians (3212), and Social and humanities scientists (2115).

• Community and Childcare: Youth and community workers (3221) and Early education and childcare practitioners (3232).

• Animal Care: Veterinary nurses (3240).

For organizations operating in these sectors, particularly health and social care, the Option J New Entrant route provides a critical pathway to recruiting essential early-career talent at a viable salary point.

Section 6: Strategic Imperatives and Compliance Risks

Successfully calculating the initial salary for a New Entrant is only the first step. A truly strategic approach to sponsorship requires long-term planning that anticipates future salary requirements and mitigates compliance risks throughout the employee's visa journey. Failure to do so can transform a seemingly low-cost hire into an unforeseen financial liability.

The Path to Settlement: The ILR Salary Trap

A critical warning for all sponsors is that the salary discounts available for New Entrants (and other categories like PhD holders) are temporary. These discounts do not apply when a worker applies for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), also known as settlement, which they are typically eligible for after five years of continuous residence in the UK.³

For an ILR application, the salary must meet the full, non-discounted threshold. The 70%, 80%, and 90% of going rate columns are explicitly excluded for settlement purposes.¹¹ The applicant's salary must equal or exceed the higher of the standard general threshold (e.g., £41,700 under Option A) and 100% of the going rate for the occupation at the time of the ILR application.³

This creates a significant "salary shock" that employers must anticipate. An employee hired as a New Entrant at £33,400 will, upon applying for settlement five years later, need to be earning a salary that could be £10,000-£20,000 higher, depending on the full going rate for their job. This is compounded by the fact that going rates themselves are updated periodically, usually upwards, based on new wage data.⁵ An employer who has not budgeted for this mandated increase will face a stark choice: either provide a substantial pay rise or lose a valued, experienced employee who will be unable to settle in the UK.

The Importance of Accurate Job Coding and Record-Keeping

The temptation to select a SOC code with a lower going rate to minimize salary costs is a significant compliance risk. The Home Office requires that the chosen SOC code be a genuine reflection of the role's primary duties and responsibilities. An employer must be prepared to defend their choice of code during a compliance audit.³ This includes having a detailed job description that aligns with the example job titles and tasks listed for that code in the official government classifications.⁸ Miscoding a role can lead to visa refusal, sponsor licence suspension, or revocation.

Furthermore, sponsors have a duty to maintain meticulous records for every sponsored worker. This includes evidence of their salary, hours, job description, and how their role aligns with the chosen SOC code. Any changes to the employee's salary or role must be carefully documented and, if significant, reported to the Home Office via the Sponsor Management System (SMS).³

Pro-rating, Hours, and the Hourly Rate: Final Checks

Employers must remain vigilant about the details of the salary calculation. All annual going rates are based on a 37.5-hour week and must be accurately pro-rated for any other working pattern.⁸ Sponsoring a part-time worker does not allow an employer to simply pay a fraction of the headline salary; the pro-rated salary must still meet the pro-rated going rate and the absolute cash floor.

Crucially, the £17.13 minimum hourly rate must always be met.³ This serves as a final backstop to ensure fair pay. An employer must check that both the annual salary threshold and the hourly rate threshold are satisfied. This is particularly important for roles that may require unpaid overtime or have variable hours, as the effective hourly rate could inadvertently fall below the minimum compliant level.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The analysis demonstrates that identifying the lowest permissible salary for a New Entrant under the Skilled Worker visa route is a multi-stage process requiring careful navigation of a complex regulatory framework. The lowest possible salary is not a single figure but is contingent on the specific occupation, its skill level, and its eligibility for different salary options.

The absolute lowest compliant salary for a new hire is £25,000 per year. This is achievable only for New Entrants in a select group of occupations eligible for the Health and Care Worker Visa or other "lower rate" provisions, such as care workers, laboratory technicians, and social services managers. For the majority of standard graduate-level roles that meet the new RQF Level 6 skill threshold, the lowest achievable salary is £33,400 per year. This figure acts as a floor for numerous professional occupations in science, design, media, and law, where 70% of the standard going rate falls below this amount. For higher-paying professions, the minimum salary will be 70% of the standard going rate, exceeding the £33,400 floor.

To navigate this landscape effectively and ensure compliance, employers should adopt the following strategic recommendations:

1. Verify RQF Level First: Before any other consideration, confirm that the job role is skilled to at least RQF Level 6 (bachelor's degree equivalent). For new hires, any analysis of roles at RQF Levels 3-5 (with the exception of specific routes like the Health and Care Visa) is redundant and will lead to refused applications.⁴

2. Rigorously Apply the 'Higher Of' Rule: Never rely on the 70% discounted going rate figure in isolation. Always calculate it and compare it against the relevant absolute cash floor (£33,400 for Option E, £25,000 for Option J). The required salary is always the higher of the two.²

3. Plan for the 4-Year Cliff: Actively budget for the mandatory salary increase that will be required when an employee's four-year maximum period as a New Entrant expires. This is a predictable and non-negotiable cost of retention.⁹

4. Anticipate the ILR Wall: For employees on a path to settlement, factor in the further salary uplift required at the five-year mark when they apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. All salary discounts are removed at this stage, and the full, non-discounted going rate will apply.³

5. Audit Job Descriptions and SOC Codes: Ensure that job descriptions are accurate and that the selected SOC code is a defensible match for the role's duties. This is a critical aspect of sponsor compliance and risk mitigation.³

6. Consult Legal Experts: The UK's Immigration Rules are subject to frequent and complex changes. Given the high stakes of visa applications and sponsor compliance, seeking professional immigration legal advice is a prudent investment to mitigate the risk of costly errors, application refusals, and potential enforcement action.⁴

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