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Advice For Employers & HR Professionals

Sponsored Workers – Minimum Salary Threshold Increase

 

Attention all Sponsor Licence Holders…

The minimum salary thresholds and going rates for several of the visa routes increased on 12 April 2023.  

For the Skilled Worker Visa, to be eligible the applicant must be paid the higher of: 

  • £26,200 per year (a £600 increase)

Discounted minimum salary thresholds are also increasing: 

    • eligible PHD-level roles: £23,580 per year (a £540 increase)
    • roles on the shortage occupation list, some education and healthcare roles, and new entrants: £20,960 per year (a £480 increase); 
  • £10.75 per hour (a 65p increase); 
  • The ‘going rate’ for a particular role which, from 12 April 2023, will be based on a 37.5 hour week (rather than the current 30 hours per week). 

Importantly, if your organisation will require a sponsored worker to work in excess of 37.5 hours per week, you will need to pro-rate the workers salary and increase it accordingly to ensure that the minimum salary requirement is met.    

The minimum salary thresholds for the Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist, UK Expansion Worker, Graduate Trainee and Scale Up routes are also increasing. You should make sure that you check the up-to-date guidance if you are considering sponsoring workers via any of these routes.  

There’s nothing that sponsors need to do now because of the changes; the increased thresholds only apply to visa applicants who are issued certificate of sponsorships after 12 April 2023. However, if you have existing sponsored workers that are due to renew their visas and apply to extend their permission to stay in the UK, the new thresholds will apply and so it may be necessary to increase their salary to ensure the minimum thresholds are met.  

If you have any questions about sponsoring employees, we’d be very happy to help. Please contact Emma Cousins, Senior Associate at emma.cousins@torquelaw.co.uk.  

 

 

 

 

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