What Happens if Your Salary Falls Below the Skilled Worker Threshold
What you need to know
- •Your pay must keep meeting the salary rules for your whole stay, not just on day one.
- •You must meet both the general salary threshold and the going rate for your job.
- •Your sponsor must report any drop in your pay to the Home Office.
- •A low salary can block a future visa extension or ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain).
- •Raise it with your employer early, or look at a new role or visa route.
On a Skilled Worker visa, your salary must keep meeting both the general threshold and the going rate for your job. If your pay drops below either, your visa is at risk and your sponsor must report it. A low salary can also block a future visa extension or ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain). This guide explains the risks and your options.
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Your Salary Must Keep Meeting the Rules
When you got your Skilled Worker visa, your job had to meet a salary requirement. Many people think this is a one-off check. It is not. Your pay must keep meeting the rules for the whole time you hold the visa.
To stay compliant, your salary must meet two separate figures. First, it must meet the general Skilled Worker salary threshold. Second, it must meet the going rate for your specific job. You need to meet the higher of the two. If your pay falls below either, you have a problem.
Why Salaries Drop
A salary can fall below the threshold for several common reasons. It helps to know which one applies to you, because the fix is different in each case.
- Reduced hours. If your hours are cut, your total pay usually drops too. The Home Office looks at your pay on a full-time basis, so fewer hours can take you below the rules. You can read more about how this works in our guide on reduced hours and pay cuts.
- A role change. If your duties change, your job may fall under a different occupation code with a different going rate. A new, higher going rate can leave your current pay too low. See our guide on a promotion or role change with the same sponsor.
- A pay cut. Your employer might reduce salaries across the business, or change your pay as part of a restructure. Any cut that takes you below the threshold or the going rate is a risk.
How the Salary Is Worked Out
The Home Office does not just look at the number on your payslip. It works out your salary in a specific way. Our guide on how Skilled Worker salary is calculated explains this in full.
In short, your pay is assessed on a full-time equivalent basis. This means the Home Office checks what you would earn for full-time hours. Only your basic, guaranteed pay normally counts. Things like one-off bonuses or overtime that you cannot rely on usually do not count towards meeting the threshold.
The Risk to Your Current Visa
If your pay drops below the rules, your sponsor must report this to the Home Office. Reporting changes is one of their sponsor duties, and they can lose their licence if they fail to do it.
Once the Home Office knows, it can decide that your job no longer meets the Skilled Worker rules. This can lead to your visa being curtailed, which means it is cut short. You can read about how this works in our guide on employment rights for visa holders, which covers your wider position at work.
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The Risk to a Future Extension
When you apply to extend your Skilled Worker visa, the Home Office checks your salary again. Our guide to the Skilled Worker extension sets out the full process.
If your pay is below the threshold or the going rate when you apply to extend, your application can be refused. This is true even if your pay met the rules at the start of your visa. The check is based on your pay at the time you apply, so a drop can leave you unable to stay.
The Risk to Your ILR
ILR stands for Indefinite Leave to Remain. It is the right to live in the UK without a time limit. Our guide on ILR for Skilled Worker visa holders explains the route.
To get ILR, your salary must meet the rules on the date you apply for settlement. The ILR salary threshold is its own check. If your pay is too low at that point, your ILR application can be refused. This can happen even after years of lawful work, so it is worth watching your salary closely as your ILR date gets closer.
What You Can Do
If your pay is at risk of dropping below the rules, act early. The sooner you act, the more options you have.
- Raise it with your employer. Explain clearly that your pay must stay above the threshold and the going rate to protect your visa. Many employers do not realise the rules apply for the whole visa, not just at the start.
- Check the current figures. The threshold and going rates change over time. In 2026 the general Skilled Worker threshold is £38,700, but your job may need more if its going rate is higher. Always check the current figures on GOV.UK.
- Look at a new sponsored role. If your employer cannot keep your pay high enough, you may need to change jobs or move to a new sponsor. Our guide on switching sponsors walks through this.
- Consider another visa route. If a Skilled Worker role is no longer right for you, you might qualify for a different visa. Take advice before you make any move.
A Note on New Entrants
Some people qualify for a lower salary rate as a new entrant, for example if they are early in their career. Our guide on the new entrant salary explains who this applies to.
If you used the new entrant rate, be careful. This rate does not last forever. When it ends, you must meet the standard threshold and going rate. Plan ahead so that your pay rises in time.
Next Steps
Related guides:
This guide is general immigration information, not immigration advice under s.82 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. Immigration rules change frequently. For advice on your specific situation, consult an IAA-authorised adviser or an SRA-regulated immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the authoritative current rules.
Related guides
Preparing a UK visa application?
Get the exact document list and step-by-step timeline — £179, paid once.