Skilled Worker Visa for HGV and Lorry Drivers: UK Guide
HGV (heavy goods vehicle) drivers are not eligible for the Skilled Worker visa: occupation code 8211 is on the list of codes that cannot be sponsored, and it is on neither shortage list. This guide explains what the rules say and the licence categories the job needs.
- Section
- Skilled Worker Visa
- Reading time
- 9 min
- Last checked
- 2 September 2026
- Source
- The published Immigration Rules and GOV.UK guidance, linked throughout this guide.
- Rowan does not
- Look at your own case, tell you which route to choose, or say what the Home Office will decide. This guide shows the published rules and where to read them.
In short
- HGV (heavy goods vehicle) drivers, code 8211, are not eligible for the Skilled Worker route.
- The code is in Table 6 of Appendix Skilled Occupations, the list of codes that cannot be sponsored.
- It is not on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List.
- A sponsor licence does not let a haulage firm sponsor a lorry driver on this route.
- Driving a lorry in the UK needs a category C or CE licence, whatever your immigration route.
Heavy and large goods vehicle drivers (code 8211) cannot be sponsored on the Skilled Worker route. The code sits in Table 6 of Appendix Skilled Occupations, the list of ineligible codes, and is on neither the Immigration Salary List nor the Temporary Shortage List. This guide records the position and the driving licence rules.
HGV Drivers and the Skilled Worker Route
Large goods vehicle (HGV) drivers are not eligible for the Skilled Worker route. Appendix Skilled Occupations, the part of the Immigration Rules that lists which jobs can be sponsored, places the driver code in Table 6: the codes that are not eligible for the Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility or Scale-up routes. Since 22 July 2025 a new Skilled Worker job must also be at RQF level 6 (degree level) unless its code is on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List, and the driver code is on neither. A licensed employer therefore cannot sponsor an overseas lorry driver on this route.
HGV stands for heavy goods vehicle. The official term you will see in the rules is "large goods vehicle". Both refer to the same kind of work.
The SOC Code
Every job has a SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code. Heavy and large goods vehicle drivers are code 8211, which covers lorry drivers, tanker drivers and haulage contractors. On the eligible jobs list it appears only in Table 6, so it has no going rate.
The lists can change. Check the current version of Appendix Skilled Occupations, the Immigration Salary List and the Temporary Shortage List on GOV.UK before relying on this page.
The Driving Licence You Need
You need the correct driving entitlement for the vehicle you will drive:
- Category C lets you drive vehicles over 3,500kg with a trailer up to 750kg.
- Category CE (often written C+E) lets you drive a category C vehicle with a trailer over 750kg.
Your employer will tell you which category the job needs. If you hold an overseas licence, check the GOV.UK rules on exchanging it or gaining UK entitlement for large goods vehicles. You usually cannot drive these vehicles for work until you hold the right UK entitlement.
Sponsor Licences and This Job
A sponsor licence lets an employer assign a Certificate of Sponsorship for a job in an eligible code. Because code 8211 is not eligible, a haulage firm on the register of licensed sponsors cannot use its licence to sponsor a lorry driver on the Skilled Worker route.
Other Routes
The Skilled Worker route is not available for this job. Other work and family routes have their own eligibility rules, which do not depend on occupation codes. The guides index lists them.
Next Steps
Check the current Appendix Skilled Occupations on GOV.UK to confirm that code 8211 is still in Table 6. Whatever route you use to live in the UK, driving a lorry for work needs the right UK driving entitlement.
Related guides:
Questions and answers
Can HGV drivers get a Skilled Worker visa?
No. Heavy and large goods vehicle drivers (occupation code 8211) are listed in Table 6 of Appendix Skilled Occupations, the codes that are not eligible for the Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility or Scale-up routes. The code is not on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List either, so no employer can sponsor a lorry driver on this route.
What driving licence do I need?
You need the right category for the vehicle. A category C licence lets you drive vehicles over 3,500kg with a trailer up to 750kg. A category CE licence (often written C+E) lets you drive a category C vehicle with a trailer over 750kg. Your employer will tell you which you need.
What is the SOC code for lorry drivers?
Heavy and large goods vehicle drivers are SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code 8211. It appears in Appendix Skilled Occupations only in Table 6, the list of codes that cannot be sponsored, so it has no going rate.
What salary do HGV drivers need in 2026?
There is no Skilled Worker salary figure for this job, because the code cannot be sponsored on the route. The £41,700 general threshold and the going-rate tables apply only to eligible codes.
Can my overseas licence be used straight away?
You usually need to exchange or gain a UK driving entitlement for large goods vehicles before you can drive them for work. Check the GOV.UK rules for your country and licence type.
This guide is general information about published immigration rules. It is not advice about an individual application under s.82 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and Rowan is not regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. Immigration rules change several times a year. For advice on a particular situation, contact an adviser authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority or an immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the authoritative current rules.