Teacher Skilled Worker Visa: Codes, Salary, Sponsors

Teaching and the Skilled Worker Visa

The UK education sector faces ongoing recruitment challenges, particularly for teachers in STEM subjects, modern foreign languages, and schools in certain regions. The Skilled Worker visa provides a clear pathway for qualified overseas teachers to fill these gaps.

In 2026, the process is well-established. Many schools — both state-maintained and independent — hold sponsor licences and regularly recruit from overseas. The key considerations for teachers are the SOC code, salary threshold, and recognition of overseas qualifications.

SOC Codes for Teaching Roles

The Standard Occupational Classification code for your role determines the going rate and whether the role appears on the Immigration Salary List. The main teaching SOC codes are:

• SOC 2313 — Secondary education teaching professionals. This covers classroom teachers in secondary schools. National pay scale.
• SOC 2314 — Primary education teaching professionals. This covers classroom teachers in primary schools. National pay scale.
• SOC 2315 — Nursery education teaching professionals. This covers nursery and pre-school teachers. National pay scale.
• SOC 2316 — Special and additional needs education teaching professionals. This covers special needs teachers and coordinators. National pay scale.
• SOC 2311 — Higher education teaching professionals. For university lecturers and researchers with teaching duties. Going rate £52,600 a year.
• SOC 2312 — Further education teaching professionals. For further education college lecturers and instructors. National pay scale.

Your employer selects the SOC code when creating the Certificate of Sponsorship. The code must accurately reflect the work you will be doing. Check the eligible occupations list for the full details.

Salary Thresholds for Teachers

School and further education teaching codes (2312 to 2316) are in Table 3 of Appendix Skilled Occupations, the list of health and education jobs whose going rate is a national pay scale. For these codes your salary must be at least £25,000 a year, or the pay-scale rate for your role and part of the UK if that is higher. The general Skilled Worker threshold of £41,700 does not apply to pay-scale jobs. No teaching code is on the Immigration Salary List published on 3 August 2026.

Teaching salaries in UK state schools are set by the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document published by the Department for Education. The national pay scales mean that many teaching salaries are relatively standardised, though they vary by region and experience.

The pay-scale rate applies whether the school is state-maintained or independent. Higher education teaching (code 2311) is different: it has a single going rate of £52,600, and the £41,700 general threshold and the new-entrant rules apply to it in the usual way. See our salary threshold guide for the calculation.

The Sponsorship Process for Schools

Schools that want to recruit overseas teachers must hold a sponsor licence. Multi-academy trusts often hold a single licence covering all their schools. Individual maintained schools may need to apply separately, though some local authorities hold licences on behalf of their schools.

The process follows the standard Skilled Worker sponsorship process:

• The school obtains or confirms its sponsor licence
• The school assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship to the teacher
• The teacher applies for the Skilled Worker visa using the CoS reference number
• Biometrics and visa decision follow

Schools should be aware of the sponsorship duties on GOV.UK, including record-keeping and reporting changes to the Home Office.

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)

QTS is the professional qualification required to teach in maintained schools in England. It is not a visa requirement — you can be granted a Skilled Worker visa without QTS. However, most maintained schools will require QTS as a condition of employment.

Overseas-trained teachers can apply for QTS through the Teaching Regulation Agency's professional recognition service. Some countries have mutual recognition agreements with the UK, which simplifies the process. Teachers from other countries may need to undergo an assessment or complete a period of teaching in the UK before being awarded QTS.

Independent (private) schools are not required to employ QTS-holding teachers, which can make them a more accessible entry point for overseas-trained teachers.

English Language Requirement

For a new Skilled Worker application made on or after 8 January 2026, teachers must meet the B2 English language requirement (B1 still applies if you are extending a visa you held before that date). For most qualified teachers, this is straightforward — you can often meet it through a degree taught in English. If your degree was not taught in English, you will need to take an approved SELT (Secure English Language Test).

Note that the English language requirement for the visa is separate from any English proficiency requirements that the school may have. Some schools may expect a higher standard for classroom teaching.

DBS Checks and Safeguarding

All teachers working with children in the UK must undergo an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check. If you are applying from outside the UK for an education job, the visa application also needs a criminal record certificate. If you are 28 or over, that means a certificate from any country you have stayed in over the last 10 years; if you are under 28, from any country you have stayed in for a total of 12 months or more since you turned 18.

Schools have their own safeguarding procedures and will guide you through the DBS process after your arrival.

Path to Settlement for Teachers

After 5 years on the Skilled Worker visa, teachers can apply for indefinite leave to remain. The settlement application requires ongoing employment at the going rate, a Life in the UK test pass, and English at B1 level (B2 from 26 March 2027). The settlement timeline guide maps out the full journey.

Next Steps

If you are a teacher seeking to work in the UK, identify schools with sponsor licences in your subject area. If you are a school, check that your sponsor licence is active and consider whether you need to apply for additional CoS allocations. In both cases, confirm the SOC code and salary meet the current threshold.

Related guides:

• Skilled Worker Visa: Complete Guide
• Salary Threshold Explained
• Immigration Salary List
• Sponsor Licence Guide
• Skilled Worker Visa Costs

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