2026 UK Skilled Worker Visa Salary for Teachers (Full Breakdown)
Last updated on August 6th, 2026
The UK Skilled Worker visa salary for teachers is not the general £41,700 threshold but £38,766 for inner London and £38,650 for the rest of England.
Yes. National pay scale for UK teachers visa doesn’t follow the general Skilled Worker standards. So, waiting for a £41,700 offer or taking an offer too low are both waste of time.
This guide breaks down what UK Skilled Worker visa salary for teachers require, so you know when to accept or reject a role.
Quick highlights
- Teachers sponsored under the Skilled Worker visa are assessed with the national teacher pay scale starting at £31,650/year outside London.
- Only the flat “qualified teacher” rate matters for visa purposes, not the M1–M6 career progression.
- Only 5 SOC codes carry the national pay scale exception: 2313 (secondary), 2314 (primary), 2315 (nursery), 2316 (SEN), and 2321 (head teachers and principals).
- Allowances and bonuses do not count towards this threshold.
- Sponsorship costs (CoS and Immigration Skills Charge) are the employer’s responsibility and doesn’t justify low salary.
In this post
Why are teachers different from most Skilled Worker applicants?
Most Skilled Worker applicants have to clear three separate tests at once.
- A general annual salary floor.
- The going rate for the occupation code.
- A minimum hourly rate.
The highest of these figures becomes the main threshold for that applicant.
But this system doesn’t apply to teaching roles.
Skilled Worker has a separate route for certain education roles under which, you must be paid whichever is higher out of £25,000 a year or the going rate for your role.
And that going rate for teachers is defined by the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD).
So, this UK teacher visa salary exception exists because teaching salaries are already regulated by the government via National Teacher Pay Scales and not for employers to decide.
National Teacher Pay Scale in full
What matters most for visa purposes is the Teacher Visa Sponsorship UK Going Rate published by the Home Office.
This qualified teacher going rate stands at £31,650 a year across the rest of England, £33,075 in the London Fringe, £36,413 in Outer London, and £38,766 in Inner London.
Your school’s location figure is what determines if your UK Skilled Worker Visa salary for teachers requirement is met.
While the full STPCD states how your salary rises with your career once you’re employed.
- Main Pay Range (M1–M6)
- Upper Pay Range (U1–U3)
- Leadership scale (heads, deputies and assistant heads)
The table below combines the Home Office visa going rate with the STPCD progression.
| Pay Point | Rest of England | Inner London |
|---|---|---|
| M1 | £31,650 | £38,766 |
| M6 | £43,600–£43,700 | £53,900–£54,000 |
| U1 | £46,500 | Not published |
| U3 | £49,000–£50,500 | Not published |
| Leadership entry point | £49,781 | £59,186 |
| Head teacher, entry point | £56,316 | £65,731 |
UK Home Office checks only the M1 row against your CoS for your visa.
Everything beyond that row just shows how much your pay can grow as you progress in that role.
Which SOC Code applies to your role?
Every Certificate of Sponsorship requires the exact UK Skilled Worker Visa SOC Code for teachers.
And getting this wrong is the most avoidable reason sponsorship application runs into trouble.
| SOC Code | Role |
|---|---|
| 2313 | Secondary education teaching professionals |
| 2314 | Primary education teaching professionals |
| 2315 | Nursery education teaching professionals |
| 2316 | Special and additional needs education teaching professionals |
| 2321 | Head teachers and principals |
Matching the correct code guarantees your eligibility for the teacher visa sponsorship UK going rate consideration.
A mismatch here, like a secondary teacher coded as a general education manager, will demand a different and higher salary requirement.
So, confirm with your employer which code they intend to list.
Higher education lecturing too has its own occupation code (2311) which is different and assessed under the general threshold, not the national pay scale exception.
If you’re applying for a university or further education lecturing post, the figures above don’t apply to you.
What counts as ‘Salary’ for visa purposes
The Home Office assesses only the figure in your CoS contract as your core pay or salary for visa purposes.
London weighting, Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) payment, special educational needs allowance and bonuses do not count as part of salary to the Home Office.
Same with conditional payments, like performance-related bonuses and overtime.
If your basic salary alone doesn’t clear the given threshold for your region, that Visa Application Fails.
Always ask your school to confirm your basic salary in writing.
What of Part-Time and Pro-Rata teaching roles?
Part-time and pro-rata teaching contracts (0.5 and 0.8 full-time roles) are still eligible for sponsorship.
But the Home Office checks them against two separate figures.
First, your full time equivalent salary, the amount you’d earn if your contract were a standard full working week, must meet the national pay scale rate for your point and region.
Second, your hourly rate of pay must also clear the applicable minimum.
Schools sponsoring part-time teachers need to state both figures on your Certificate of Sponsorship.
And ask to see both numbers before signing anything.
Shortage subject considerations for teachers
Shortage subjects like Maths, Physics, Computing and Modern Foreign Languages remain in high demand.
And this improves your odds of receiving an offer.
But shortage status does not lower the salary below the national pay scale rate.
Treat shortage subject status as something that raises your chances of getting hired, not what changes the number a school needs to pay you.
What employers also pay apart from your salary
Sponsoring a teacher involves costs that rest on the employer without affecting the salary in your contract.
Schools pay a Certificate of Sponsorship fee of £525 per teacher sponsored.
Most sponsoring schools also pay the Immigration Skills Charge of £1,320 a year for medium and large sponsors or £480 a year for small or charitable sponsors.
These costs are carried solely by the sponsoring school and can’t be deducted from your salary.
So, if an employer suggests reducing your salary to cover these costs, have an informed conversation with them or walk away.
FAQs on UK Skilled Worker visa salary for teachers
1. Do teachers need to meet the £41,700 general threshold?
No. Teachers sponsored under the national pay scale are exempt from the general £41,700 minimum that applies to most other Skilled Worker roles.
Instead, they are assessed with the national teacher pay scale for their region.
2. What is the minimum teacher salary outside London in 2026?
The base qualified teacher rate outside London currently sits at £31,650 a year.
3. Can a part time teaching role still qualify for sponsorship?
Yes, provided the full time equivalent salary matches the correct pay scale for your region and your hourly earnings also clear the required minimum.
4. Which SOC code should be listed on a secondary teacher’s Certificate of Sponsorship?
Secondary teaching roles are coded as 2313.
Using the wrong occupation code can pull in a different going rate.
5. Do shortage subjects like maths or physics get a lower salary threshold?
No. Shortage subjects can improve your odds of receiving a sponsorship offer, but they don’t reduce the statutory pay scale rate.
Conclusion
Before accepting a sponsored teaching role:
- Check GOV.UK’s Appendix Skilled Occupations to confirm the SOC code for your role.
- Check GOV.UK’s national pay scales publication to confirm the current going rate for your region.
- Ask your school to confirm your basic salary in writing, separate from any allowances.
If you’re still at the early stages, our guide on Gaining UK QTS as a Nigerian Teacher walks through the recognition process.
Also understand the Skilled Worker Visa Application, including what happens once your CoS is issued.
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