Guidance
Skilled Worker visa: Jobs that qualify for a PhD salary discount
Updated 6 May 2025
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Check if your job or occupation code is eligible for a PhD salary discount on the Skilled Worker or Health and Care routes.
If your job is eligible for a PhD salary discount, you can be paid 80% or 90% of the job’s usual going rate, depending on which subject you are qualified in.
You must also meet the other eligibility requirements for the Skilled Worker visa or the Health and Care visa.
If you qualify for the standard rate, because you got your certificate of sponsorship after 4 April 2024, read the ‘standard rate’ column.
If you qualify for the lower rate, because you got your certificate of sponsorship before 4 April 2024, read the ‘lower rate’ column.
You qualify for the lower rate if you:
- are applying for a Health and Care Worker Visa in certain occupations
- you got your certificate of sponsorship for your first Skilled Worker visa before 4 April 2024 and have continually held one or more Skilled Worker visas since then
The annual salaries for these jobs are based on a 37.5-hour working week. They must be pro-rated for other working patterns, based on the weekly working hours stated by your employer.
| Occupation code | Job type | Related job titles | 90% of standard going rate | 80% of standard going rate | 90% of lower going rate | 80% of lower going rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1150 | Managers and directors in retail and wholesale | Car sales manager Manager (garden centre) Managing director (wholesale, retail trade) Retail manager Shop manager (charitable organisation) Wholesale manager | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2111 | Chemical scientists | Analytical chemist Chemist Development chemist Industrial chemist Laboratory analyst Research scientist (chemical) | £31,680 (£16.25 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £26,640 (£13.66 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2112 | Biological scientists | Agricultural consultant Forensic scientist Horticulturist (professional) Microbiologist Pathologist | £34,200 (£17.54 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,290 (£12.97 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2115 | Social and humanities scientists | Anthropologist Archaeologist Criminologist Epidemiologist Geographer GIS analyst Historian Political researcher Social scientist | £32,760 (£16.80 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2136 | IT quality and testing professionals | IT auditor Quality analyst (computing) Software testing consultant Systems tester (computing) Test analyst (computing) Test engineer (professional, software) | £35,910 (£18.42 per hour) | £31,920 (£16.37 per hour) | £27,990 (£14.35 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2141 | Web design professionals | Desktop publisher User interface designer UX designer (computing) Web designer Web producer | £37,170 (£19.06 per hour) | £33,040 (£16.94 per hour) | £26,100 (£13.38 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2142 | Graphic and multimedia designers | 3D artist Animator (computing) Compositor (special effects) Creative design assistant Graphic artist Graphic designer Visual effects supervisor | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2151 | Conservation professionals | Conservation officer Countryside officer Ecologist Heritage manager Land management adviser Landscape scientist Marine conservationist | £32,940 (£16.89 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £27,540 (£14.12 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2152 | Environment professionals | Energy manager Environmental consultant Environmental engineer Environmental protection officer Environmental technician Flood risk manager Water quality scientist | £32,490 (£16.66 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £27,270 (£13.98 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2317 | Teachers of English as a foreign language | TEFL English as a second language teacher ESOL tutor | £32,940 (£16.89 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2319 | Teaching professionals not elsewhere classified | Adult education tutor Ballet teacher (qualified) Music teacher Private tutor Voice coach | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2323 | Education advisers and school inspectors | Advisory teacher Assessor (further, higher education) Curriculum adviser Early years adviser Education officer School inspector | £33,750 (£17.31 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £27,630 (£14.17 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2324 | Early education and childcare services managers | After school club manager Childcare manager (day nursery) Nursery manager (day nursery) Pre-school manager | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2419 | Legal professionals not elsewhere classified | Attorney Conveyancer Justice’s clerk Legal adviser Legal consultant Legal counsel Paralegal Patent agent Patent attorney Solicitor’s clerk (articled) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2434 | Business and related research professionals | Crime analyst Fellow (research) Games researcher (broadcasting) Inventor Digital marketing analyst Market research analyst Social media analyst | £32,850 (£16.85 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £27,540 (£14.12 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2452 | Chartered architectural technologists, planning officers and consultants | Architectural consultant Chartered architectural technologist Construction planner Planning officer (building construction ) Town planner | £32,940 (£16.89 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2462 | Probation officers | Inspector (National Probation Service) Probation officer Youth justice officer | £32,850 (£16.85 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £26,910 (£13.80 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2464 | Youth work professionals | Youth and community officer Youth worker (professional) | £32,490 (£16.66 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £27,180 (£13.94 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2469 | Welfare professionals not elsewhere classified | Child protection adviser Children’s guardian Family court adviser Rehabilitation officer Restorative justice manager Social services officer | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,110 (£12.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2471 | Librarians | Chartered librarian Librarian Technical librarian University librarian | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2472 | Archivists, conservators and curators | Archivist Conservator Curator Keeper (art gallery) Museum officer | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,740 (£13.20 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 2493 | Public relations professionals | Account manager (public relations) Communications manager (public relations) Public relations consultant Press officer Public relations officer Social media manager | £31,860 (£16.34 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £26,190 (£13.43 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 3111 | Laboratory technicians | Assistant scientist (laboratory) Associate practitioner (laboratory) Cytoscreener Hospital technician Laboratory technician Scientific technician | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 3112 | Electrical and electronics technicians | Avionics technician Electrical technician Electronics technician Installation engineer (electricity supplier) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £26,550 (£13.62 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 3114 | Building and civil engineering technicians | Building services consultant Civil engineering technician Survey technician Technical assistant (civil engineering) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 3115 | Quality assurance technicians | Quality analyst Quality assurance coordinator Quality control technician Quality officer Quality technician Test technician | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 3116 | Planning, process and production technicians | Process technician Production controller Production planner Production technician | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,200 (£12.92 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 3119 | Science, engineering and production technicians not elsewhere classified | School technician Technical assistant Technician Textile consultant Workshop technician | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 3120 | CAD, drawing and architectural technicians | 3D Printing Technician Architect’s assistant Architectural design assistant Architectural technician CAD designer Cartographer Design technician Draughtsman | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 3131 | IT operations technicians | Computer games tester Digital administrator IT technician Network administrator Systems administrator | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 3132 | IT user support technicians | Business support analyst (computing) Customer support analyst Help desk operator (computing) IT support technician Systems support officer | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |
| 3133 | Database administrators and web content technicians | Database administrator Digital content editor Intranet coordinator Website moderator | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £30,960 (£15.88 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) | £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) |