Salary evidence for a sponsored role

Salary evidence for a sponsored role should explain guaranteed pay, hours and the components counted under the relevant immigration rules. Skilled Worker eligibility can involve both a general salary threshold and an occupation going rate, with specific exceptions and transitional provisions.

Do not assume allowances, bonuses or benefits count in the same way as basic salary. Keep the calculation consistent with the contract, sponsorship record and payroll.

Build the calculation from the actual contract

Gather the proposed gross salary, contracted weekly hours, pay frequency and start date before assessing Skilled Worker salary eligibility. Identify the occupation code and relevant salary option. The route usually requires both an applicable general threshold and the occupation's going rate, with different provisions for specified cases. A total reward figure from a recruitment presentation is not a reliable substitute for the employment terms. ^[1]

Separate basic pay from bonuses, allowances, overtime, benefits and deductions. Ask which elements can count under the precise rules rather than adding everything together. The sponsor should be able to explain what it will actually pay and support that statement with an approved contract and budget. An offer that promises a qualifying salary while a separate agreement requires repayment needs careful review.

Distinguish the general threshold from the going rate

The general salary threshold and going-rate calculations do not treat hours identically. The Skilled Worker sponsor guidance states that a part-time worker's actual gross earnings are used for the general threshold; that threshold is not simply reduced to match a part-time fraction. The going rate is adjusted according to the applicable table and weekly hours. A full-time-equivalent salary can therefore give a misleading impression of eligibility. ^[2]

The guidance also limits the hours counted towards the general threshold in ordinary calculations and has specific provisions for irregular working patterns. Do not assume that increasing hours indefinitely solves a salary shortfall. Keep the calculation method visible, including the relevant table and hours basis, and obtain specialist assessment where shifts or unpaid rest periods make the pattern more complicated.

Check whether a particular salary option genuinely applies

Some applicants may qualify under a permitted lower salary option or a transitional provision, but the conditions must be established. A young age, a degree or a previous visa does not automatically create a discount. Identify the evidence and relevant dates supporting the chosen option. Some healthcare and education roles use national pay scales, so a generic calculator may not cover the case accurately. ^[1]

Do not apply a colleague's historic salary requirement to a new recruit without checking their individual position. The date of earlier permission or sponsorship can matter, as can the occupation and intended application. Ask the adviser to state which option is being used and why. Our guide to Occupation codes: questions for a regulated adviser explains the occupation-code assessment on which the going-rate calculation depends.

Reconcile the documents before the CoS is assigned

Compare the approved salary worksheet with the offer, contract, CoS draft and payroll setup instruction. Resolve differences in annual pay, hours or allowances before submission. A monthly amount multiplied incorrectly can create a material inconsistency, while a negotiated reduction in hours may change the immigration analysis. Keep the final signed-off terms and calculation version together.

Explain any unusual payment arrangement, such as overseas payroll or deductions, rather than assuming it is irrelevant because the gross headline figure is high enough. The sponsor guidance sets rules on qualifying salary and how payment compliance is assessed. The business also remains responsible for minimum wage and working-time obligations. A visa salary calculation does not replace those separate employment requirements. ^[2]

Monitor payment and review changes during sponsorship

The employer must pay the sponsored worker in line with the applicable requirements and the sponsorship record. Compare actual payroll with agreed terms and investigate discrepancies. An error should be corrected transparently; it should not be hidden by altering old records. Absence, reduced pay, salary sacrifice or a role change can require a specific assessment rather than a blanket conclusion based on one payslip. ^[2]

For support through Skilled Worker application coordination, provide the occupation assessment, contractual hours and a breakdown of every pay element. Immigration advice must come from an appropriately regulated or otherwise legally authorised adviser, with payroll or employment input where needed. Ask for a calculation that distinguishes the general threshold, going rate and any conditional option, plus a clear explanation of what future changes must be reviewed.

Before approving a pay or hours variation, route it through the responsible sponsorship contact. The manager negotiating the change may be unaware that a seemingly modest adjustment affects the original salary option. A short pre-change review is easier to manage than discovering after several payroll periods that the contractual terms no longer support the permission.

Illustrative scenario

A company offers a base salary plus a discretionary bonus. The adviser checks which elements can count and compares the role against the applicable requirements before sponsorship proceeds.

Preparation checklist

• Confirm guaranteed pay
• Record weekly hours
• Identify pay components
• Check the applicable threshold and going rate