The going rate is the minimum salary set for a specific job, tied to its SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code — a different figure from the general salary floor, and choosing the wrong SOC code is one of the most common ways Skilled Worker sponsorship goes wrong. A sponsored worker must be paid at least the higher of the two thresholds, which means the going rate can be the binding figure even when the general floor would technically be satisfied.

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Where the going rate actually comes from

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Going rates are set per occupation code and are based on typical UK earnings data for that occupation, reviewed and updated periodically by the Home Office. Because they’re tied to real labour market pay, they can vary enormously between codes — two roles with similar-sounding job titles can carry very different going rates depending on which SOC code they’re actually classified under. The current figure for any given code is published on GOV.UK’s going rates for eligible occupations list, and it should be checked at the time of hire rather than assumed from a previous sponsorship, since these figures change.

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Why the SOC code choice matters more than employers expect

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Because the going rate is set per code, the classification decision has a direct financial and compliance consequence. Picking a code that undersells the seniority of the role — even unintentionally, because it has a lower going rate and makes the salary threshold easier to clear — produces a mismatch between what’s stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship and what the worker is actually doing. This is precisely the kind of discrepancy a Home Office compliance visit is designed to catch: caseworkers compare the job description, reporting line, and actual duties against the stated SOC code, not just the salary figure in isolation. The right approach is to match the code to the job’s genuine duties and seniority level first, then check whether the resulting going rate is met — not to work backwards from an affordable salary to whichever code happens to justify it.

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Reduced going rates: new entrants, PhDs, and shortage roles

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Certain categories of worker can qualify for a reduced going rate rather than the full published figure. Genuine new entrants to the labour market — typically workers early in their career, or those transitioning from a Student or Graduate visa — are one such category. Workers whose role requires a relevant PhD-level qualification are another. Occupations that appear on a shortage list at the time of sponsorship have historically also carried a reduced rate. Each of these discounts has its own eligibility conditions and applies specifically to the occupation-specific going rate, not to the separate general salary floor discussed on our salary floor guide — a distinction that’s easy to blur when working through the numbers quickly. Because eligibility criteria and the specific discount applied can change, always confirm current rules for the individual case rather than assuming a discount carries over unchanged from a previous sponsorship.

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Part-time and irregular-hours roles

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Going rates are generally published as an annual, full-time-equivalent figure, which means a genuinely part-time role needs the going rate pro-rated against contracted hours to work out the actual salary that must be paid. Roles with irregular or averaged hours — shift patterns, term-time-only work, seasonal peaks — need particular care here, since an hours calculation based on a quiet month can understate what the going rate actually requires across the year.

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What happens when a sponsored worker’s role changes

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If a sponsored worker is promoted, moves to a different team, or has their duties substantially changed, the SOC code and going rate that applied at the point of sponsorship may no longer be the right ones. This is a reportable change under sponsor duties, and in some cases requires a fresh Certificate of Sponsorship reflecting the new role, code, and salary. Treating a promotion as purely an internal HR matter, without checking whether it affects sponsorship, is a common gap that shows up in compliance reviews.

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Extensions and the going rate that applies

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When a sponsored worker extends their permission to stay in the same role with the same employer, the going rate that applies at extension is generally the current published figure for the occupation code, though transitional arrangements have in the past allowed some existing sponsored workers to be assessed against the rate in force when they were first sponsored. Whether that protection is available depends on the specific rules current at the time of the extension application — this is exactly the kind of detail worth checking against GOV.UK rather than assuming continuity from the original sponsorship.

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Evidence to keep on file

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For every sponsored role, keep a record of the SOC code chosen, the reasoning for that choice against the job’s actual duties, the going rate checked and the date it was checked, and confirmation of which discount category (if any) was applied and why. This evidence is what turns a routine compliance visit into a formality rather than a scramble, and it should sit in the same record as the worker’s right to work check and CoS documentation, not in a separate recruitment file that’s harder to produce on request.

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How Annaizu helps

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Annaizu’s sponsorship compliance software keeps the SOC code, going rate evidence, and any discount category applied attached directly to each worker’s sponsorship record, and flags upcoming role changes or extension dates where the going rate should be rechecked rather than assumed. Whoever holds Level 1 User responsibility for the sponsor licence can see this evidence in one place rather than reconstructing it from recruitment emails after the fact.

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FAQs

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Do going rates change over time?

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Yes — they’re periodically updated by the Home Office. Always check the current figure for the specific SOC code rather than relying on a number carried over from a previous sponsorship.

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What happens if the wrong SOC code is discovered after a Certificate of Sponsorship is already assigned?

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This is worth correcting proactively rather than leaving in place — an incorrect classification found during a compliance review is a materially worse position than one identified and corrected before it’s flagged externally.

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Can a discretionary bonus be used to bridge a gap between the offered salary and the going rate?

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Generally no — discretionary and performance-related pay typically doesn’t count toward meeting the going rate, which needs to be met through guaranteed, contractual salary.

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Does the going rate discount for new entrants apply automatically?

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No — eligibility depends on specific conditions being met and evidenced, not simply on the worker’s age or how recently they graduated. Confirm current eligibility criteria before relying on the discount.

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If an occupation moves off a shortage list, does an existing sponsored worker lose their reduced going rate?

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This depends on the specific transitional rules in force at the time and on whether the worker is extending in the same role — check current guidance rather than assuming the original discount carries forward unchanged.

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Related: Skilled Worker salary floor · Tier 2 to Skilled Worker visa requirements · Temporary Worker sponsor licence

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GOV.UK references: Skilled Worker visa: your job · Going rates for eligible occupations · Eligible occupations and codes