Going Rate vs General Salary Threshold: Why It Matters for Nigerian Sponsored Workers
Two numbers, one visa decision. If you take away just one thing from this article, make it this: the UK Skilled Worker visa doesn't use a single salary figure — it uses two, and you must clear both. Confusing the two, or checking only one, is one of the most common and avoidable mistakes Nigerian applicants and their sponsors make.
What the general threshold actually is
The general salary threshold — currently £41,700 per year — is a single, fixed floor that applies broadly across most Skilled Worker applications, regardless of occupation. Think of it as the minimum baseline the Home Office has set for sponsored skilled work in the UK, below which (subject to specific exceptions like the Immigration Salary List) an application generally won't succeed, no matter how the role is otherwise structured.
What the going rate actually is
The going rate is entirely different: it's an occupation-specific minimum, set individually for each SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code, reflecting typical UK pay for that specific type of work. A construction project manager, a software engineer, and a secondary school teacher each have their own going rate, published in a detailed table the Home Office maintains and periodically updates. Going rates can sit well above or well below the £41,700 general threshold depending on the occupation.
The rule: whichever is higher applies
Here's the mechanism that trips people up: your actual salary requirement is whichever of the two figures is higher for your specific role. If your occupation's going rate is £38,000 — below the general threshold — you still need to clear £41,700, because the general threshold is the higher figure. If your occupation's going rate is £52,000 — above the general threshold — you need to clear £52,000, because now the going rate is the higher figure. The general threshold acts as a floor beneath every occupation; the going rate can push that floor higher for specific, typically well-paid roles.
Two worked examples side by side
Example one: A Nigerian applicant offered a marketing executive role with a going rate of £35,000. Even though £35,000 clears the going rate for that specific occupation, it falls short of the £41,700 general threshold — the application would need a higher salary offer to succeed, or a different route such as the Immigration Salary List if the occupation happens to qualify.
Example two: A Nigerian applicant offered a specialist engineering role with a going rate of £48,500. An offer of £44,000 clears the general threshold comfortably but falls short of the occupation-specific going rate — the application would still fail on salary grounds, because the going rate is the binding figure here, not the general threshold.
Why the system works this way
This two-test structure exists to prevent two different problems at once: a flat general threshold alone would let employers underpay specific in-demand occupations relative to typical UK market rates for that work, while going rates alone (without a general floor) could allow very low-paid occupations to qualify for sponsorship regardless of overall skill level. Combining both tests keeps sponsored roles broadly aligned with genuine UK market pay for that specific type of work, while maintaining an overall skilled-work floor.
How to find your occupation's going rate
Your sponsoring employer's immigration or HR team should be able to confirm the exact SOC code they'll use for your role, and from there, the corresponding going rate is published in the Home Office's official going rates table on gov.uk. Because SOC codes can sometimes cover a broader or narrower range of job titles than you'd expect — two similar-sounding job titles at different companies might legitimately use different SOC codes — always confirm the specific code your employer intends to use rather than assuming based on your job title alone.
When the Immigration Salary List changes the picture
If your specific occupation happens to sit on the Immigration Salary List, the general threshold you're compared against can drop to around £33,400 rather than £41,700 — but the going rate test still applies on top of this reduced general floor, generally at a proportionally reduced rate too. This is a genuine discount, but it doesn't remove the two-test structure; it simply lowers one side of it for occupations the government has identified as facing genuine recruitment shortages.
New entrants and reduced going rates
Some categories of applicant — broadly, those early in their career or under a certain age at the time of application — may be eligible for a reduced going rate compared to the standard figure for their occupation, reflecting that early-career pay is typically lower across most professions. If you're a recent graduate or early in your career, it's worth asking your prospective sponsor whether a new entrant rate might apply to your specific situation, since this can meaningfully lower the going rate side of the calculation.
Why sponsors sometimes get this wrong
It's not only applicants who confuse these two tests — smaller UK employers newer to sponsorship sometimes make the same mistake, checking only the general threshold and assuming that's sufficient. If you're negotiating an offer with a smaller company that hasn't sponsored many overseas hires before, it's reasonable (and often genuinely helpful to them) to politely ask which SOC code and going rate they've identified for your role, rather than assuming their HR team has already done this thoroughly.
Check both figures for your specific role
Because getting this wrong can mean a wasted application fee and a lost opportunity, always verify both figures for your specific occupation before treating any job offer as confirmed. Use our Skilled Worker Salary Threshold Checker to run your own numbers against both tests at once.
A habit worth building: checking before you negotiate
One practical takeaway from understanding this two-test structure is that it changes how you should approach salary negotiation with a prospective UK sponsor. Rather than simply asking "can you increase the offer," it's far more effective to say specifically which of the two thresholds the current offer falls short of, and by how much. This shows the employer you understand the actual mechanics of sponsorship, often makes the conversation more productive, and helps avoid a situation where an employer raises your offer by an amount that still doesn't actually clear the binding threshold, simply because neither side was working from a precise, shared understanding of the two-test rule.
Frequently asked questions
Is the going rate always higher than the general threshold?
No — many occupations have a going rate below £41,700, in which case the general threshold is the one that actually applies.
Can my employer choose a lower-paying SOC code to make my salary qualify?
The SOC code must genuinely reflect the actual duties of your role — choosing a code that doesn't match your real job to artificially lower the required salary would misrepresent the sponsorship and carries real risk for both you and your employer.
Where can I find the official going rates table myself, rather than relying on my employer?
It's published as part of the official Skilled Worker guidance on gov.uk — search for the current "skilled worker going rates" page for the up-to-date table.
Does the going rate differ depending on which region of the UK the job is based in?
Generally no — going rates are typically set nationally per SOC code rather than adjusted by region, though always confirm against the current published table.
If two employers offer me the same job title but different SOC codes, which one should I trust?
Ask each employer to justify the SOC code against your actual day-to-day duties — the correct code reflects the real substance of the role and its actual day-to-day duties, not simply the job title printed on the offer letter.