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The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) reviewed the current Skilled Worker Visa salary threshold in December 2025 and issued recommendations that could positively impact international job seekers if implemented. This report reviews the UK’s salary requirements across the main work visa routes, especially the Skilled Worker visa, and makes recommendations to the government on how they should change.

The report argues that the current system is too rigid and inefficient, blocking legitimate jobs and international talent without delivering clear benefits. It proposes a simpler, fairer structure that still protects UK workers and public finances.

1. Skilled Worker visa: the most important changes

👉 Occupation-specific salary thresholds

• The report recommends lowering occupation-specific salary thresholds from the median wage back to the 25th percentile. For most of the occupations, this will mean a reduced going rate to qualify for a visa, while the minimum is still set at £41,700.
• The goal is to stop underpayment without blocking junior roles, regional jobs or normal career progression.
• This does not mean lower pay overall. The general salary threshold of £41,700 still applies.

👉 General salary threshold

• The report recommends keeping the general Skilled Worker threshold at £41,700
• This level maximises tax contributions, supports key industries and reflects UK-wide wage differences

👉 What this means

• The report clearly supports £41,700 as the best balance

• Further large increases (for example, to £52,500) are criticised as harmful and counterproductive

👉 What this means for international job seekers

• More genuine roles would become eligible
• Entry-level and mid-level jobs would be easier to sponsor
• Employers outside London would find sponsorship more affordable

2. New entrant discount (very relevant for graduates)

👉 Recommended changes

• A single new entrant salary threshold of £33,400
• This is designed to work for graduates while still being fiscally positive for the UK

👉 The report highlights that:

• Higher thresholds force very long discounts (up to 16 years), which is unrealistic
• Long discounts risk underpaying workers for too long

👉 What this means

• Graduates and early-career professionals would have a clearer and more realistic route
• The system would better reflect how careers actually progress.

3. PhD and postdoctoral roles

👉 PhD discount

• The report recommends abolishing the PhD discount
• There is no evidence that PhD holders need lower pay thresholds

👉 Postdoctoral roles

• A temporary discount may be justified to support UK research
• Suggested threshold: £41,700 for four years
• If the main Skilled Worker thresholds are reformed, this discount may not be needed at all

👉 What this means

• Highly skilled researchers are expected to be paid properly
• Research roles remain supported but not overly subsidised

4. Other visa routes

👉 Temporary Shortage List (TSL)

• Suggested minimum salary: around £30,900
• This route is temporary and does not lead to a settlement
• If a settlement were added, the salary would need to be higher

👉 Impact

• Useful for short-term shortages
• Not a long-term solution for migrants

👉 Health, care and education roles

• Pay-scale roles should align with national pay bands
• Ensures consistency across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
• Transitional protections recommended for workers already in the UK

👉 Scale-up route

• Salary thresholds should match Skilled Worker rules
• The report openly questions whether the Scale-up route should exist at all

👉 Impact

• Fewer confusing visa routes
• Less duplication and bureaucracy

5. Employer behaviour and fairness

The report highlights:

• Poor data on how salary discounts are used
• Confusion among employers about whether they are legally required to sponsor migrants

👉 It recommends:

• Better transparency in sponsorship data
• Clear guidance confirming that employers are not obligated to sponsor and may prioritise candidates who do not need visas

👉 What this means for job seekers

• Sponsorship is a choice, not a legal duty
• Competition remains real, but clearer rules reduce fear-driven refusals

Overall evaluation for international job seekers

If these recommendations were adopted:

• Sponsorship would become more realistic and predictable
• Regional and junior roles would be less unfairly excluded
• Graduates would have a clearer pathway
• Salary rules would better reflect real labour markets rather than blunt targets

Crucially, the report shows that supporting skilled migration and protecting public finances are not opposites. Poorly designed thresholds block good workers without delivering economic gains. More importantly, UK Visa Jobs will always be here to support your job application journey.