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Key takeaway: GOV.UK figures for the Skilled Worker visa as applied to accountants (occupation code 2421): minimum salary and going rate, lower-salary cases, fees, English level, decision times, settlement and citizenship, the proposed settlement changes, and ICAEW membership routes.

The route and the accountant occupation code

GOV.UK says a Skilled Worker visa allows you to come to or stay in the UK to do a job with an approved employer, and that the job must be on the list of occupations the Home Office publishes for the visa. In the Home Office table, code 2421, chartered and certified accountants, is listed as Higher Skilled; the table states that it was updated on 22 July 2025. GOV.UK advises checking that the job description matches the work you will do, because some similar jobs have different codes. You must also have a confirmed job offer before you apply.

GOV.UK (UK Visas and Immigration): Skilled Worker visa — Overview GOV.UK (UK Visas and Immigration): Skilled Worker visa — Your job GOV.UK (UK Visas and Immigration): Skilled Worker visa — eligible occupations and codes

Minimum salary and the going rate for code 2421

GOV.UK says the minimum salary is whichever is the highest of £41,700 per year or the going rate for the type of work. In the going rates table, code 2421 shows a standard going rate of £49,200 (£25.23 per hour) and a lower going rate of £36,900 (£18.92 per hour). The standard column applies to people whose first certificate of sponsorship was issued after 4 April 2024; the lower column applies in limited cases, including continuous holders of a Skilled Worker visa since before that date. The table assumes a 37.5-hour working week.

GOV.UK (UK Visas and Immigration): Skilled Worker visa — Your job GOV.UK (UK Visas and Immigration): Skilled Worker visa — going rates for eligible occupation codes

When a lower salary can apply

GOV.UK says some applicants can be paid between 70% and 90% of the standard going rate if the salary is at least £33,400 per year. One listed group is people under 26, studying or a recent graduate, or in professional training, which includes working towards full registration or chartered status in the job being sponsored. For that group the page says 70% of the standard going rate applies, and the total stay in the UK cannot be more than 4 years.

GOV.UK (UK Visas and Immigration): Skilled Worker visa — When you can be paid less

Fees and money to show

GOV.UK gives the standard Skilled Worker application fee from outside the UK as £819 for a stay of up to 3 years and £1,618 for more than 3 years; from inside the UK, to extend, switch or update, it is £943 and £1,865. The healthcare surcharge is usually £1,035 per year. You must usually show at least £1,270, available for at least 28 days in a row, to support yourself, unless you have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months or your employer can cover your costs during your first month, up to £1,270. GOV.UK says a lower application fee applies if the job is on the immigration salary list.

GOV.UK (UK Visas and Immigration): Skilled Worker visa — How much it costs

English level, employer approval, timing and a nationality bar

GOV.UK says you must usually prove your English when you apply, to at least level B2 if you take a test. Someone who had the visa before 8 January 2026 and is extending or updating it needs level B1. The employer must be approved by the Home Office, and you must apply for the visa within 3 months of getting the certificate of sponsorship. Once you have applied, proved your identity and provided documents, GOV.UK says you will usually get a decision within 3 weeks if you are outside the UK and 8 weeks if you are inside the UK. Since 26 March 2026 the Immigration Rules do not allow nationals or citizens of Afghanistan to apply for entry clearance as a Skilled Worker.

GOV.UK (UK Visas and Immigration): Skilled Worker visa — Knowledge of English GOV.UK (UK Visas and Immigration): Skilled Worker visa — Your job GOV.UK (UK Visas and Immigration): Skilled Worker visa — Overview GOV.UK (Home Office): Explanatory memorandum to the statement of changes in the Immigration Rules HC 1691, 5 March 2026 GOV.UK (Home Office): Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Worker

Settlement and citizenship under the current guidance

GOV.UK says a Skilled Worker visa can last for up to 5 years before it needs to be extended, and that after 5 years a holder may be able to apply to settle permanently, known as indefinite leave to remain. On citizenship, GOV.UK says that to apply with indefinite leave to remain you must usually have lived in the UK for 12 months after getting it. These are the rules as shown on GOV.UK pages read on 6 October 2026.

GOV.UK (UK Visas and Immigration): Skilled Worker visa — Overview GOV.UK: British citizenship — eligibility

Proposed settlement changes and the English requirement for settlement

A Home Office news story published on 20 November 2025 says the government announced earlier in 2025 that it would double the settlement qualifying period to 10 years, with reductions for those making a strong contribution; it says transitional arrangements for people already in the UK will be set out after a consultation, and that the intention is that anyone yet to be granted settlement would be subject to the new model once the new rules are in force. A House of Commons Library briefing published 21 September 2026 reports that the Home Secretary told MPs the new policy would be published later this year, and says there is no exact timetable for new rules. Separately, the English requirement for settlement rises to B2 on 26 March 2027 for routes including Skilled Worker.

GOV.UK (Home Office): Biggest overhaul of legal migration model in 50 years announced House of Commons Library: Changes to UK visa and settlement rules after the 2025 immigration white paper GOV.UK (Home Office): Explanatory memorandum to the statement of changes in the Immigration Rules HC 1691, 5 March 2026

Professional qualifications and ICAEW membership routes

ICAEW publishes routes by which members of other bodies can join it. It says members of Chartered Accountants Ireland, SAICA and CA ANZ can join through reciprocal membership agreements, while ACCA and AICPA members can join through the ACA study route, and ACCA members may also be able to use a Pathways to Membership route. For a body that is not listed, ICAEW says it has not assessed the qualification and the standard ACA study route applies. These are routes to professional membership, described by ICAEW, and are separate from the visa rules above.

ICAEW: Members of other bodies A-Z

Questions before acting

Is accountancy on the Skilled Worker occupation list?

In the Home Office table of occupation codes for the visa, code 2421, chartered and certified accountants, is listed as Higher Skilled, and the table states that it was updated on 22 July 2025. GOV.UK says the job must be with an approved employer and meet the salary requirement, and that the code depends on the work you will actually do.

What is the minimum salary for an accountant on a Skilled Worker visa?

GOV.UK says the minimum is whichever is the highest of £41,700 per year or the going rate for the job. The going rates table shows a standard going rate of £49,200 for code 2421. Lower salary rules exist for some groups, including people working towards chartered status, who can be paid 70% of the standard going rate if the salary is at least £33,400 per year.

Do accountants need a sponsor for a UK Skilled Worker visa?

GOV.UK says you must have a confirmed job offer before you apply and work for a UK employer approved by the Home Office. The employer gives you a certificate of sponsorship, and you must apply for the visa within 3 months of getting it.

Corrections in this revision

The previous version included statements without sufficient direct support. This revision removes or corrects:

  • Statements without direct official support: removed, or replaced with the official rule. Removed figures are not repeated on this page.

Review scope: legal and financial statements in this revised article. Recheck on a provider, professional, immigration or tax-rule change; reuse of dated figures requires a new check.

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About the author

António Mira is the founder of whereTOemigrate. For over a decade he has worked at the intersection of Portuguese real estate and overseas business, helping international clients navigate the cross-border decisions that come with relocating. He sits on the board of CCIAP (Portuguese-Arab Chamber of Commerce), the Portuguese-Saudi Business Council, and the Portugal-Hong Kong Business Association — always with one focus: enabling overseas business and human mobility into and out of Portugal.

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