Understanding RQF Level 6 jobs is now essential for any Skilled Worker Visa application. On 22 July 2025 the minimum skill level for most sponsored roles jumped from RQF Level 3 (A-level equivalent) to RQF Level 6 (bachelor's degree equivalent), removing roughly 180 mid-skilled occupations from general eligibility overnight. This 2026 guide explains what RQF Level 6 means, which jobs qualify, how to map your role to a SOC 2020 code, what transitional protection still exists for the pre-22 July 2025 cohort, and how the Immigration Salary List and Temporary Shortage List rescue a small set of medium-skilled roles. The framework is set out in Appendix Skilled Occupations alongside the salary tables.
RQF Level 6 corresponds to bachelor's-degree-level skill. From 22 July 2025, new Skilled Worker sponsorship is restricted to SOC 2020 occupation codes classified at RQF Level 6 or above and listed in Table 1 of Appendix Skilled Occupations. Around 180 sub-degree occupations at RQF Levels 3–5 lost general eligibility, with limited exceptions through the Immigration Salary List and Temporary Shortage List. Workers already in the route before the cut-off retain transitional protection at extension and change-of-employment stages.
RQF Level 6 Jobs UK 2026: Skilled Worker Visa Eligible Occupations List
The Regulated Qualifications Framework is the UK's official scale for ranking qualifications by difficulty and complexity. For the UK's main sponsored work route, the RQF level attached to each SOC 2020 occupation code determines whether the role is "skilled enough" for sponsorship. The 22 July 2025 change, implemented through Statement of Changes HC 997, reset that bar from RQF 3 to RQF 6 and reshaped the labour-market picture for UK employers in a single step.
From 22 July 2025, only occupations classified at RQF Level 6 or above and listed in Table 1 of Appendix Skilled Occupations qualify for standard Skilled Worker sponsorship. The general salary floor moved to £41,700 on the same date — see our fee tables for sponsored work routes for the matching cost picture. The Immigration Salary List preserves around 18 RQF 3–5 occupations with reduced salary and fee benefits, scheduled to expire on 31 December 2026. The Temporary Shortage List preserves a further ~52 RQF 3–5 occupations but workers on TSL roles cannot bring dependants.
What is RQF Level 6?
RQF Level 6 is the sixth level of the Regulated Qualifications Framework — equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree, graduate diploma, graduate certificate, or Level 6 NVQ. Jobs at this level typically demand advanced theoretical knowledge, autonomous decision-making, and the ability to operate in complex professional environments. Since 22 July 2025, RQF Level 6 is the standard minimum skill threshold for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
A critical clarification: the RQF level attaches to the role, not to the worker's own qualifications. A role classified at RQF 6 is one whose typical duties demand graduate-level skill, as decided by the Office for National Statistics through the SOC 2020 framework. A worker without a degree can still be sponsored in an RQF 6 role provided their experience and the sponsor's assessment justify the SOC code chosen.
The Full RQF Scale
| RQF Level | Equivalent Qualification | Skilled Worker Eligibility (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Level 3 | A-levels, BTEC National Diploma | No (ISL/TSL exceptions only) |
| Level 4 | HNC, Certificate of Higher Education | No (ISL/TSL exceptions only) |
| Level 5 | HND, Foundation Degree | No (ISL/TSL exceptions only) |
| Level 6 | Bachelor's Degree, Graduate Diploma | Standard minimum from 22 July 2025 |
| Level 7 | Master's Degree, PGCE, Postgraduate Diploma | Eligible |
| Level 8 | Doctorate (PhD, DPhil) | Eligible, attracts tradeable PhD discount |
The same SOC code can appear in both the standard tables and the transitional tables — workers who entered the route before 22 July 2025 in an RQF 3–5 occupation can continue in the same role under the older skill threshold, provided they remain with the same sponsor or move to a different sponsor in the same SOC code.
RQF Level 6 Jobs List UK 2026
RQF Level 6 jobs eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship in 2026 sit predominantly in SOC major groups 1 (managers and directors), 2 (professional occupations), and parts of 3 (associate professional and technical). Common examples include software developers, accountants, civil and mechanical engineers, doctors and nurses, secondary teachers, marketing managers, financial analysts, and architects. The authoritative list is Table 1 of Appendix Skilled Occupations.
Technology and Digital
- SOC 2134: Programmers and software development professionals
- SOC 2133: IT business analysts, architects, and systems designers
- SOC 2135: Cyber security professionals
- SOC 2136: IT project managers
- SOC 2137: Web design and development professionals
Finance and Business
- SOC 2421: Chartered and certified accountants
- SOC 2423: Finance and investment analysts
- SOC 2424: Business and financial project management professionals
- SOC 1132: Marketing, sales, and advertising directors
- SOC 2425: Actuaries, economists, and statisticians
Engineering and Science
- SOC 2121: Civil engineers
- SOC 2122: Mechanical engineers
- SOC 2123: Electrical engineers
- SOC 2129: Chemical engineers
- SOC 2111: Chemical scientists
- SOC 2461: Quantity surveyors
Healthcare
- SOC 2211: Medical practitioners
- SOC 2231: Nurses
- SOC 2215: Dental practitioners
- SOC 2217: Pharmacists
- SOC 2222: Physiotherapists
Healthcare applicants should also consider the dedicated NHS Health and Care visa concession, which offers reduced application fees, exemption from the Immigration Skills Charge, and faster processing for qualifying clinical roles.
Education
- SOC 2314: Secondary education teaching professionals
- SOC 2312: Higher education teaching professionals
- SOC 2313: Further education teaching professionals
- SOC 2316: Special needs education teaching professionals
Appendix Skilled Occupations Tables Explained
Appendix Skilled Occupations is the Immigration Rules schedule that defines which SOC codes are eligible for which routes and at which salary tiers. It is structured around several tables — knowing which table applies to your application is decisive for eligibility.
| Table | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Table 1 | Main list for new applicants — RQF Level 6+ SOC codes eligible from 22 July 2025 |
| Table 1a | Tradeable-points discount rates (70%, 80%, 90%) for new entrants, PhDs, ISL roles |
| Table 2 | Health and education occupations with going rates based on NHS Agenda for Change and STPCD teacher scales |
| Table 2a / 2aa | Transitional protection for workers granted before 4 April 2024, extending with the same sponsor (provisions run to April 2030) |
| Table 3 / 3a | Medical and dental practitioners on a 40-hour reference week |
| Table 5 | Special-case occupations and protected cohorts |
When the sponsor assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship, the SOC code chosen determines which table governs the salary going rate. Selecting the wrong code — even by one digit — produces immediate genuineness concerns at decision stage and triggers sponsor licence compliance risk under the published UK employer compliance framework. SOC coding errors are among the most common SOC miscoding refusal grounds in current casework. The GBM sub-route SOC eligibility uses a parallel but distinct subset of occupation codes for intra-company transfers.
What Happened to RQF Level 3–5 Jobs
Approximately 180 SOC codes at RQF Levels 3–5 lost general Skilled Worker eligibility on 22 July 2025. Around 18 remain available through the Immigration Salary List with reduced salary and fee benefits until the list expires on 31 December 2026. A further ~52 sit on the Temporary Shortage List, which preserves them at lower skill levels but bars dependants. Workers who entered the route before 22 July 2025 keep transitional protection covering continuation, extension, and change of employer within the same SOC code.
Exception Routes for Sub-Degree Occupations
- Immigration Salary List (ISL): Around 18 shortage occupations at RQF 3–5 with a £33,400 cash floor at 80% of the going rate; scheduled expiry 31 December 2026
- Temporary Shortage List (TSL): Around 52 RQF 3–5 occupations preserved at lower skill levels; CoS must be assigned before 31 December 2026; no dependants permitted
- Care worker codes (SOC 6135 and 6136): Closed to overseas applications on 22 July 2025; in-country switching for workers already employed by their sponsor permitted until 22 July 2028
Workers sponsored on a Temporary Shortage List occupation after 22 July 2025 cannot bring partner or children as dependants. This restriction is one of the most consequential terms of the new framework and frequently overlooks pre-application planning. Workers who held Skilled Worker permission before 22 July 2025 are not affected — they can bring dependants under the older rules even if they later switch into a TSL role.
Transitional Protection for the Pre-July 2025 Cohort
Workers granted Skilled Worker permission in an RQF 3–5 role before 22 July 2025 retain transitional protection. They can:
- Continue: Stay in the current role until the visa expires
- Extend: Apply to extend in the same occupation under the older skill threshold
- Change sponsor: Move to a different licensed employer within the same SOC code
- Apply for settlement: Progress to Skilled Worker route ILR after 5 years of continuous residence
These transitional rights generally hold to around July 2028, though some occupation-specific provisions run until April 2030. Anyone considering a CoS change should verify the qualifying cohort still applies before relying on transitional rates — getting this wrong produces a refusal that breaks continuous residence.
How to Check Your Job's RQF Level
Identify the SOC 2020 code that matches your role's day-to-day duties using the ONS CASCOT occupation coding tool inside the Sponsor Management System. Then check whether the code appears in Table 1 of Appendix Skilled Occupations. If it does, the role meets the RQF Level 6 standard. If not, check the Immigration Salary List and Temporary Shortage List for exception routes — and if neither applies, the role cannot be sponsored under current rules.
- Step 1: Obtain the full job description from the prospective sponsor
- Step 2: Use ONS CASCOT to identify the matching SOC 2020 code based on duties
- Step 3: Cross-check the SOC code against Table 1 of Appendix Skilled Occupations
- Step 4: Confirm the salary clears the higher of £41,700 and the published going rate
- Step 5: Verify the sponsor holds an A-rated Worker licence on the public register
- Step 6: If the SOC sits outside Table 1, check ISL and TSL eligibility before proceeding
Foreign qualifications can be benchmarked against UK RQF levels through UK ENIC (formerly UK NARIC), but the RQF level requirement applies to the role — not to the applicant's personal credentials. The two usually align in practice, since most degree-entry professions hire degree-qualified candidates, but the framework allows experienced candidates without formal degrees to be sponsored in eligible roles provided their experience matches the SOC code's duties. Applicants meeting the RQF Level 6 standard still need to clear the Skilled Worker English language threshold independently at decision stage.
Salary Implications by RQF Level
RQF Level 6 sets the skill floor — but the salary test runs independently. Applicants must clear the higher of the £41,700 general threshold and the SOC code's published going rate. Reduced cash floors apply to PhD holders (£37,500 with 90% going rate, or £33,400 with 80% for STEM PhDs), new entrants (£33,400 at 70%), ISL roles (£33,400 at 80%), and certain health and education Table 2 occupations (£31,300 at 100%). Full mechanics live in our Skilled Worker pay threshold guide. Applicants also pay the compulsory NHS access surcharge at £1,035 per adult per year, and can buy the fast-track Home Office decision option at application stage if the timeline matters.
- RQF Level 6 (bachelor's degree equivalent) is the standard skill threshold from 22 July 2025
- The general salary floor is £41,700 or the going rate — whichever is higher
- Around 180 RQF 3–5 occupations lost general eligibility
- Immigration Salary List preserves ~18 roles until 31 December 2026
- Temporary Shortage List preserves ~52 roles but bars dependants
- Care workers (SOC 6135/6136) closed to overseas applications; in-country switching to 22 July 2028
- Pre-July 2025 visa holders retain transitional protection for continuation, extension, and sponsor change
- The RQF level attaches to the role, not to the applicant's personal qualifications
For the canonical text of the rules, see Appendix Skilled Occupations and the Skilled Worker job and skill rules on gov.uk.
Frequently Asked Questions
RQF Level 6 is the sixth level of the UK Regulated Qualifications Framework, corresponding to bachelor's degree level. It covers undergraduate honours degrees, graduate diplomas, graduate certificates, and Level 6 NVQs. From 22 July 2025, Skilled Worker sponsorship requires the job's SOC 2020 occupation code to be classified at RQF Level 6 or above and listed in Table 1 of Appendix Skilled Occupations, with limited exceptions on the Immigration Salary List and Temporary Shortage List.
RQF Level 6 jobs include software developers, IT systems architects, chartered accountants, finance and investment analysts, civil and mechanical engineers, chemical scientists, medical practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, secondary and higher education teachers, marketing directors, quantity surveyors, and architects. The complete list of eligible SOC 2020 codes sits in Table 1 of Appendix Skilled Occupations on gov.uk.
The RQF Level 6 requirement applies to the role, not to the applicant's personal qualifications. A worker without a degree can still be sponsored in an RQF 6 occupation provided experience and the sponsor's CoS justify the SOC code. In practice, most RQF 6 occupations are degree-entry professions, so degree-qualified candidates dominate. Some employers accept significant relevant experience in lieu of a degree, but the SOC code must reflect the actual duties performed.
Around 180 SOC codes at RQF Levels 3–5 lost general Skilled Worker eligibility on 22 July 2025. A small number remain accessible via the Immigration Salary List (around 18 occupations, expiring 31 December 2026) and the Temporary Shortage List (around 52 occupations, with no dependants permitted). Workers granted Skilled Worker permission in these roles before 22 July 2025 retain transitional protection allowing continuation, extension, and sponsor change within the same SOC code.
The general 2026 floor is £41,700 per year under Option A. Applicants must also meet the going rate published for their SOC code — whichever is higher binds. Reduced floors apply through tradeable-points discounts: £37,500 for relevant PhD holders (90% going rate), £33,400 for STEM PhDs and new entrants (80% and 70% respectively), £33,400 for ISL roles (80%), and £31,300 for Table 2 health and education roles (100%).
Use the ONS CASCOT occupation coding tool inside the Sponsor Management System to identify the SOC 2020 code matching your role's day-to-day duties. Then check whether that code appears in Table 1 of Appendix Skilled Occupations on gov.uk. If the code is listed in Table 1 it meets the RQF Level 6 standard. If not, check the Immigration Salary List and Temporary Shortage List for exception routes before concluding the role is unsponsorable.
Appendix Skilled Occupations is the Immigration Rules schedule that lists every SOC 2020 occupation code eligible for the Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility, and Scale-up routes. It contains job titles, RQF levels, going rates, and the table assignments that govern which salary tier applies to which cohort. Table 1 is the main list for new applicants from 22 July 2025; Tables 2a, 2aa, 4, and 5 cover transitional and special-case cohorts.
Overseas applications for care worker (SOC 6135) and senior care worker (SOC 6136) roles closed on 22 July 2025. Workers already in the UK on a qualifying visa and employed by their sponsor for at least 3 months can still switch into these codes until 22 July 2028. New overseas recruitment in these SOC codes is no longer permitted. Other clinical and care professional roles remain accessible through the Health and Care visa concession at the standard RQF 6 level.
Standard chef roles under SOC 5434 sit at RQF Level 3 and are no longer eligible for new Skilled Worker sponsorship as standard. Senior culinary positions or chef roles on the Immigration Salary List may still qualify, subject to ISL inclusion and the £33,400 reduced cash floor. Catering and licensed premises managers under SOC 1223 sit at RQF Level 6 and remain eligible. Always verify the specific SOC code chosen against Table 1 of Appendix Skilled Occupations.
Yes — PhD holders qualify for reduced salary thresholds under the tradeable-points framework. A relevant PhD (Option B) reduces the cash floor to £37,500 with 90% of the going rate. A STEM PhD (Option C) reduces it further to £33,400 with 80% of the going rate. The PhD must be relevant to the sponsored role, evidenced through a UK certificate or a UK ENIC equivalence statement for overseas qualifications. The reference must be quoted on the Certificate of Sponsorship.