Most people applying for a UK Skilled Worker visa must now be sponsored for work assessed at RQF Level 6 or above. This requirement has applied to most new applicants since 22 July 2025. RQF Level 6 is commonly described as degree level. However, the immigration rule is about the level of the job, not whether the person applying for the visa has attended university.
What does RQF Level 6 mean?
RQF stands for the Regulated Qualifications Framework. GOV.UK identifies bachelor’s degrees, degree apprenticeships, graduate diplomas and specified Level 6 awards, certificates, diplomas and NVQs as qualifications at this level.
For Skilled Worker sponsorship, the relevant requirement ordinarily applies to the skill level of the job. The position must be assigned an appropriate and eligible SOC 2020 occupation code. Home Office sponsor guidance expressly confirms that the worker does not need to hold a graduate-level qualification, although the work itself must normally be skilled to RQF Level 6 or above.
Employers must select an occupation code that appropriately reflects the sponsored position. Separate qualification or registration requirements may nevertheless apply to particular professions.
Do Skilled Worker applicants need a degree?
No. A bachelor’s degree is one example of an RQF Level 6 qualification, but Skilled Worker applicants are not generally required to possess an RQF Level 6 qualification.
The Home Office instead considers whether the sponsored role falls under an eligible SOC 2020 occupation code. If the code is recognised as being skilled to RQF Level 6 or above, the job may meet the skill requirement even where the applicant does not have a degree.
Under the UK’s Regulated Qualifications Framework, Level 6 includes qualifications such as bachelor’s degrees, degree apprenticeships, graduate diplomas, and specified Level 6 awards, certificates, diplomas and NVQs. However, Skilled Worker applicants are not required to hold a graduate-level qualification. Home Office guidance confirms that it is the sponsored role, rather than the applicant’s academic qualifications, that must normally be skilled to RQF Level 6 or above.
How can you check whether a job is at RQF Level 6?
Skilled Worker eligibility is determined by the occupation’s SOC 2020 code. Employers must select the code that accurately reflects the duties of the sponsored role and confirm that it is eligible under Appendix Skilled Occupations.
Jobs listed in Tables 1, 2 and 3 of Appendix Skilled Occupations are generally recognised as being skilled to RQF Level 6 or above. Selecting an inappropriate occupation code may result in the visa application being refused.
What types of jobs may meet RQF Level 6?
The RQF Level 6 tables cover a wide range of professional and managerial work. Current examples include:
- Civil, mechanical and electrical engineers
- Chemical and biological scientists
- IT project managers
- Software developers
- Cybersecurity professionals
- IT business analysts and systems architects
- Financial managers and directors
- Chartered and certified accountants
- Marketing and commercial managers
- Higher education teaching professionals
- Solicitors, lawyers, barristers and judges
These examples should not be treated as a complete eligibility list. Some SOC codes contain restrictions, and the example job titles published by the Home Office are non-exhaustive.
What should employers check before sponsorship?
Before assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship, an employer should confirm:
- Which SOC 2020 code accurately matches the role.
- Whether that code is eligible for the particular applicant.
- Whether the job meets RQF Level 6 or falls within a permitted exception.
- Which salary option applies.
- Whether the offered pay meets both the general threshold and the going rate.
- Whether any transitional provision, deadline or occupation-specific condition applies.
Applicants should not rely solely on the advertised job title or an informal comparison with a degree. The decisive information is found in the current Immigration Rules and the duties of the sponsored position.
Because occupation lists, going rates and temporary arrangements can change, the latest GOV.UK rules should be checked before a Certificate of Sponsorship is issued or an application is submitted.
Follow Morgan Smith Immigration for updates on the Skilled Worker route and other developments in UK immigration law, policy and Home Office guidance.
With more than 20 years of experience and a strong commitment to professional standards, Morgan Smith Immigration assists employers and individuals with Skilled Worker visa applications, sponsor licence matters and a wide range of other UK immigration services. To discuss your circumstances or obtain professional assistance, call us on 0203 959 3335 or email [email protected].
