As part of our current series on independent schools and sponsorship, we have so far explored how to apply for a Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence and the costs associated with sponsoring an individual under the Skilled Worker route. Here, we explore how much an independent school needs to pay a teacher to sponsor them under the Skilled Worker route.
What is the Skilled Worker route?
The Skilled Worker route is a points-based immigration category. A total of 70 points must be fulfilled for the applicant to meet the requirements for a Skilled Worker visa.
Applicants require 50 mandatory points to meet the sponsorship (20 points), skill level (20 points), and English language requirements (10 points) in order to be eligible for permission to enter or stay in the UK.
A further 20 tradeable points are awarded for meeting the salary requirement. The minimum salary a Skilled Worker needs to be paid for their role will differ depending on the applicant's circumstances and the role itself.
Under the new rules, there are 11 options (A – K) described in the Skilled Worker Sponsor Guidance in which the salary requirement can be met.
Salary requirements for teachers
Option K applies to jobs in the health and education sector. It applies to all applications where the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code is based on national pay scales.
Under option K, the applicant who is sponsored for a job in an eligible education occupation must be paid an annual salary that equals or exceeds both of the following:
- £23,200 per year; and
- the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code.
Minimum salary for teachers
Table 3 of Appendix Skilled Occupations sets out the roles that are eligible for sponsorship for the health and education sector, where going rates are based on national pay scales.
Table 5 of Appendix Skilled Occupations sets out the minimum going rates for eligible occupation codes by administration and role for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
Applicants will need to meet the relevant going rate salary requirement shown in Table 3 or 5 of that Appendix.
National pay scales apply to the following occupation codes:
- 2313: Secondary education teaching professionals
- 2314: Primary education teaching professionals
- 2315: Nursery education teaching professionals
- 2316: Special and additional needs education teaching professionals
- 2321: Head teachers and principals
The going rates in Table 5 are per year and based on the definition of a full-time teacher. The salary will need to be pro-rated for working patterns based on the weekly working hours stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship.
Whilst independent schools generally have their own pay scale for teachers, to sponsor a teacher under the Skilled Worker route, they must be paid at least £23,200 per year or the relevant minimum rate. This varies depending on the role and the region they are applying to work in.
The following are the minimum salaries for a qualified teacher employed to work in England and Wales:
| AREA | MINIMUM SALARY |
| Inner London | £36,745 |
| Outer London | £34,514 |
| London fringe | £31,350 |
| England (excluding London/fringe area) | £30,000 |
| Wales | £30,742 |
EXAMPLE
An independent senior school in Manchester would like to sponsor a qualified maths teacher.
For the teacher to be eligible for a Skilled Worker visa, they will need to be paid either £23,200 per year, or the going rate for their occupation code, whichever is the higher.
Occupation code 2313: Secondary education teaching professionals, has been identified as the most suitable code for the role. The going rate in Table 3 makes reference to the pay band in Table 5.
The minimum going rate for qualified teachers in England (excluding the London/Fringe area), is currently £30,000. As the going rate is higher than the general salary threshold of £23,200, the teacher will need to be paid a minimum salary of at least £30,000.
Our series on sponsorship and independent schools
Continue to follow our series on sponsorship and independent schools by subscribing to our legal updates here.
We have much more to come as part of this series, with articles focusing on the roles that can be sponsored, the process to sponsor teachers from the UK and overseas, how to maintain a licence, and alternative options.
Skilled Worker applications for teachers: How our Immigration Solicitors can help
Here at Carter Thomas Solicitors, we are experienced in preparing Skilled Worker applications to ensure a successful outcome and will provide expert guidance and assistance to schools throughout the process.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.