Go ahead on the path of migration to the UK. Find out if you are eligible using the points calculator. Join the thousands who choose UK skilled migration for a brighter future. Learn about the eligibility criteria followed for the selection of candidates permitted to migrate to the UK.

The services and health sector are particularly known for abundant opportunities in the UK. Moreover, employers in the IT and construction sectors are also looking for skilled foreign nationals to work for them in the UK. However, to migrate to the UK, you will need to score well on the points calculator which is a significant consideration for UK immigration.

Here we introduce you to the points distribution for various factors considered in the points calculator for UK immigration. In case you are confident that you are ready for skilled immigration to the UK, you can get an idea of how many points you will score on the points calculator by using the information we are going to share.

About UK skilled immigration

Here are some facts about UK skilled immigration that you would like to learn before we proceed to understand the points calculator:

Only those with a certificate of sponsorship from an employer in the UK can apply for a UK skilled worker visa.
The job you are offered by the UK employer must be in a list of occupations made for this purpose.
Your annual salary in the UK for the job offered cannot be less than £25,600 or the “going rate” in the UK for an occupation in the UK.
You will have to meet the requirements for English language skills in one of the ways listed below:
- You are a national of a country in which English is spoken by the majority of people.
- You have either of the following:
  - GCSE A level
  - Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5
  - Scottish Higher
  - Advanced Higher in English
- You possess a degree-level academic qualification that was taught or researched in English. A confirmation of this will be established through UK NARIC in case you studied abroad.
- You have passed a SELT (Secure English language test) from an approved provider.
You have to show a minimum deposit of money in your bank account to prove that you are self-sufficient to meet your expenses while in the UK.
The Skilled Worker visa has a validity period of 5 years. It’s extensible provided you meet certain criteria.
After 5 years in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa, you can qualify to apply for ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain).

Points for UK immigration used to calculate eligibility through points calculator

Here’s how points are granted for various factors for UK immigration via the Skilled Worker route:

Criteria for mandatory points	Points
Job offer from an approved sponsor	20
Job at appropriate skill level (middle-skilled or above)	20
English language skills at level B1	10

Criteria for tradable points
Annual salary
£20,480 or at least 80% of the going rate for the profession (70% if new entrant) OR	0
£23,040 or at least 90% of the going rate for the profession OR	10
£25,600 or at least the going rate for the profession OR	20
£20,480 in an eligible health/education job that meets the relevant national pay scale	20
Other
Non-STEM Ph.D. in a subject relevant to the job OR	10
STEM Ph.D. in a subject relevant to the job OR	20
Job in a shortage occupation OR	20
The applicant is a new entrant to the labor market	20
Maximum points available	90
Points threshold for qualification	70

Points awarded for various tiers

Tier1

Applicants under Tier 1 have to score a minimum of 95 points. This includes a minimum of 75 points scored for attributes that are primary. This is evident from the tables below:

Age	Points
Under 28 years	20
28 or 29	10
30 or 31	5
32	0

Qualifications	Points
Ph.D.	50
Master’s degree	35
Bachelor’s degree	30

Earnings	Points
less than £20,000	0
£20,000-£22,999	15
£23,000-£25,999	20
£26,000-£28,999	25
£29,000-£31,999	30
£32,000-£34,999	35
£35,000-£39,999	40
£40,000 or above	45

In addition to the above, you can gain up to 25 points if you meet any of the criteria below:

Points	Reason
5 points	If £16,000 or more of the applicant’s previous earnings for which points are claimed were earned in the UK, or the applicant has completed a full-time study program in the UK for at least one full academic year, or has been awarded a qualification at bachelor’s degree level or above.
10 points	For English language proficiency
10 points	For available funds (maintenance) who are overseas and have £2,800 in available funds or to applicants who are in the UK and have £800 in available funds.

Nationals of the following countries are automatically granted 10 points for English language skills.

Antigua & Barbuda
Dominica
Barbados
Jamaica
St Lucia
The USA
Australia
Belize
Grenada
New Zealand
The Bahamas
Canada
Guyana
St Kitts & Nevis
Trinidad & Tobago
St Vincent & the Grenadines

Tier 2

Points allocated for a visa in the Tier 2 category

Under Tier 2, a minimum of 70 points, which includes 10 points for maintenance and 10 points for English, are required. Here’s a table showing the points criteria:

Qualifications	Points
Ph.D.	15
Bachelor’s or Master’s	10
NVQ3	5
No Qualification	0

Prospective Earnings	Points
£17,000-£19,999	5
£20,000-£21,999	10
£22,000-£23,999	15
£24,000 or above	20

Sponsorship Certificate	Points
Offer of job in shortage Occupation	50
Offer of job that passes Resident Labor Market Test	30
Intra Company Transfer	30

Other	Points
Maintenance requirement	10
Competence in English	10

Tier 4

This category of visas is for students aged over 16 from outside the EEA who desire to study in the UK.

Under Tier 4, students have to score 40 points that consist of:

30 points for a full-time place on a course with an approved education provider which is at level 3 or above on the NVQ (National Vocational Qualifications) framework. Full-time means at least 15 hours of classroom study weekly.
10 points for maintenance.

Tier 5

Tier 5 has 6 sub-tiers of temporary workers. They include religious workers, charity, creative & sporting, and the youth mobility scheme.

Points granted for a visa in the Tier 5 category

Under Tier 5, temporary workers must allocate 40 points that consist of:

30 points for a Sponsorship Certificate from an overarching sponsor body, and
10 points for maintenance

Those on the youth mobility scheme have to score 50 points, consisting of:

30 points for nationality,

10 points for age (in the age range 18-30 years old) and

10 points for one’s capacity to support oneself financially

How Y-Axis can help you

Y-Axis guides/counsels you as you apply for UK Skilled migration.

* Disclaimer:

Quick eligibility check of Y-Axis is only to help the applicants to understand their scores. The points displayed are based on your answers only. Please note the points on each section are evaluated based on various parameters set in the immigration guidelines and a technical evaluation is a must know your accurate scores and eligibility to find out which immigration program you can apply for. The Quick eligibility check does not guarantee you the below points, you may score high or low points once you are technically evaluated by our expert team. There are many assessing bodies that process skills assessment which will depend on your nominated occupation, and these assessing bodies will have their own criteria in considering an applicant as skilled. State/ territory authorities will also have their own criteria to allow sponsorships which an applicant should satisfy. So, it is very important for an applicant to go apply for a technical evaluation.