What is a SOC code?
A SOC code is the 4-digit occupation code an employer gives a job. For a Skilled Worker visa it decides whether the job can be sponsored and its minimum salary (the going rate). Of 412 codes, 121 are higher skilled.
What the code is
SOC stands for Standard Occupational Classification, the ONS list of jobs. The Immigration Rules use the 2020 version (SOC 2020), which has 412 four-digit codes. For example, 2134 is programmers and software development professionals.
The employer chooses the code and puts it on your certificate of sponsorship. It has to fit what you will actually do. The Immigration Rules say the sponsor must choose an appropriate code, and an application can be refused if a more appropriate code isn’t eligible or has a higher going rate than the salary (Appendix Skilled Worker, SW 6.2).
What the code decides
Most new applicants need a higher-skilled code. Our count from Appendix Skilled Occupations, checked 4 November 2026:
| Skill level | Codes | Can a new applicant be sponsored? |
|---|---|---|
| Higher skilled (RQF 6+) | 121 | Yes |
| Medium skilled | 178 | Only if the code is on the Temporary Shortage List or the Immigration Salary List, and for some people already sponsored before 22 July 2025 (for example prison officers, 3314) or care workers (6135, 6136) already working for their sponsor |
| Not eligible | 113 | No |
Each eligible code also has a going rate. For most higher-skilled jobs the minimum salary is the higher of that rate and £41,700.
One job title, two codes
The duties decide the code, not the title. An “analyst” job could be:
- data analysts (3544): medium skilled, going rate £34,900, open to new applicants only through the Temporary Shortage List (certificates issued before 31 December 2026)
- it business analysts, architects and systems designers (2133): higher skilled, going rate £54,900
How to find a job’s code
If you have an offer, the employer can tell you the code it plans to use. Otherwise GOV.UK points to CASCOT, a free coding tool from the University of Warwick: search the job title and compare the description with the duties. The SOC code guide lists every code open to new applicants, with its going rate.
What it means for your job search
Most job pages on SponsorJobs show the SOC code we think the advert fits, in the Visa salary card. It’s our reading of the advert; the code your employer uses is the one that counts.
Common questions
How do I find the SOC code for a job?
Ask the employer if you have an offer. Otherwise search the job title in CASCOT, the coding tool GOV.UK links to, and check the description matches the duties.
What happens if the employer uses the wrong SOC code?
The application can be refused. Appendix Skilled Worker (SW 6.2) says the sponsor must choose an appropriate code, and not a less appropriate one with a lower going rate or wider eligibility.
Which SOC version does the Skilled Worker visa use?
SOC 2020. Appendix Skilled Occupations lists SOC 2020 codes, 412 in all.