UK Work Visa From India: Skilled Worker Requirements for Indian Nationals in 2026

Indian nationals are the largest single cohort on the UK Skilled Worker visa, concentrated heavily in software development, engineering, finance, and accountancy. The core requirements are the same for everyone, but Indian applicants encounter specific documentation questions — around English language evidence, the TB test, and police clearances for healthcare roles — that are worth addressing directly rather than discovering mid-application.

The Core Requirements

The UK Skilled Worker visa operates on a points system. You need 70 points:

• 20 points for a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from a licensed UK employer
• 20 points for the job being at RQF Level 6 (graduate degree level) or above
• 10 points for English language at CEFR B2 or above
• 20 points for meeting the salary threshold

The salary threshold is the main challenge for most applicants. Since July 2025, the standard general threshold is £41,700 per year, and your specific SOC 2020 occupation code carries an additional "going rate" — you must meet whichever figure is higher.

For the roles where Indian professionals dominate:

• Software Developer / Programmer (SOC 2134): going rate £54,700 — this is the binding threshold
• Civil Engineer (SOC 2121): going rate is around £50,400 — higher than the general threshold
• Accountant (SOC 2421): going rate around £38,300 — general threshold of £41,700 applies
• IT Project Manager (SOC 2137): going rate typically exceeds the general threshold

The salary figure used must be guaranteed basic gross pay only — no overtime, no bonuses, no allowances.

English Language: Using Your Indian Degree Instead of a Test

This is the most practically significant advantage for Indian applicants. Rather than sitting an IELTS for UKVI or PTE Academic UKVI exam at additional cost and time, you can use your bachelor's or master's degree to satisfy the B2 English requirement — provided it was taught entirely in English.

The process goes through Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC). You apply for two assessments:

1. Academic Qualification Level Statement (AQUALS): Confirms that your Indian degree is equivalent in level to a UK bachelor's degree
2. English Language Proficiency Statement (ELPS): Confirms that the degree was taught and assessed in English

Both statements must be provided in the same Ecctis application. An AQUALS alone does not satisfy the English language requirement — you need the ELPS alongside it.

The Ecctis process typically takes a few weeks. Apply well ahead of your visa application window.

Important: if your degree was taught in a mix of English and another language, Ecctis will not issue an ELPS, and you will need to sit a SELT instead. Engineering programmes from some institutions taught partly in Hindi or regional languages have fallen into this category.

Tuberculosis (TB) Test

India is on the Home Office's list of countries where a TB test is mandatory for Skilled Worker visa applications. You must obtain a chest X-ray from a Home Office-approved clinic before you apply.

Key requirements:

• The clinic must appear on the official Home Office approved list — results from non-listed clinics are not accepted
• The certificate must be dated within 6 months of your visa application date
• The test confirms you are free of active pulmonary tuberculosis

Approved clinics operate in major Indian cities. Results are typically available within a few days.

There is no exemption for Indian nationals based on prior residence elsewhere. If you are currently living in the UK on a Student or Graduate visa and originally travelled from India, you would have provided a TB certificate when you first applied — you do not need to provide a fresh one for an in-country switch unless your initial application was more than 6 months ago.

Police Clearance Certificate (If Working in Healthcare or Education)

Police clearance is required for Skilled Worker applicants who will work in healthcare, education, or social care — not for all applicants.

For Indian nationals, the process runs through the Passport Seva Portal. Unlike countries such as Nigeria or Pakistan where mandatory Ministry of Foreign Affairs authentication is a critical final step, India does not require further domestic attestation beyond the issuing authority's stamp on the certificate itself. The primary risk is timing: processing can take several weeks during busy periods.

Transitioning From a UK Student or Graduate Visa

A significant share of Indian Skilled Worker applicants are already in the UK on a Student or Graduate visa. The Graduate visa is a two-year, non-extendable leave. Once it expires, you must have switched to another route or left the UK.

The in-country switch process:

1. Your employer assigns an Undefined CoS before your Graduate visa expires
2. You submit your Skilled Worker application from inside the UK while your Graduate visa is still valid
3. If the application is submitted before expiry, you have "section 3C leave" — the right to continue living and working in the UK while the application is decided, even if the Graduate visa expires during that period

The fee for an in-country switch (permission to stay) is £1,865 for a visa over three years, compared to £1,618 for entry clearance from outside the UK.

New Entrant discount during the switch: If you are switching from a Graduate visa or are under 26, you qualify for the New Entrant salary discount. Your threshold drops to £33,400 or 70% of the going rate — whichever is higher. For an IT professional with a going rate of £54,700, the New Entrant discount brings the required minimum down to £38,290 (70% of £54,700). That is a significant reduction compared to meeting the full going rate.

The New Entrant discount is time-limited to four cumulative years. If you have already used two years of Graduate visa time after your degree, you may only have two years of New Entrant discount left on the Skilled Worker visa.

Key Costs for Indian Applicants

Applying from India (entry clearance, over three years): £1,618 Applying from inside the UK (permission to stay, over three years): £1,865 Immigration Health Surcharge: £1,145 per year of the visa — for a 5-year visa, £5,725 payable upfront TB test: approximately £50-150 at an approved Indian clinic Ecctis assessment (if using degree for English evidence): approximately £200-250

For a single applicant on a five-year Skilled Worker visa, the minimum outlay is around £7,343 before any legal fees.

The employer's costs — the Immigration Skills Charge of up to £6,600 for a large employer over five years plus a £525 CoS fee — cannot be passed on to you.

Understanding every threshold that applies to your specific SOC code, and whether transitional protections or the New Entrant discount reduce your required salary, determines whether your current job offer is viable before you submit. The UK Skilled Worker Visa Guide includes worked salary calculations for the most common Indian applicant profiles, the Ecctis pathway for degree-based English evidence, and the complete Earned Settlement timeline for long-term planning.