UK New Entrant Salary Discount Checker
Find out if you qualify for the lower £30,960 threshold instead of £38,700. Instant result. No signup.
Step 1 of 3: Your age
Used only to check the under-26 criterion. Nothing is stored.
Step 2 of 3: Your situation (select all that apply)
Tick every box that genuinely describes your situation. The checker uses this to confirm eligibility.
Step 3 of 3: Your offered salary
Gross annual salary as stated in your job offer. Basic salary only; no bonuses or overtime.
Use the hours in your employment contract. Standard full-time in the UK is usually 37 to 40 hours.
How This Checker Works
The UK Skilled Worker visa has a standard salary minimum of £38,700 per year. But there is a legal category called the “new entrant” discount that lets qualifying applicants use a lower threshold of £30,960 instead. That is 80% of the standard figure.
This checker tests two things at once. First, it checks whether your situation matches at least one of the published new entrant criteria from the Home Office rules. Second, it checks whether your offered salary clears the £30,960 threshold and the hourly minimum of £15.88.
Applicable Threshold = Age under 26 OR any qualifying criterion met ? £30,960 : £38,700
Hourly Rate = Annual Salary / (Weekly Hours x 52)
Eligible = Salary >= Applicable Threshold AND Hourly Rate >= £15.88
The checker does not make a final legal determination. It reflects the published Home Office rules as of April 2024. Your actual eligibility is confirmed when your sponsor selects the new entrant option on your Certificate of Sponsorship.
The New Entrant Criteria in Full
You qualify as a new entrant if you meet at least one of the following conditions at the time of your application:
- You are under 26 years old on the date you apply.
- You are switching careers into an unrelated field.
- You are in a supernumerary training role (working alongside, not replacing, a permanent employee).
- You are working toward a professional qualification required for the sponsored role.
- You graduated within the past 24 months from a UK or overseas university.
Table of Truth: Sample Inputs and Results
| Age | Qualifying Criterion | Salary Offered | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Under 26 | £31,500 | Eligible |
| 28 | Recent graduate (2023) | £32,000 | Eligible |
| 31 | Career switcher | £30,960 | Eligible (borderline) |
| 29 | Working toward ACA | £29,500 | Below threshold |
| 35 | None selected | £36,000 | Ineligible for discount |
| 25 | Under 26 | £28,000 | Below £30,960 |
| 27 | Supernumerary training | £33,500 | Eligible |
How the 4-Year Limit Works in Practice
The new entrant discount is not permanent. It covers a maximum of four cumulative years in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa. Once you hit that limit, all salary requirements revert to the standard general threshold.
This matters most when you apply for an extension. If you arrive at 24 on the new entrant rate and extend at 28, you are outside both the under-26 criterion and likely outside the 4-year window for the discount. Your extension salary must meet £38,700 unless your role is on the Immigration Salary List or you have another qualifying route.
Realistic Scenarios
Scenario 1: Recent Nigerian graduate, 25 years old
Chisom graduated with a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Lagos in mid-2023. She received a UK job offer in April 2024 as a junior software developer at £33,000. She is 25, so she qualifies under the under-26 criterion. She also qualifies as a recent graduate (under 24 months). Her salary of £33,000 exceeds the £30,960 new entrant threshold. At 37.5 hours per week, her hourly rate is about £16.92, above the £15.88 minimum. She passes both tests.
Scenario 2: Career switcher, 31 years old
Emeka spent 6 years in marketing in Lagos before deciding to pursue a career in data analysis. He has a UK offer as a junior data analyst at £32,500. He is 31, so he does not qualify under the age criterion. But he is genuinely switching careers from marketing into a technical field. His salary of £32,500 exceeds £30,960. His sponsor agrees to mark the CoS as new entrant. He passes the discount test. However, Emeka should note that at his next extension, the standard £38,700 applies.
Scenario 3: Applicant not qualifying for the discount
Adaeze is 34, has worked as a registered nurse for 8 years, and has a UK offer for a senior nursing role at £36,000. She is not switching careers. She did not graduate recently. Her role is not a training post. She is not working toward a new professional qualification. She does not meet any new entrant criterion. Her salary of £36,000 is below the standard £38,700 threshold. She does not qualify for the discount and would need either a salary increase or to check whether her nursing role qualifies via the Health and Care visa route instead, which has its own separate threshold of £29,000.
Why the New Entrant Rate Matters for Nigerians
The April 2024 threshold increase to £38,700 hit entry and mid-level applicants hardest. For many Nigerian professionals in IT, finance, and business roles seeking their first UK position, £38,700 is significantly above what their initial UK role offers.
The new entrant rate at £30,960 opens a practical window for recent Nigerian graduates, career changers, and young professionals that would otherwise be closed. It is not a loophole; it is a published, legitimate part of the immigration rules. But you have to meet the criteria and your sponsor has to use it correctly on the CoS.
Common Questions
What This Tool Does Not Do
This checker tells you whether your situation likely meets the published new entrant criteria and whether your salary clears the resulting threshold. It does not confirm your visa eligibility. It does not check your occupation going rate (you need to do that manually using the Home Office SOC table). It does not replace regulated immigration advice.
The Home Office caseworker makes the final decision. Rules change. Use gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa and an OISC-registered adviser for formal guidance.
