UK Skilled Worker Visa from Nigeria: 2026 Requirements, Salary and Costs in Naira

Last checked against official sources: 5 October 2026

The Skilled Worker visa is still the main legal route for Nigerians to work in the UK long-term, but the rules tightened a lot in 2025 and early 2026. The general salary floor rose to £41,700, most jobs must now be at degree level, the English requirement went up to B2, and the care worker route is closed to new applicants from overseas. This guide explains what GOV.UK says today, what it costs in naira, and how to check sponsorship offers before paying anyone.

This is general information, not advice on your personal case. Always confirm every detail on the official GOV.UK pages linked below before you pay anything.

UK Skilled Worker visa at a glance (2026)

Question	Official answer
Who is it for?	People with a confirmed job offer for an eligible job from a UK employer approved by the Home Office.
Minimum salary	Usually £41,700 a year or the job’s going rate, whichever is higher. Some people can be paid less (see Step 3).
English level	B2 (CEFR) for new applicants. Many Nigerian graduates can use their degree instead of a test, through Ecctis (see Step 4).
Visa fee from Nigeria	£819 for up to 3 years; £1,618 for more than 3 years. Lower if the job is on the immigration salary list.
Health surcharge	Usually £1,035 per year of the visa.
Savings	£1,270 held for 28 days in a row, unless your employer certifies maintenance on your CoS.
How long?	Up to 5 years, then extend. You can bring your partner and children if you meet the rules (not for care or most “medium skilled” jobs).
Decision time	Usually within 3 weeks from outside the UK.

Step 1: Check that your job is eligible

Every job has a 4-digit occupation code. Your employer should tell you yours. If you don’t have an offer yet, you can find likely codes with the CASCOT occupation coding tool linked from GOV.UK, then look the code up in the official table of eligible jobs.

• “Higher skilled” jobs (degree level, RQF 6 and above) are eligible.
• “Medium skilled” jobs are only eligible if they appear on the immigration salary list or the temporary shortage list (or in a few transition cases for people already in the UK).
• Job titles can mislead. GOV.UK’s own example: bricklayers, roofers and carpenters are eligible, but construction labourers are not. The duties in your contract must match the code.

Step 2: Get a real job offer from a licensed sponsor

You must have a confirmed job offer from a UK employer that holds a sponsor licence. Before you trust any offer, search the employer’s exact name in the official Register of licensed sponsors: workers (updated regularly; it is a large CSV file you can also view online). Check that the route column shows “Skilled Worker”.

When the employer is satisfied you qualify, they assign you a certificate of sponsorship (CoS). It is an electronic record with a reference number, not a paper document. You must apply for your visa within 3 months of getting it, and you can apply up to 3 months before your start date.

Step 3: Meet the salary requirement

The standard rule is that you must be paid at least £41,700 per year or the going rate for your occupation code, whichever is higher. Each code has its own going rate in the official going rates table. Your employer must also pay at least the UK minimum wage for the hours you work.

Your situation	Minimum you can be paid (per year)
Standard rule	£41,700 or the going rate, whichever is higher
Job on the immigration salary list	At least £33,400, and still at least the standard going rate
Under 26, recent UK graduate, or working towards a regulated qualification	70% of the going rate, and at least £33,400 (total stay capped at 4 years)
Relevant STEM PhD	80% of the going rate, and at least £33,400
Relevant non-STEM PhD	90% of the going rate, and at least £37,500
Eligible healthcare or education jobs on national pay scales	At least £25,000, or the national pay scale rate if higher

Doctors, nurses and many NHS or adult social care professionals should look at the Health and Care Worker visa instead. GOV.UK says it is cheaper and you don’t pay the immigration health surcharge.

Step 4: Prove your English (B2)

New applicants must show English at level B2 on the CEFR scale. Nigeria is not on the list of English-speaking countries that are exempt, so you need one of these, according to GOV.UK:

• A degree taught in English from outside the UK (for example a Nigerian university degree), confirmed by an Ecctis assessment that it is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or higher and was taught in English.
• A degree from a UK institution taught in English.
• A UK school qualification such as GCSE or A Level, started when you were under 18.
• A pass in a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider at B2 or above.

Doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives and vets who already passed an English assessment accepted by their UK regulator don’t need to prove it again.

Step 5: What it costs in naira

These are the official GOV.UK amounts for applying from outside the UK, converted at £1 = ₦1,789 (illustrative budgeting rate used in this guide, not a verified Wise or current market quote). Your bank or payment provider may use a different rate and add charges; obtain a dated quote before paying.

Cost	Pounds	About in naira
Visa fee (up to 3 years)	£819	₦1.47 million
Visa fee (more than 3 years)	£1,618	₦2.89 million
Visa fee if job is on immigration salary list	£628 / £1,235	₦1.12m / ₦2.21m
Immigration health surcharge, per year	£1,035	₦1.85 million
Health surcharge for 3 years	£3,105	₦5.56 million
Health surcharge for 5 years	£5,175	₦9.26 million
Savings you must hold (unless employer certifies)	£1,270	₦2.27 million
TB test (Home Office–approved clinic)	US$94 at IOM (paid in naira)	₦120,000 at the listed private clinics (age 11+)

Worked example: a 3-year visa for one person, not on the immigration salary list, is £819 + £3,105 = £3,924 (about ₦7.02 million) paid when you apply. If your employer does not certify maintenance, you must also show £1,270 (about ₦2.27 million) in your account. A 5-year visa costs £1,618 + £5,175 = £6,793 (about ₦12.15 million). Add the English test or Ecctis fee, TB test, flights and your first rent.

Bringing family? Each person pays their own visa fee and health surcharge, and you need extra savings of £285 for a partner, £315 for the first child and £200 for each additional child, unless your employer covers this on your CoS.

Step 6: Prepare your documents

According to GOV.UK, you’ll need:

• Your CoS reference number, plus your job title, annual salary, occupation code, and your employer’s name and sponsor licence number (all on the CoS).
• A valid passport.
• Proof of English (Ecctis reference, degree or SELT result).
• Bank statements showing £1,270 held for 28 days in a row, with day 28 within 31 days of applying (unless your employer certifies maintenance).
• A TB test certificate. GOV.UK says you generally need one if you are coming for 6 months or more, have lived in Nigeria or another listed country for at least 6 months, and lived there within the last 6 months. Check the official exemptions.
• A criminal record certificate if you’ll work in education, healthcare, therapy or social services. In Nigeria this is usually a Police Character Certificate.
• Proof of your relationship if your partner or children are applying with you.
• Certified translations of documents not in English or Welsh. Depending on the role, you may also need an ATAS certificate or PhD/Ecctis evidence for a claimed salary discount; check the official document list.

TB clinics approved for UK visas in Nigeria (per GOV.UK, updated 13 May 2026): IOM Migration Health Assessment Centres in Abuja (Asokoro), Benin City and Lagos (Ikeja), plus Q-Life Family Clinic (Victoria Island), St. Nicholas Hospital (Lagos Island) and The Consultants Practice (Ikoyi). Certificates from any other clinic are not accepted. Book directly with the clinic. A clear certificate is valid for 6 months.

Step 7: Apply online and give your biometrics

1. Start the application on GOV.UK: Apply from outside the UK (you can save and return).
2. Pay the visa fee and the immigration health surcharge online.
3. Prove your identity, either with the UK Immigration: ID Check app or by booking a biometrics appointment at a UK visa application centre. You’ll be told which when you apply.
4. Upload your documents and wait. The usual decision time from outside the UK is 3 weeks. Priority services may be offered when you apply.
5. If approved, your decision email explains how you’ll prove your status and travel.

You don’t need an agent to do any of this. Only UK Visas and Immigration decides, so nobody can honestly “guarantee” approval.

After you arrive: family, extensions and settlement

• Family: partners and children can usually join you. But if your job is a care worker role or another “medium skilled” role, new applicants generally can’t bring dependants. Check the rules for your code first.
• Changing jobs: you may need to apply to update your visa if you change employer or occupation code. Check GOV.UK’s job-change rules before changing jobs.
• Settlement: GOV.UK currently says you may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain after 5 years. The government has proposed a new “earned settlement” system that would lengthen the standard wait for many people, so check GOV.UK before you plan around a date.

Is the Skilled Worker visa right for you?

• Good fit: you have a degree and real experience in a higher-skilled field (IT, engineering, finance, health, teaching, science), and UK employers in your field pay at or above the going rate.
• Think again: if your only offer is for a medium-skilled role, a care role, or comes through someone asking you to pay for sponsorship.
• Alternatives: healthcare professionals should compare the Health and Care Worker visa. If you’re open to Europe, read our Germany Opportunity Card guide, which lets you search for work in Germany without a job offer.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum salary for a UK Skilled Worker visa in 2026?

Usually £41,700 a year, or the going rate for your occupation code if that is higher. Some people can qualify from £33,400 (for example, jobs on the immigration salary list or applicants under 26), and some healthcare and education roles from £25,000.

Can I apply for a UK Skilled Worker visa without a job offer?

No. You need a confirmed job offer and a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed UK employer before you apply.

Do Nigerians need IELTS for the Skilled Worker visa?

Not always. You need B2 English, but you can prove it with a degree taught in English, confirmed by Ecctis, instead of taking a test.

How much does the UK Skilled Worker visa cost from Nigeria?

For a 3-year visa: £819 fee plus £3,105 health surcharge, about ₦7 million using this guide’s illustrative exchange rate, plus £1,270 (about ₦2.3 million) savings unless your employer certifies maintenance.

Can I still come to the UK as a care worker?

Not as a new applicant from overseas. The care worker and senior care worker codes are now only for people already in the UK who are extending, updating or switching.

Should I pay for a certificate of sponsorship?

No. Sponsor guidance says employers must not recoup the CoS fee or the Immigration Skills Charge from Skilled Workers. A request to pay is a major red flag.

Your next step

Find your occupation code and check it in the eligible jobs table, then search the sponsor register for employers in your field. Apply directly on employers’ own career pages and on NHS Jobs, Civil Service Jobs or the big UK job boards, never through someone asking for money upfront. Read the GOV.UK Skilled Worker pages again on the day you apply.

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AbroadPath Africa is an independent information website, not a visa agency or immigration adviser, and is not connected to the UK government. Only UK Visas and Immigration decides visa applications. See our Disclaimer.