PBS Visa: What is the UK Point-Based Immigration System?

By Amar Ali, Immigration Solicitor

April 14, 2022

Last updated: 18 July 2024

A UK PBS visa is a visa issued under the UK’s “Point Based System” (PBS). Under the PBS, foreign nationals coming to the UK for work, business, or study are awarded points for each visa eligibility requirement they meet (e.g. skills, education, salary, and English language proficiency). To qualify for a PBS visa, applicants must score a certain number of points.

The UK’s Point Based Immigration System applies to several types of visa, including the:

Key Changes to PBS Visa in 2024

In recent years, there have been a number of important changes to PBS visas. Here are the key changes that employers should be aware of in 2024:

In 2024, the minimum salary requirement for Skilled Worker visa applicants has increased from £26,200 to £38,700.
The list of eligible occupations for the Skilled Worker visa has been shortened and renamed the ‘Immigration Salary List’ ¹.

Key changes to the PBS introduced in 2021:

The Skilled Worker visa’s skill level requirement was lowered from RQF level 6 to RQF level 3.
Employers are no longer required to carry out a Resident Labour Market Test (RLMT) to demonstrate that no British or settled person is available to do the job offered to an overseas national. This reduces the cost and the time taken to recruit a suitable candidate for a vacancy. This requirement was removed on 1^st January 2021.
There is no longer a cap on the number of Skilled Worker visas and employers.

How does the Point Based System work?

To be eligible for a visa under the point based immigration system, applicants must score a certain number of points. There are two types of points available: “mandatory points” and “tradeable points” .

Mandatory points are awarded for characteristics that must be met. For example, Skilled Worker visa applicants must be sponsored, have a job at the appropriate skill level, and meet the English language requirement (Level B1 or higher).

Tradeable points, on the other hand, are awarded where other criteria are met and can be used where the candidate may lack in other areas. For example, a person may be able to apply for a work visa if they don’t quite meet the minimum salary requirement, but they have a PhD, or they are under the age of 26.

For example, the following table shows how points are allocated for the Skilled Worker visa under the UK Point Based System:

Mandatory points:

Requirement	Points
Certificate of Sponsorship	20
Job at appropriate skill level	20
English language skills at level B1	10

Tradeable points:

Requirement	Points
Meet the salary requirements	20
Meet the salary requirements and hold a relevant PhD qualification	20
Meet the salary requirements and hold a relevant STEM PhD qualification	20
Meet the salary requirements and have a job in an occupation on the Immigration Salary List	20
Meet the salary requirements and be an applicant under 26, studying or a recent graduate, or in professional training	20

How are points awarded for a PBS visa application?

The points available for each required characteristic vary depending on the visa being applied for. The following sets out how points are allocated for the Skilled Worker visa and Health and Care worker visa:

How points are allocated for the Skilled Worker visa under PBS

Skilled Worker visa applicants must have at least 50 mandatory points and at least 20 tradeable points, giving them a total of 70 points (mandatory + tradeable points).

Applicants will meet the salary requirement for a Skilled Worker visa if they meet one of the following requirements:

Have an annual salary of at least £38,700 per year or the ‘going rate’ for the type of work they will be doing.
Have an annual salary of at least 80% of the job’s standard ‘going rate’ (this must be over £30,960) and a PhD in a relevant STEM subject.
Have an annual salary of at least 90% of the job’s standard ‘going rate’ (this must be over £34,830) and a PhD in a non-STEM subject.
Have an annual salary of at least £30,960 per year and have a job on the immigration salary list.
Have an annual salary of at least 70% of their job’s standard going rate (£30,960 per year) and be under 26 years old, hold a student visa, have a UK-regulated profession, or be working towards full registration or chartered status in the job they are sponsored for.

For example:

Let’s consider the scenario of David, who wishes to apply for a UK Skilled Worker Visa. Using the table above, it is possible to see how points are awarded. Firstly, David must score 50 mandatory points. This means he must have a valid job offer at the required skill level and speak English to the required standard.

With 50 points already awarded for meeting the mandatory requirements, David now only needs a further 20 points to apply for a Skilled Worker visa. In David’s case, he has been offered a salary above £34,830 but below £38,700. Because he has a non-STEM PhD relevant to his job, this gives him 10 points for his salary, plus 10 points for his PhD, making the 20 points required. As David scores 70 points, he can apply for a Skilled Worker visa.

How points are allocated for the Health and Care Worker visa

Health and Care Worker visa applicants must have at least 50 mandatory points and at least 20 tradeable points, giving them a total of 70 points (mandatory + tradeable points).

Applicants will meet the salary requirement for a Health and Care Worker visa if they meet one of the following requirements:

Meet the minimum salary requirements for the type of health and care role they will be doing.
Have an annual salary of at least 80% of the minimum salary requirement (this must be at least £23,200) and a PhD in a STEM subject.
Have an annual salary of at least 90% (this must be over £26,100) and a PhD in a non-STEM subject.
Have an annual salary of at least £23,200 per year and have a job on the immigration salary list.
Have an annual salary of at least 70% of their job’s standard going rate (£23,200 per year) and be under 26 years old, hold a student visa, have a UK-regulated profession, or be working towards full registration or chartered status in the job they are sponsored for.

For example:

Let’s consider Manjit’s scenario, which is to apply for a UK Health and Care Worker visa. She has a Certificate of Sponsorship, an eligible health and care job as a nurse from an approved employer, and meets the English language requirements. She, therefore, meets the mandatory points requirement.

Manjit now only needs a further 20 points to apply for a Health and Care Worker visa. She has been offered a salary of £34,500, which is below the going rate for her role, which is £35,392. She qualifies with a lower salary (70% of the going rate) because she is under the age of 26 and has a salary over £23,200. This means that Manjit has 20 tradeable points, giving her the 70 required to apply for a Health and Care Worker visa.

How can Reiss Edwards help?

As a specialists in the UK’s immigration, Reiss Edwards lawyers handle all aspects of sponsor licence and UK PBS visa applications. Our immigration lawyers can: