What a sponsored offer actually pays you — after income tax, National Insurance, student loan, pension and the visa costs no other calculator counts.
Salary sacrifice — cuts tax and NI too
How each slice of your salary is taxed — England, Wales & NI, 2026/27.
These come out of your take-home in your first year, usually up front. The Immigration Skills Charge is the employer's by law — never accept a deduction for it.
Effective first-year take-home
£34,273
11.5% of your first-year net pay goes to visa costs — the equivalent of working 6.0 weeks for the Home Office.
England · 2026-27 tax year
If you're moving to the UK on a Skilled Worker visa, one of the first things you'll want to know is how much of your salary you actually keep. The short answer: the UK taxes income in bands, not as a flat percentage — so your first £12,570 is completely tax-free, and higher rates only kick in on earnings above each threshold.
On top of income tax, you'll also pay National Insurance contributions, which fund the NHS and state pension. Both deductions happen automatically through PAYE — your employer handles it before the money hits your bank account.
So on £100k, you'd take home roughly £68,557 per year — about £5,713 per month.
Scotland runs its own income tax system with six bands instead of three. The starter rate (19%) is slightly lower than England's basic rate, but the higher bands (42%, 45%, 48%) mean Scottish earners above roughly £28k pay more. The trade-off is often cited in terms of public services — Scotland offers some benefits (like free prescriptions) that other parts of the UK charge for.
National Insurance is set by Westminster, not Holyrood, so it's identical wherever you work in the UK.
Now that you know what your take-home pay looks like, start searching. Browse visa-sponsored jobs from the Register of Licensed Sponsors, or explore roles by job category. If you're still researching visa types, check our visa types guide and the glossary for UK immigration terminology. Weighing up an offer? Compare your take-home against life back home with the UK vs home country calculator.
This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Consult a qualified tax adviser for your specific situation. You can also use the official HMRC tax calculator for comparison.