Restaurant and catering establishment managers and proprietors (SOC 1222) does not currently qualify for UK Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. It is classified as medium skilled and would need to be added to the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage Occupation List before employers could sponsor for it. There are closely related roles that do qualify, listed further down.
Restaurant and catering establishment managers and proprietors plan, direct and co-ordinate the catering services of restaurants, hotels and large-scale catering services within other organisations.
There are no set entry routes. Entry is possible with a variety of academic qualifications and/or relevant experience. Larger restaurants and catering chains offer managerial trainee schemes, entry to which may be based on a variety of qualifications and/or relevant experience. Off and on-the-job training is provided. Various vocational qualifications are available at levels 2 to 4.
UK market salary · ASHE 2025
How visa salary requirements compare to what employers pay.
Most restaurant and catering establishment managers and proprietors in the UK earn between £29,224 and £38,792 in basic pay. For Skilled Worker visa holders, the minimum salary (going rate) for this role is £33,400 (SOC 1222), sitting at the 49th percentile of what UK employers pay and £192 below the median. Since this falls below the general salary threshold, sponsors must pay at least £41,700.
All figures are before tax. Calculate your take-home pay.
SOC 1222 is classified as medium skilled but does not currently appear on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List, so it's not currently eligible for new sponsorship.
If you're interested in this field, you have a few options:
Not under SOC 1222. Restaurant and catering establishment managers and proprietors is classified as Medium Skilled, which doesn't meet the requirements for Skilled Worker sponsorship right now. That said, some closely related occupation codes in the same field are eligible, so have a look at the related codes section on this page.
SOC 1222 covers a range of restaurant and catering establishment managers and proprietors roles, including: Café and restaurant managers and proprietors, Catering operations managers, Takeaway managers and proprietors, Restaurant and catering establishment managers and proprietors not elsewhere classified.. Keep in mind that the Home Office matches jobs by duties rather than title alone. Two roles with the same title can fall under different SOC codes depending on the actual work involved.
SOC 1222 itself doesn't qualify, but that doesn't mean you're out of options. The most common workaround is finding a closely related role that falls under an eligible SOC code. We've listed any eligible alternatives further up this page. It's also worth looking into visa routes that aren't tied to a specific occupation, like the Global Talent visa, Graduate visa, or High Potential Individual visa.
This information is provided as guidance only and should not be treated as legal advice. Eligibility criteria and salary thresholds are based on the latest published government data. Always verify with the official UK government guidance or seek professional immigration advice.