Early education and childcare services proprietors SOC 1233

Early education and childcare services proprietors (SOC 1233) 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.

What does an early education and childcare services proprietor do?

Early childhood and childcare services proprietors plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the activities and resources of residential or day nurseries, play groups, and similar establishments.

Typical tasks

determines staffing, financial, material and other short- and long-term requirements
plans work schedules, assigns tasks and delegates responsibilities of staff
oversees the learning of young children and ensures that Early Years Foundation Stage and OFSTED standards are met
provides leadership and management to staff to ensure services are delivered to a high quality
develops relationships with children's parents and other educational establishments
ensures the facilities are well maintained and that health and safety standards and other relevant regulations are met

Typical entry routes and qualifications

Whilst no formal academic qualifications are required by proprietors in this area, a range of relevant courses in early years childcare and management are available. A DBS check is necessary if you run or own a childcare organisation.

Visa sponsorship requirements

SponsorshipNot eligible

Skill levelMedium Skilled (RQF Level 3+)

Visa issuanceSoon

What this means for you

SOC 1233 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:

Check the eligible alternative occupation codes listed below — some closely related roles do qualify.
Explore other visa routes that may not require employer sponsorship.
Search for roles under eligible SOC codes in a similar field.

Eligible alternatives in this field

SOC 1233 doesn't qualify, but these related occupations do:

1232Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors

Roles under SOC 1233

Early education and childcare services proprietors

Frequently asked questions

Can early education and childcare services proprietors get a UK Skilled Worker visa?

Not under SOC 1233. Early education and childcare services 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.

What job titles are covered by SOC 1233?

SOC 1233 covers a range of early education and childcare services proprietors roles, including: Early education and childcare services proprietors. 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.

What are my visa options if I work as an early education and childcare services proprietors?

SOC 1233 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.