Hairdressing and beauty salon managers and proprietors (SOC 1253, also written as job code 1253) 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.
Not sure if SOC 1253 applies to your situation?
The answer above is the general rule. Your case can be different if you already hold a visa and are extending or switching, if you were sponsored before a rule change, or depending on your salary. Our AI assistant can explain the full rules from gov.uk guidance.
Ask AI about SOC 1253Hairdressing and beauty salon managers and proprietors plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the activities and resources of hairdressing and nail salons, beauty treatment, pet grooming and similar establishments.
No formal qualifications are required for entry although entrants usually possess a BTEC/SQA award, an NVQ/SVQ in Hairdressing at level 3, an apprenticeship and/or relevant experience.
SOC 1253 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:
SOC 1253 doesn't qualify, but these related occupations do:
Not under SOC 1253. Hairdressing and beauty salon 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.
Job code 1253, SOC code 1253 and occupation code 1253 all refer to the same thing: the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 2020) unit group covering hairdressing and beauty salon managers and proprietors. The Home Office uses this 4-digit code on a Certificate of Sponsorship to check Skilled Worker visa eligibility and to set the going rate salary threshold for the role.
SOC 1253 covers a range of hairdressing and beauty salon managers and proprietors roles, including: Beauty salon managers and proprietors, Hairdressing managers and proprietors, Hairdressing and beauty salon 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 1253 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.