Production and process engineers SOC 2125
Production and process engineers (SOC 2125) qualifies for UK Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Your employer must pay at least the going rate of £45,000 per year. Scroll down for salary benchmarks, the visa rules, and live jobs from licensed sponsors.
What does a production and process engineer do?
Production and process engineers advise on and direct technical aspects of production programmes to ensure cost-effectiveness and efficiency. This unit group incorporates: planning and quality control engineers who plan production schedules, work sequences, and manufacturing and processing procedures to ensure accuracy, quality and reliability; and chemical engineers who undertake research on commercial scale chemical processes and processed products, design and provide specifications and direct the construction, operation, maintenance and repair of chemical plants and control systems.
Typical tasks
- studies existing and alternative production methods, regarding work flow, plant layout, types of machinery and cost
- recommends optimum equipment and layout and prepares drawings and specifications
- devises and implements production control methods to monitor operational efficiency
- investigates and eliminates potential hazards and bottlenecks in production
- advises management on and ensures effective implementation of new production methods, techniques and equipment
- liaises with materials buying, storing and controlling departments to ensure a steady flow of supplies
- undertakes research and develops processes to achieve physical and/or chemical change for oil, pharmaceutical, synthetic, plastic, food and other products
- designs, controls and constructs process plants to manufacture products
Typical entry routes and qualifications
Production and process engineers usually possess an accredited university degree. After qualifying, periods of appropriate training and experience are required before membership of a chartered engineering institution. Incorporated engineers possess an accredited university degree, BTEC/SQA award or an apprenticeship leading to an NVQ/SVQ at level 4. All routes are followed by periods of appropriate training and relevant experience.
Visa sponsorship requirements
UK market salary · ASHE 2025
What production and process engineers earn in the UK
UK market basic pay at a glance
How visa salary requirements compare to what employers pay.
Most production and process engineers in the UK earn between £37,128 and £55,276 in basic pay. For Skilled Worker visa holders, the minimum salary (going rate) for this role is £45,000 (SOC 2125), sitting at the 49th percentile of what UK employers pay and £292 below the median.
All figures are before tax. Calculate your take-home pay.
How to get sponsored as a production and process engineer
- 1
Find a licensed sponsor on Hunt UK Visa Sponsors
Browse our register of UK companies with an active sponsor licence. Filter by industry, size, sponsor rating, and whether they're currently hiring production and process engineers, so you only apply where a visa is actually on the table.
Browse licensed sponsors - 2
Confirm the salary meets the £45,000 going rate
Your employer must pay whichever is higher: the going rate for SOC 2125 (£45,000) or the general Skilled Worker threshold of £41,700 per year.
New entrants and ISL roles may qualify for a lower rate. See the New entrant & discount rates section below.
- 3
Receive a Certificate of Sponsorship
Your sponsor issues a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), a reference number the Home Office uses to check the job offer, salary, and duties line up with an eligible SOC code.
- 4
Apply for a Skilled Worker visa at gov.uk
Submit the Skilled Worker visa application online within 3 months of your CoS assignment date. You'll also book a biometric appointment and pay the immigration health surcharge.
Apply on gov.uk - 5
Move to the UK and start work
Travel to the UK before your CoS start date and begin working for the sponsor named on the certificate.
New entrant & discount rates
If you're under 26, switching from a Student visa, or a recent UK graduate, your employer can pay the new entrant rate of £36,500 (70% of the going rate) for up to four years.
Roles under SOC 2125
Recent jobs under SOC 2125
Nexperia is a world-class company in semiconductor development and in-house production. A proven global player with an entrepreneurial mentality. At our core is an 13,000+ strong international network with a singular focus. Built on passion and commitment to our work, belief in our goals and a drive to succeed regardless of the challenges we face. We support, reward and challenge individuals equally, in a dynamic and energetic environment. At Nexperia Manchester we are now expanding our Semicond
Job Title: Senior Electrical Control and Instrumentation Engineer Location: Flexible, UK + Hybrid Working Arrangements Compensation: Attractive Salary + Benefits Role Type: Full time / Permanent Role ID: SF72748 Design the systems that keep the UK’s most complex facilities safe and secure At Cavendish Nuclear, we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together. If you join us, you can play your part as a Senior Electrical Control and Instrumentation Engineer at one of our specialist nucle
Job Title: Principal Electrical, Control and Instrumentation Engineer Location: Flexible + Hybrid Working Arrangements Compensation: Attractive Salary + Benefits Role Type: Full time / Permanent Role ID: SF70156 Shape the Future of Nuclear Engineering At Cavendish Nuclear we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as a Principal Electrical, Control and Instrumentation Engineer at any of our main UK locations, including Glasgow, Leicester
Role Overview You’ll join a small, high-performing team of engineers and product leaders shaping how we scale our platform and our impact. From your first day, you will have the opportunity to work closely with the founding team based across London & Paris to shape the product vision and all parts of our technical architecture. As we scale our products and deepen our presence across emerging markets, this is a role that builds technology to solve customer problems. To do that, you must have
Join our Operations team in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire as a Continuous Improvement Engineer. We are looking for a Continuous Improvement Engineer to join our Operations Department. In this role, you will be responsible for leading and implementing continuous improvement initiatives and driving strategy for the site whilst liaising with internal and external stakeholders. The role will be reporting to the Head of Site and working closely with colleagues locally and globally. This position is ava
Related occupations
Other Skilled Worker-eligible roles in the same SOC minor group (212xx):
Frequently asked questions
Can production and process engineers get a UK Skilled Worker visa?
Yes. Production and process engineers roles fall under SOC 2125 (Higher Skilled), so they qualify for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Your employer will need a sponsor licence and must pay at least the going rate for this occupation.
What salary do production and process engineers need for visa sponsorship?
The going rate for Production and process engineers (SOC 2125) is £45,000 (£23.08 per hour). Occupation rate applies. Your employer must pay whichever is higher: this going rate or the general Skilled Worker threshold of £41,700 per year.
What job titles are covered by SOC 2125?
SOC 2125 covers a range of production and process engineers roles, including: Chemical engineers, Control and instrumentation engineers, Industrial and production engineers, Production and process engineers 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.
Is there a lower salary for new graduates entering production and process engineers roles?
Yes. If you're under 26, a recent graduate, or switching from a Student visa, you count as a "new entrant" and your employer only needs to pay 70% of the going rate (with an absolute floor of £33,400/year — the new-entrant minimum cannot go below that). For Production and process engineers, that works out to £36,500. The discount lasts up to four years.
Where can I find production and process engineers jobs with UK visa sponsorship?
We list Production and process engineers roles from companies with a Home Office sponsor licence. Scroll down to see what's currently open, or search our full jobs database for more visa-sponsored positions across the UK.
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.