Special and additional needs education teaching professionals SOC 2316
Special and additional needs education teaching professionals (SOC 2316, also written as job code 2316) qualifies for UK Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Scroll down for salary benchmarks, the visa rules, and live jobs from licensed sponsors.
Not sure if SOC 2316 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 2316What does a special and additional needs education teaching professional do?
Special and additional needs education teaching professionals organise and provide instruction at a variety of different levels to children who have emotional, behavioural or learning difficulties or physical disabilities. These professionals may also work with exceptionally gifted pupils.
Typical tasks
- creates a safe, stimulating and supportive learning environment for students
- assesses student’s abilities, identifies student’s needs and devises curriculum and rota of teaching duties accordingly
- gives instruction, using techniques appropriate to the student’s disability
- develops and adapts conventional teaching methods to meet the individual student’s needs
- encourages the student to develop self-help skills to circumvent the limitations imposed by their disability
- prepares, assigns and corrects exercises to record and evaluate students’ progress
- supervises students in classroom and maintains discipline
- liaises with other professionals, such as social workers, speech and language therapists and educational psychologists
- updates and maintains students’ records to monitor development and progress
- discusses student’s progress with parents and other teaching professionals
Typical entry routes and qualifications
Entry is with a first degree that provides QTS (qualified teacher status) or, in Scotland, TQ (teaching qualification); or other relevant degree followed by further postgraduate training (most commonly PGCE – Postgraduate Certificate in Secondary Education, or, in Scotland, PGDE – Professional Graduate Diploma in Education). Additionally, prior experience in mainstream teaching is usually required, and further training for special needs teaching may be mandatory. A DBS check is mandatory
Visa sponsorship requirements
UK market salary · ASHE 2025
What special needs education teaching professionals earn in the UK
UK market basic pay at a glance
How visa salary requirements compare to what employers pay.
Most special needs education teaching professionals in the UK earn between £38,480 and £54,548 in basic pay.
All figures are before tax. Calculate your take-home pay.
Comparing with an offer back home? Try the UK vs home country calculator.
How to get sponsored as a special and additional needs education teaching professional
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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 special and additional needs education teaching professionals, so you only apply where a visa is actually on the table.
Browse licensed sponsors - 2
Confirm the salary meets the national education pay scale
Special and additional needs education teaching professionals roles follow the national teacher and education pay scale. Your employer must pay at least the grade-specific rate set by the Home Office for this occupation code, not the general £41,700 Skilled Worker threshold.
See education pay scales - 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.
Roles under SOC 2316
Recent jobs under SOC 2316
Related occupations
Other Skilled Worker-eligible roles in the same SOC minor group (231xx):
Frequently asked questions
Can special and additional needs education teaching professionals get a UK Skilled Worker visa?
Yes. Special and additional needs education teaching professionals roles fall under SOC 2316 (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 is job code 2316?
Job code 2316, SOC code 2316 and occupation code 2316 all refer to the same thing: the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 2020) unit group covering special and additional needs education teaching professionals. 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.
What salary do special and additional needs education teaching professionals need for visa sponsorship?
Special and additional needs education teaching professionals roles (SOC 2316) follow the national education pay scale rather than a fixed going rate. The minimum salary depends on your grade within the pay framework. Check the government's education pay-scale guidance.
What job titles are covered by SOC 2316?
SOC 2316 covers a range of special and additional needs education teaching professionals roles, including: Special and additional educational needs teachers and coordinators, Teachers of the deaf, Teachers of the visually impaired, Special and additional needs education teaching professionals 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.
Where can I find special and additional needs education teaching professionals jobs with UK visa sponsorship?
We list Special and additional needs education teaching professionals 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.