Teachers of english as a foreign language (SOC 2317, also written as job code 2317) qualifies for UK Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Your employer must pay at least the going rate of £36,200 per year. Scroll down for salary benchmarks, the visa rules, and live jobs from licensed sponsors.
Not sure if SOC 2317 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 2317Teachers of English as a foreign language teach students to speak and write the English language, either for the first time or building on their existing knowledge.
There are no pre-set academic entry requirements, however, many employers may require you to have a Teaching English as a Foreign Language course. TEFL courses require students to be 18 and to have a good level of English. A DBS check may be required.
UK market salary · ASHE 2025
How visa salary requirements compare to what employers pay.
For Skilled Worker visa holders, the minimum salary (going rate) for this role is £36,200 (SOC 2317), sitting below the 10th percentile of what UK employers pay and £5,764 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.
Comparing with an offer back home? Try the UK vs home country calculator.
Browse our register of UK companies with an active sponsor licence. Filter by industry, size, sponsor rating, and whether they're currently hiring teachers of english as a foreign language, so you only apply where a visa is actually on the table.
Browse licensed sponsorsYour employer must pay whichever is higher: the going rate for SOC 2317 (£36,200) 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.
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.
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.ukTravel to the UK before your CoS start date and begin working for the sponsor named on the certificate.
If you're under 26, switching from a Student visa, or a recent UK graduate, your employer can pay the new entrant rate of £33,400 per year for up to 4 years.
Continuously sponsored as a Skilled Worker since before 4 April 2024? Lower thresholds apply: £31,300 standard, or £25,000 as a new entrant.
Other Skilled Worker-eligible roles in the same SOC minor group (231xx):
Yes. Teachers of english as a foreign language roles fall under SOC 2317 (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.
Job code 2317, SOC code 2317 and occupation code 2317 all refer to the same thing: the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 2020) unit group covering teachers of english as a foreign language. 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.
The going rate for Teachers of english as a foreign language (SOC 2317) is £41,700 (£21.38 per hour). Standard minimum applies. Your employer must pay whichever is higher: this going rate or the general Skilled Worker threshold of £41,700 per year.
SOC 2317 covers a range of teachers of english as a foreign language roles, including: Teachers of English as a Foreign Language. 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.
Yes. If you're under 26, a recent graduate, a PhD student, or switching from a Student or Graduate visa, you count as a "new entrant". For Teachers of english as a foreign language (SOC 2317) the new entrant minimum is £33,400 per year, based on the Home Office's published lower going rate and the £33,400 new entrant threshold. The discount lasts up to 4 years in total.
We list Teachers of english as a foreign language 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.