Science, engineering and production technicians not elsewhere classified. (SOC 3119) 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.
Job holders in this unit group perform a variety of technical support functions not elsewhere classified in minor group 311: Science, engineering and production technicians.
Entry varies from employer to employer. Entrants usually possess GCSEs/S grades, a BTEC/SQA award or HNC/HND. Professional qualifications are available and may be required in some areas of work.
UK market salary · ASHE 2025
Plus ~£1,561 in bonus & commission
How visa salary requirements compare to what employers pay.
Most science, engineering and production technicians n.e.c. in the UK earn between £29,172 and £41,340 in basic pay, with experienced professionals in the top 10% earning above £50,128. For Skilled Worker visa holders, the minimum salary (going rate) for this role is £34,600 (SOC 3119), sitting at the 50th percentile of what UK employers pay and £72 above 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.
SOC 3119 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 3119 doesn't qualify, but these related occupations do:
Not under SOC 3119. Science, engineering and production technicians not elsewhere classified. 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.
SOC 3119 covers a range of science, engineering and production technicians not elsewhere classified. roles, including: School technicians, Textile consultants, Science, engineering and production technicians 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 3119 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.