CAD, drawing and architectural technicians (SOC 3120) qualifies for UK Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Your employer must pay at least the going rate of £33,800 per year. This role is on the Temporary Shortage Occupation List, so you may qualify with a lower salary and get extra points. Scroll down for salary benchmarks, the visa rules, and live jobs from licensed sponsors.
CAD, drawing and architectural technicians design and prepare technical drawings, plans, maps, charts and similar items and install, operate and maintain 3D printers.
Entrants usually possess GCSEs/S grades, BTEC/ SQA awards or another appropriate certificate/diploma or A levels/H grades. Further training consists of courses of study and supervised practical experience.
UK market salary · ASHE 2025
How visa salary requirements compare to what employers pay.
Most cad, drawing and architectural technicians in the UK earn between £28,756 and £41,964 in basic pay. For Skilled Worker visa holders, the minimum salary (going rate) for this role is £33,800 (SOC 3120), sitting at the 46th percentile of what UK employers pay and £832 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.
Browse our register of UK companies with an active sponsor licence. Filter by industry, size, sponsor rating, and whether they're currently hiring cad, drawing and architectural technicians, 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 3120 (£33,800) 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 £28,700 (70% of the going rate) for up to four years.
Yes. CAD, drawing and architectural technicians roles fall under SOC 3120 (Medium 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. This role is also on the Temporary Shortage Occupation List, which can mean a lower salary bar.
The going rate for CAD, drawing and architectural technicians (SOC 3120) 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 3120 covers a range of cad, drawing and architectural technicians roles, including: Architectural technicians, BIM and CAD technicians, Cartographers, CAD, drawing and architectural 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.
CAD, drawing and architectural technicians (SOC 3120) is on the Temporary Shortage Occupation List, which recognises a UK labour shortage in this field. In practice that means a lower salary threshold, plus extra "tradeable" points on your visa application. The Home Office lets shortage status stand in for a higher salary.
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 CAD, drawing and architectural technicians, that works out to £28,700. The discount lasts up to four years.
We list CAD, drawing and architectural technicians 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.