Sales accounts and business development managers (SOC 3556, also written as job code 3556) qualifies for UK Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Your employer must pay at least the going rate of £55,200 per year. Scroll down for salary benchmarks, the visa rules, and live jobs from licensed sponsors.
Not sure if SOC 3556 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 3556Sales accounts and business development managers plan, organise and undertake market research to meet the requirements of an organisation’s marketing and sales policies.
Entrants to the professional qualifications of the Chartered Institute of Marketing require GCSEs/S grades, A levels/H grades, a BTEC/SQA award, a degree or equivalent qualification and/or relevant experience. Qualifications in sales and from other relevant professional bodies are available.
UK market salary · ASHE 2025
Plus £3,256 – £17,270 in bonus & commission
How visa salary requirements compare to what employers pay.
Most sales accounts and business development managers in the UK earn between £40,144 and £71,448 in basic pay, with experienced professionals in the top 10% earning above £92,612. For Skilled Worker visa holders, the minimum salary (going rate) for this role is £55,200 (SOC 3556), sitting at the 52nd percentile of what UK employers pay and £1,380 above the median.
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 sales accounts and business development managers, 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 3556 (£55,200) 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 £38,600 per year for up to 4 years.
Continuously sponsored as a Skilled Worker since before 4 April 2024? Lower thresholds apply: £40,500 standard, or £28,300 as a new entrant.
Other Skilled Worker-eligible roles in the same SOC minor group (355xx):
Yes. Sales accounts and business development managers roles fall under SOC 3556 (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 3556, SOC code 3556 and occupation code 3556 all refer to the same thing: the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 2020) unit group covering sales accounts and business development managers. 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 Sales accounts and business development managers (SOC 3556) is £55,200 (£28.31 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.
SOC 3556 covers a range of sales accounts and business development managers roles, including: Brand managers, Business development managers, Sales account managers, Sales accounts and business development managers 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.
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 Sales accounts and business development managers (SOC 3556) the new entrant minimum is £38,600 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 Sales accounts and business development managers 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.