Welding trades (SOC 5213) qualifies for UK Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Your employer must pay at least the going rate of £34,900 per year. This role is on the Temporary Shortage Occupation List, so you may qualify with a lower salary and get extra points. It is also on the Immigration Salary List, which can reduce the salary threshold. Scroll down for salary benchmarks, the visa rules, and live jobs from licensed sponsors.
Welding trades workers join metal parts by welding, brazing and soldering, and cut and remove defects from metal using a variety of equipment and techniques.
Entrants typically possess GCSEs/S grades. Training is typically by apprenticeship incorporating practical experience and technical training. NVQs/SVQs at levels 1, 2 and 3 and apprenticeships are available. Welders must normally pass a competency test in the particular type of welding to be carried out.
UK market salary · ASHE 2025
How visa salary requirements compare to what employers pay.
Most welding trades in the UK earn between £29,068 and £36,608 in basic pay. For Skilled Worker visa holders, the minimum salary (going rate) for this role is £34,900 (SOC 5213), sitting at the 65th percentile of what UK employers pay and £2,400 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.
Browse our register of UK companies with an active sponsor licence. Filter by industry, size, sponsor rating, and whether they're currently hiring welding trades, 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 5213 (£34,900) 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 £29,500 (70% of the going rate) for up to four years.
Because Welding trades (SOC 5213) is on the Immigration Salary List, employers may apply a 20% discount to the standard going rate.
Other Skilled Worker-eligible roles in the same SOC minor group (521xx):
Yes. Welding trades roles fall under SOC 5213 (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. It's on the Immigration Salary List too, so a reduced salary threshold may apply.
The going rate for Welding trades (SOC 5213) is £34,900 (£17.90 per hour). Immigration salary list rate applies. Your employer must pay whichever is higher: this going rate or the general Skilled Worker threshold of £41,700 per year.
SOC 5213 covers a range of welding trades roles, including: Braziers and solderers, Pipe welders, Plate welders, Welding trades 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.
Because Welding trades (SOC 5213) is on the Immigration Salary List, employers can sponsor workers at a salary 20% below the standard going rate. This discount replaced the old Shortage Occupation List concession in April 2024.
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 Welding trades, that works out to £29,500. The discount lasts up to four years.
We list Welding trades 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.