Boat and ship builders and repairers SOC 5235
Boat and ship builders and repairers (SOC 5235) qualifies for UK Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Your employer must pay at least the going rate of £33,700 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.
What does a boat and ship builders and repairer do?
Boat and ship builders and repairers construct, install and repair wooden structures and fittings, and shape, position, rivet and seal metal plates and girders to form the metal structures and frameworks for marine craft.
Typical tasks
- examines drawings and specifications to determine job requirements
- uses rules, scribes and punches to mark out metal plate with guidelines and reference points and cuts plates using appropriate tools
- uses machine tools to bend, curve, punch, drill and straighten metal plate as required and positions and aligns metal platework or frame for welding and bolting
- rivets together metal plates and girders, seals seams, smooths welds, fixes metal doors, collars, portholes, tank and hatch covers
- selects and measures appropriate wood and cuts, shapes and drills to specification using saws, planes, chisels and other power or hand tools
- aligns and fixes prepared wood pieces by screwing, nailing, gluing and dowelling to form decking, small wooden marine craft and their interiors and fittings
- maintains and repairs woodwork and fittings
Typical entry routes and qualifications
Entrants typically possess GCSEs/S grades. Training is usually via apprenticeship including practical experience and technical training. Apprenticeships and vocational qualifications in boat building and relevant aspects of engineering and construction are available at levels 2 and 3.
Visa sponsorship requirements
UK market salary · ASHE 2025
What boat and ship builders and repairers earn in the UK
UK market basic pay at a glance
How visa salary requirements compare to what employers pay.
For Skilled Worker visa holders, the minimum salary (going rate) for this role is £33,700 (SOC 5235), sitting above the 90th percentile of what UK employers pay and £2,552 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.
How to get sponsored as a boat and ship builders and repairer
- 1
Find a licensed sponsor on Hunt UK Visa Sponsors
Browse our register of UK companies with an active sponsor licence. Filter by industry, size, sponsor rating, and whether they're currently hiring boat and ship builders and repairers, so you only apply where a visa is actually on the table.
Browse licensed sponsors - 2
Confirm the salary meets the £33,700 going rate
Your employer must pay whichever is higher: the going rate for SOC 5235 (£33,700) 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.
- 3
Receive a Certificate of Sponsorship
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.
- 4
Apply for a Skilled Worker visa at gov.uk
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.uk - 5
Move to the UK and start work
Travel to the UK before your CoS start date and begin working for the sponsor named on the certificate.
New entrant & discount rates
If you're under 26, switching from a Student visa, or a recent UK graduate, your employer can pay the new entrant rate of £29,600 (70% of the going rate) for up to four years.
Because Boat and ship builders and repairers (SOC 5235) is on the Immigration Salary List, employers may apply a 20% discount to the standard going rate.
Roles under SOC 5235
Recent jobs under SOC 5235
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Navantia UK is a UK incorporated company, subsidiary of Spanish Navantia, created to work with UK industrial partners in shipbuilding, defence and in offshore wind energy. With a history that goes back more than 300 hundred years, Navantia is a world reference in the design, building, integration and life cycle support of state-of-the-art war ships for the Spanish Navy and international customers and has extensive experience in ToT programmes. Job Description Navantia UK is a new force in Britis
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Related occupations
Other Skilled Worker-eligible roles in the same SOC minor group (523xx):
Frequently asked questions
Can boat and ship builders and repairers get a UK Skilled Worker visa?
Yes. Boat and ship builders and repairers roles fall under SOC 5235 (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.
What salary do boat and ship builders and repairers need for visa sponsorship?
The going rate for Boat and ship builders and repairers (SOC 5235) is £33,700 (£17.28 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.
What job titles are covered by SOC 5235?
SOC 5235 covers a range of boat and ship builders and repairers roles, including: Boat and ship builders and repairers. 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.
How does the Immigration Salary List discount work for boat and ship builders and repairers?
Because Boat and ship builders and repairers (SOC 5235) 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.
Is there a lower salary for new graduates entering boat and ship builders and repairers roles?
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 Boat and ship builders and repairers, that works out to £29,600. The discount lasts up to four years.
Where can I find boat and ship builders and repairers jobs with UK visa sponsorship?
We list Boat and ship builders and repairers 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.