Painters and decorators (SOC 5323, also written as job code 5323) qualifies for UK Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Your employer must pay at least the going rate of £33,400 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.
Not sure if SOC 5323 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 5323Those working in this unit group apply paint, varnish, wallpaper and other protective and decorative materials to interior and exterior walls and surfaces, paint designs on wood, glass, metal, plastics and other materials, and stain, wax and French polish wood surfaces by hand.
There are no formal academic entry requirements, though GCSEs/S grades are advantageous. Entry is typically through an approved apprenticeship programme or college course in conjunction with on-the-job training, leading to a NVQ/SVQ level 2/3 qualification, or through building up work experience supplemented with short courses.
UK market salary · ASHE 2025
How visa salary requirements compare to what employers pay.
Most painters and decorators in the UK earn between £27,976 and £35,672 in basic pay. For Skilled Worker visa holders, the minimum salary (going rate) for this role is £33,400 (SOC 5323), sitting at the 59th percentile of what UK employers pay and £1,264 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.
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Browse our register of UK companies with an active sponsor licence. Filter by industry, size, sponsor rating, and whether they're currently hiring painters and decorators, 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 5323 (£33,400) 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 £33,400 per year for up to 4 years.
Continuously sponsored as a Skilled Worker since before 4 April 2024? Lower thresholds apply: £31,300 standard, or £25,000 as a new entrant.
Other Skilled Worker-eligible roles in the same SOC minor group (532xx):
Yes. Painters and decorators roles fall under SOC 5323 (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.
Job code 5323, SOC code 5323 and occupation code 5323 all refer to the same thing: the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 2020) unit group covering painters and decorators. 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 Painters and decorators (SOC 5323) 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 5323 covers a range of painters and decorators roles, including: Painters and decorators. 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.
Painters and decorators (SOC 5323) 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, a PhD student, or switching from a Student or Graduate visa, you count as a "new entrant". For Painters and decorators (SOC 5323) the new entrant minimum is £33,400 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 Painters and decorators 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.