Textiles, garments and related trades not elsewhere classified. (SOC 5419) does not currently qualify for UK Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. It is classified as medium skilled and would need to be added to the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage Occupation List before employers could sponsor for it. There are closely related roles that do qualify, listed further down.
Job holders in this unit group perform a variety of textiles and related craft occupations not elsewhere classified in minor group 541: Textiles, garments and related trades.
Entry does not depend on academic qualifications. Training is mainly on-the-job although relevant vocational courses and qualifications are available in some areas.
UK market salary · ASHE 2025
How visa salary requirements compare to what employers pay.
For Skilled Worker visa holders, the minimum salary (going rate) for this role is £33,400 (SOC 5419), sitting above the 90th percentile of what UK employers pay and £6,256 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.
SOC 5419 is classified as medium skilled but does not currently appear on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List, so it's not currently eligible for new sponsorship.
If you're interested in this field, you have a few options:
Not under SOC 5419. Textiles, garments and related trades not elsewhere classified. is classified as Medium Skilled, which doesn't meet the requirements for Skilled Worker sponsorship right now. That said, some closely related occupation codes in the same field are eligible, so have a look at the related codes section on this page.
SOC 5419 covers a range of textiles, garments and related trades not elsewhere classified. roles, including: Embroiderers and sewers, Knitters, Sail makers, Weavers (excludes basket, wig and wire goods mfr), Textiles, garments and related 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.
SOC 5419 itself doesn't qualify, but that doesn't mean you're out of options. The most common workaround is finding a closely related role that falls under an eligible SOC code. We've listed any eligible alternatives further up this page. It's also worth looking into visa routes that aren't tied to a specific occupation, like the Global Talent visa, Graduate visa, or High Potential Individual visa.
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.