Metal making and treating process operatives (SOC 8115) 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.
Metal making and treating process operatives operate furnaces, ovens and other heating vessels, drawing, rolling, extruding, galvanising, forging and other metal processing equipment to smelt, shape, coat and treat metal and metal products.
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is typically provided on-the-job. Vocational qualifications at level 2 and 3 in relevant areas, including metal and materials processing and finishing. are available.
UK market salary · ASHE 2025
How visa salary requirements compare to what employers pay.
Most metal making and treating process operatives in the UK earn between £26,780 and £33,696 in basic pay.
All figures are before tax. Calculate your take-home pay.
SOC 8115 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 8115. Metal making and treating process operatives is classified as Medium Skilled - Extending, 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 8115 covers a range of metal making and treating process operatives roles, including: Galvanisers and platers, Metal sprayers and powder coaters, Metal making and treating process operatives 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 8115 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.