Warehouse operatives (SOC 9252) 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.
Warehouse operatives load, unload and convey a variety of goods, equipment or other items in warehouses and depots, prepare requisitions or despatch documents of stocks held, and perform other elementary goods handling and storage related tasks.
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is typically provided Off or on-the-job. NVQs/ in Warehousing and Storage are available at levels 1, 2 and 3.
UK market salary · ASHE 2025
Plus £392 – £2,603 in bonus & commission
How visa salary requirements compare to what employers pay.
Most warehouse operatives in the UK earn between £25,376 and £30,524 in basic pay, with experienced professionals in the top 10% earning above £35,152.
All figures are before tax. Calculate your take-home pay.
SOC 9252 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 9252. Warehouse 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 9252 covers a range of warehouse operatives roles, including: Warehouse operatives. 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 9252 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.