QA and test engineer jobs with UK visa sponsorship
What QA and test engineer roles pay against the Skilled Worker going rate, and who can sponsor.
Checked against gov.uk on
The short answer
For a Skilled Worker visa, a QA and test engineer job usually has to pay at least £41,700 a year: the general salary threshold, which is above the £41,200 going rate for SOC 2136 (IT quality and testing professionals). A new entrant can be paid from £33,400. Figures from the Home Office going-rate tables, updated 11 November 2025.
QA and test engineers find problems before users do, writing test plans and automated tests and checking every release.
Worked example: SOC 2136
The rule on gov.uk is whichever figure is higher. Here is the sum for this occupation code.
| Who | How it is worked out | At least |
|---|---|---|
| Experienced hire | The higher of £41,700 (general salary threshold) and £41,200 (going rate) | £41,700 |
| New entrant | The higher of £33,400 (new-entrant minimum) and £33,400 (70% of the going rate) | £33,400 |
Who counts as a new entrant is set out on gov.uk: for example, people under 26, or people on (or recently on) a Student visa at degree level or a Graduate visa. The total stay on new-entrant rates cannot be more than 4 years, including time on a Graduate visa. Read when you can be paid less on gov.uk.
Codes with restrictions
SOC 3131 IT operations technicians Temporary Shortage List
Some QA and test engineer jobs are coded under SOC 3131 (IT operations technicians), a medium-skilled code. This code is in Table 1a of Appendix Skilled Occupations and on the Temporary Shortage List. The Immigration Rules only count it as on the list where the application uses a certificate of sponsorship issued before 31 December 2026. Outside the list, Table 1a codes are only open to people who were granted permission as a Skilled Worker under the rules in place before 22 July 2025 and have held Skilled Worker permission ever since.
For a new application while the code is on the Temporary Shortage List, the standard salary rules apply: at least £41,700 for an experienced hire (the higher of £41,700 and the £35,200 going rate), or £33,400 for a new entrant. People first granted Skilled Worker permission before 4 April 2024, and continuously since, can have lower, transitional salary rules for applications made before 4 April 2030 (Appendix Skilled Worker SW 4.2, with the going rates in Table 2aa).
Read the published rules on gov.uk: the Temporary Shortage List; Immigration Rules, Appendix Skilled Worker; Appendix Skilled Occupations, Table 1a.
How many visas were granted for these occupation codes?
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SOC 2136 IT quality and testing professionals
In the year to June 2026, the Home Office granted 202 Skilled Worker entry clearance visas to main applicants applying from outside the UK for this occupation code.
The industries sponsors gave most often for these visas: Information and Communications (98); Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities (41); and Manufacturing (27).
The most common nationalities among them: India (137) and Pakistan (19).
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SOC 3131 IT operations technicians
In the year to June 2026, the Home Office granted 26 Skilled Worker entry clearance visas to main applicants applying from outside the UK for this occupation code.
| Occupation code | Jul to Sep 2025 | Oct to Dec 2025 | Jan to Mar 2026 (provisional) | Apr to Jun 2026 (provisional) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOC 2136 | 61 | 48 | 41 | 52 |
| SOC 3131 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 7 |
Visas applied for from outside the UK only: switches inside the UK, for example from a Student or Graduate visa, are not counted. The sponsor chooses the occupation code and the industry. A small number of grants that could not be matched to a certificate of sponsorship are not included. Figures for January to June 2026 are provisional. Source: Home Office, Sponsored work entry clearance visas by occupation and industry (SOC 2020), year ending June 2026 (published 27 August 2026). Immigration system statistics data tables.
What the rules say for QA and test engineer jobs
SOC 2136 (IT quality and testing professionals) is on the Home Office table of graduate-level occupations (RQF level 6 and above), which is open to new Skilled Worker applications.
For IT quality and testing professionals (SOC 2136), the going rate of £41,200 is below the £41,700 general threshold, so the general threshold is the bar for an experienced hire: at least £41,700 a year. A new entrant can be paid from £33,400.
The Home Office lists these job titles under 2136: IT quality and testing professionals.
What sponsors look for in QA and test engineer hires
IT quality and testing professionals have their own code. Its going rate sits close to the general threshold, so the general threshold often decides the minimum for experienced hires.
Test automation roles that are mostly coding can be coded as software development instead, which changes the salary needed. Ask the employer which code they will use.
Graduate testers usually start with manual testing and move into writing automated tests. Knowing a programming language and a test framework makes a big difference to the roles you can apply for.
Rules change: always check gov.uk for the current thresholds, and when you can be paid less.
The evidence on every job in Visavi
AI VERDICT
Strong apply
Your profile fits, and the advert says they can sponsor.
UK SPONSOR REGISTER
- Organisation
- Northbank Analytics
- Town
- London
- Type and rating
- Worker (A rating)
- Route
- Skilled Worker
FROM THIS ADVERT
"We welcome applications from candidates who require visa sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route."
WHAT THIS MEANS
The advert says they can sponsor. Those are their words, not a promise they will sponsor you.
Questions people ask
What is the minimum salary for a QA and test engineer on a Skilled Worker visa?
Usually the higher of £41,700 and the going rate for the occupation code. For SOC 2136 that is £41,700 a year, and a new entrant can be paid from £33,400. The figures come from the Home Office tables updated 11 November 2025; check gov.uk before you rely on them.
Which occupation code is a QA and test engineer job?
The employer chooses the code from the duties of the job, not the title. Visavi maps QA and test engineer roles to SOC 2136 (IT quality and testing professionals). Job titles the Home Office lists under 2136 include IT quality and testing professionals. Some jobs are coded under SOC 3131 (IT operations technicians), which only some applicants can use: see the codes with restrictions above.
Can a graduate QA and test engineer be paid the new-entrant rate?
Yes, if they count as a new entrant under the published rules: for example, people under 26, or people on (or recently on) a Student visa at degree level or a Graduate visa. For SOC 2136 the new-entrant rate is £33,400. It can be used for up to 4 years in total, including time on a Graduate visa. Check when you can be paid less on gov.uk.
How many Skilled Worker visas were granted for the occupation codes QA and test engineer jobs use?
In the year to June 2026, the Home Office granted these numbers of Skilled Worker entry clearance visas to main applicants applying from outside the UK: SOC 2136 (IT quality and testing professionals), 202; and SOC 3131 (IT operations technicians, a code with restrictions), 26.
Sources
- Appendix Skilled Occupations (going rates) Updated 11 November 2025
- Skilled Worker visa: your job
- Skilled Worker visa: when you can be paid less
- Home Office: sponsored work visas by occupation and industry Sponsored work entry clearance visas by occupation and industry (SOC 2020), year ending June 2026, published 27 August 2026
- Appendix Skilled Worker (salary options and health and care jobs)