Ineligible occupations

The 104 SOC 2020 codes that GOV.UK lists as not eligible for the Skilled Worker visa.

Rules checked against GOV.UK: 6 November 2026

104 jobs can't be sponsored for a Skilled Worker visa. That's because the skill level is too low, the job has its own separate visa route, or the job can't be done by people who need a visa. You might be able to use a different work visa.

What Table 6 says

These occupations are ineligible for the Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility or Scale-up routes because: • they do not meet the required skill level; or • applicants must be sponsored in another route for jobs in these occupations; or • those subject to immigration control cannot apply for jobs in these occupations.
SOC 2020 occupation codes in Tables 1a, 2aa, 2a, 2b and 3a are also not eligible for these routes, except where otherwise indicated.

All ineligible codes

104 codes
SOC 2020 codes not eligible for the Skilled Worker visa
CodeOccupationEligibilityGoing rate
1112 Elected officers and representatives Ineligible –
1161 Officers in armed forces Ineligible –
2463 Clergy Ineligible –
3311 Non-commissioned officers and other ranks Ineligible –
3431 Sports players Ineligible –
3432 Sports coaches, instructors and officials Ineligible –
4123 Bank and post office clerks Ineligible –
4131 Records clerks and assistants Ineligible –
4133 Stock control clerks and assistants Ineligible –
4135 Library clerks and assistants Ineligible –
4136 Human resources administrative occupations Ineligible –
4142 Office supervisors Ineligible –
4152 Data entry administrators Ineligible –
4211 Medical secretaries Ineligible –
4212 Legal secretaries Ineligible –
4213 School secretaries Ineligible –
4216 Receptionists Ineligible –
4217 Typists and related keyboard occupations Ineligible –
5435 Cooks Ineligible –
6121 Pest control officers Ineligible –
6137 Care escorts Ineligible –
6138 Undertakers, mortuary and crematorium assistants Ineligible –
6211 Sports and leisure assistants Ineligible –
6212 Travel agents Ineligible –
6219 Leisure and travel service occupations not elsewhere classified Ineligible –
6221 Hairdressers and barbers Ineligible –
6222 Beauticians and related occupations Ineligible –
6231 Housekeepers and related occupations Ineligible –
6240 Cleaning and housekeeping managers and supervisors Ineligible –
6312 Parking and civil enforcement occupations Ineligible –
7111 Sales and retail assistants Ineligible –
7112 Retail cashiers and check-out operators Ineligible –
7113 Telephone salespersons Ineligible –
7114 Pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants Ineligible –
7121 Collector salespersons and credit agents Ineligible –
7122 Debt, rent and other cash collectors Ineligible –
7123 Roundspersons and van salespersons Ineligible –
7211 Call and contact centre occupations Ineligible –
7212 Telephonists Ineligible –
7213 Communication operators Ineligible –
7219 Customer service occupations not elsewhere classified Ineligible –
8111 Food, drink and tobacco process operatives Ineligible –
8112 Textile process operatives Ineligible –
8114 Plastics process operatives Ineligible –
8119 Process operatives not elsewhere classified Ineligible –
8120 Metal working machine operatives Ineligible –
8131 Paper and wood machine operatives Ineligible –
8132 Mining and quarry workers and related operatives Ineligible –
8135 Printing machine assistants Ineligible –
8139 Plant and machine operatives not elsewhere classified Ineligible –
8141 Assemblers (electrical and electronic products) Ineligible –
8142 Assemblers (vehicles and metal goods) Ineligible –
8144 Weighers, graders and sorters Ineligible –
8145 Tyre, exhaust and windscreen fitters Ineligible –
8146 Sewing machinists Ineligible –
8149 Assemblers and routine operatives not elsewhere classified Ineligible –
8151 Scaffolders, stagers and riggers Ineligible –
8152 Road construction operatives Ineligible –
8153 Rail construction and maintenance operatives Ineligible –
8159 Construction operatives not elsewhere classified Ineligible –
8160 Production, factory and assembly supervisors Ineligible –
8211 Heavy and large goods vehicle drivers Ineligible –
8212 Bus and coach drivers Ineligible –
8213 Taxi and cab drivers and chauffeurs Ineligible –
8214 Delivery drivers and couriers Ineligible –
8219 Road transport drivers not elsewhere classified Ineligible –
8221 Crane drivers Ineligible –
8222 Fork-lift truck drivers Ineligible –
8229 Mobile machine drivers and operatives not elsewhere classified Ineligible –
8231 Train and tram drivers Ineligible –
8233 Air transport operatives Ineligible –
8234 Rail transport operatives Ineligible –
8239 Other drivers and transport operatives not elsewhere classified Ineligible –
9111 Farm workers Ineligible –
9112 Forestry and related workers Ineligible –
9121 Groundworkers Ineligible –
9129 Elementary construction occupations not elsewhere classified Ineligible –
9131 Industrial cleaning process occupations Ineligible –
9132 Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers Ineligible –
9139 Elementary process plant occupations not elsewhere classified Ineligible –
9211 Postal workers, mail sorters and messengers Ineligible –
9219 Elementary administration occupations not elsewhere classified Ineligible –
9221 Window cleaners Ineligible –
9222 Street cleaners Ineligible –
9223 Cleaners and domestics Ineligible –
9224 Launderers, dry cleaners and pressers Ineligible –
9225 Refuse and salvage occupations Ineligible –
9226 Vehicle valeters and cleaners Ineligible –
9229 Elementary cleaning occupations not elsewhere classified Ineligible –
9231 Security guards and related occupations Ineligible –
9232 School midday and crossing patrol occupations Ineligible –
9233 Exam invigilators Ineligible –
9241 Shelf fillers Ineligible –
9251 Elementary storage supervisors Ineligible –
9253 Delivery operatives Ineligible –
9259 Elementary storage occupations not elsewhere classified Ineligible –
9261 Bar and catering supervisors Ineligible –
9262 Hospital porters Ineligible –
9263 Kitchen and catering assistants Ineligible –
9264 Waiters and waitresses Ineligible –
9265 Bar staff Ineligible –
9266 Coffee shop workers Ineligible –
9267 Leisure and theme park attendants Ineligible –
9269 Other elementary services occupations not elsewhere classified Ineligible –

Sources

Compiled by SWC Editorial Team from the sources above. An information summary, not immigration advice.