Can you get a Skilled Worker visa as a bed and breakfast or guest house owner or proprietor?
Usually no. New applicants cannot get a UK Skilled Worker visa as a bed and breakfast or guest house owner or proprietor (SOC 6250). It is only open to people who have had a Skilled Worker visa without a break since before 4 April 2024, applying before 4 April 2030 to stay with the same employer.
What you need
You must have:
- a job offer from a UK employer that's allowed to sponsor visas (check the sponsor list)
- a "certificate of sponsorship" from that employer: a reference number with details of your job
- English at level B2: you can usually prove it with an approved test or a degree taught in English (ways to prove it)
- £1,270 in savings, unless your employer covers your first month or you've been in the UK for 12 months or more
Based on the UK Immigration Rules and the Skilled Worker visa guide on GOV.UK. This is a summary, not advice about your own situation.
The rules in detail
SOC 2020 code 6250 (Bed and breakfast and guest house owners and proprietors) is Medium Skilled – extending in same occupation only (Below RQF level 3). It is listed in Table 2a of Appendix Skilled OccupationsT2a · 29 Oct 26: only for people granted Skilled Worker permission before 4 April 2024, held continuously, applying before 4 April 2030 to work for the same sponsor as in their most recent permission.
Source: Appendix Skilled Occupations and eligible occupations and codes, GOV.UK.| Occupation | Bed and breakfast and guest house owners and proprietors |
|---|---|
| Skilled Worker eligibility | Medium Skilled – extending in same occupation only |
| Going rate | £31,300 a year (£16.05 an hour)T2a |
| Appendix table(s) | Table 2a, Table 6 |
| Immigration Salary List | No |
| Temporary Shortage List | No |
| Eligible for PhD points | No |
| Equivalent SOC 2010 code(s) | 1221 |
| SOC 2020 group | 62 Leisure, travel and related personal service occupations › 625 Bed and breakfast and guest house owners and proprietors |
Going rates for 6250 in Appendix Skilled Occupations
A code can appear in more than one table. Each table applies to different applicants. Rates are per year for a 37.5-hour week and must be pro-rated for other hours.
| Table and who it applies to | Going rate | 90% | 80% | 70% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Table 2aOnly for people granted Skilled Worker permission before 4 April 2024, held continuously, applying before 4 April 2030 to work for the same sponsor as in their most recent permission. | £31,300 £16.05/hr | n/a | n/a | £25,000 £12.82/hr |
Salary thresholds that apply to 6250
Under Appendix Skilled Worker, the salary must equal or exceed both the general threshold and the going-rate figure for the points option used. This table puts the two figures side by side for each option. It does not say which option applies to any person. See salary thresholds for the conditions on each option.
| Option | Condition | General threshold | Going-rate figure | Higher of the two |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | Standard | £31,300 | £31,300 (100%) | £31,300 |
| G | The applicant has a PhD in a subject relevant to the job | £28,200 | Not applicable | – |
| H | The applicant has a PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job | £25,000 | Not applicable | – |
| I | The applicant is being sponsored for a job on the Immigration Salary List (this code is not on the list) | £25,000 | Not applicable | – |
| J | The applicant is a new entrant at the start of their career | £25,000 | £25,000 (70%) | £25,000 |
Job titles under SOC 6250
GOV.UK lists these related job titles:
- Bed and breakfast and guest house owners and proprietors
More job titles from the ONS SOC 2020 index (2)
- Guest house owner
- Landlady (guest house)
What the job involves
Bed and breakfast and guest house owners and proprietors plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the activities and resources bed and breakfasts and guest houses.
Typical tasks
- Welcomes and ensures physical comfort of residents/guests and makes special arrangements for children, the elderly and the infirm if required
- Provides certain meals for guests
- Maintains and cleans establishment
- Determines financial, staffing, material and other short- and long-term needs
- Markets business and finds new business
- Arranges for payment of bills, keeps accounts and ensures adherence to licensing and other statutory regulations
Typical entry routes and qualifications
No formal qualifications are required for entry. A range of relevant courses in hospitality and management are available.
Description: ONS SOC 2020 Volume 1.
Questions about SOC 6250
Can you get a Skilled Worker visa as a bed and breakfast or guest house owner or proprietor?
Usually no. New applicants cannot get a UK Skilled Worker visa as a bed and breakfast or guest house owner or proprietor (SOC 6250). It is only open to people who have had a Skilled Worker visa without a break since before 4 April 2024, applying before 4 April 2030 to stay with the same employer. SOC 2020 code 6250 (Bed and breakfast and guest house owners and proprietors) is Medium Skilled – extending in same occupation only (Below RQF level 3). It is listed in Table 2a of Appendix Skilled Occupations: only for people granted Skilled Worker permission before 4 April 2024, held continuously, applying before 4 April 2030 to work for the same sponsor as in their most recent permission.
What is SOC code 6250?
6250 is the SOC 2020 code for Bed and breakfast and guest house owners and proprietors. Bed and breakfast and guest house owners and proprietors plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the activities and resources bed and breakfasts and guest houses.
What is the going rate for SOC code 6250?
Table 2a of Appendix Skilled Occupations gives a going rate of £31,300 a year (£16.05 an hour) for 6250, based on a 37.5-hour week. It must be pro-rated for other working hours.
What job titles use SOC code 6250?
GOV.UK lists: Bed and breakfast and guest house owners and proprietors.
Sources
- Skilled Worker visa: eligible occupations and codes (GOV.UK, updated 29 April 2026)
- Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations (GOV.UK, updated 29 October 2026)
- Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Worker (GOV.UK, updated 29 October 2026)
- ONS SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions of unit groups
Compiled by SWC Editorial Team from the sources above. An information summary, not immigration advice. Report an error on this page.