Can you get a Skilled Worker visa as a sales or retail assistant?
No. You cannot get a UK Skilled Worker visa as a sales or retail assistant (SOC 7111).
You might be able to work in the UK on a different visa. Compare UK work visas.
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 7111 (Sales and retail assistants) is listed as not eligible for the Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility and Scale-up routes in Table 6 of Appendix Skilled OccupationsT6 · 29 Oct 26.
Source: Appendix Skilled Occupations and eligible occupations and codes, GOV.UK.| Occupation | Sales and retail assistants |
|---|---|
| Skilled Worker eligibility | Ineligible |
| Going rate | Not applicable |
| Appendix table(s) | Table 6 |
| Immigration Salary List | No |
| Temporary Shortage List | No |
| SOC 2020 group | 71 Sales occupations › 711 Sales assistants and retail cashiers |
Job titles under SOC 7111
GOV.UK lists these related job titles:
- Sales and retail and assistants
More job titles from the ONS SOC 2020 index (5)
- Retail assistant
- Sales adviser
- Sales assistant
- Sales consultant (retail trade)
- Shop assistant
What the job involves
Sales and retail assistants demonstrate and sell a variety of goods and services in shops, stores, showrooms and similar establishments.
Typical tasks
- Discusses customer requirements, including type and price range of goods/services desired
- Advises customer on selection, purchase, use and care of merchandise and quotes prices, discounts and delivery times
- Advises customer making major purchase on credit terms and arranges finance as appropriate
- Receives full or partial payment, checks validity of form of payment, writes or prints bill, receipt or docket and packages merchandise for customer
- Arranges and replenishes goods on display stands, undertakes stock checks and assists with the receipt of deliveries from suppliers into the stock room
- Handles returns and deals with customer complaints
Typical entry routes and qualifications
No minimum academic qualifications are required although some employers may require GCSEs/S grades. Training is typically provided on-the-job. Vocational qualifications in Retail Operations and relevant apprenticeships are available at various levels.
Description: ONS SOC 2020 Volume 1.
Questions about SOC 7111
Can you get a Skilled Worker visa as a sales or retail assistant?
No. You cannot get a UK Skilled Worker visa as a sales or retail assistant (SOC 7111). SOC 2020 code 7111 (Sales and retail assistants) is listed as not eligible for the Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility and Scale-up routes in Table 6 of Appendix Skilled Occupations.
What is SOC code 7111?
7111 is the SOC 2020 code for Sales and retail assistants. Sales and retail assistants demonstrate and sell a variety of goods and services in shops, stores, showrooms and similar establishments.
What job titles use SOC code 7111?
GOV.UK lists: Sales and retail and assistants.
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.