UK Immigration Salary
List (ISL) Explained
The Immigration Salary List (ISL) replaced the Shortage Occupation List in April 2024. It gives employers a 20% discount on the going rate for certain roles — but the £41,700 general salary floor still applies. Here's exactly what that means for your visa.
20%
Going-rate discount for ISL roles
£41,700
Still the minimum salary floor (July 2025)
Quarterly
How often the ISL is updated by the MAC
What Is the Immigration Salary List?
The Immigration Salary List (ISL) is a list of occupations where employers can offer a 20% discount on the occupation-specific going rate when sponsoring a Skilled Worker.
For example: if the going rate for a role is £50,000, an employer sponsoring a worker in an ISL occupation could offer £40,000 (80% of the going rate). However, that salary must still be at least the general minimum threshold — £41,700 from July 2025.
This means for most roles, the ISL discount only matters if the going rate is above £41,700 — since the general threshold is the floor regardless.
How It Differs from the Old Shortage Occupation List
The ISL is a significant downgrade from the SOL it replaced. Under the old SOL, workers in shortage roles could be sponsored at much lower salaries. The ISL removed most of that flexibility.
| Old SOL | New ISL | |
|---|---|---|
| In use since | Until April 2024 | April 2024 onwards |
| Salary discount | 80% of going rate AND 80% of lower general threshold (as low as £20,960) | 20% off going rate only. General threshold (£41,700 from July 2025) still applies as floor. |
| Who decides | Migration Advisory Committee | Migration Advisory Committee (quarterly reviews) |
| Impact | Significant discount — some workers sponsored at ~£20k | Much smaller discount — general threshold is the main floor |
How the Discount Actually Works (Example)
Result: ISL discount makes no difference here — the £41,700 floor is higher than the discounted going rate. Employer must pay at least £41,700.
The ISL discount is only meaningful for roles where the going rate is significantly above £41,700 (e.g. a role with a going rate of £60,000 — with ISL the employer could pay £48,000 instead of £60,000).
Check the going rate for your specific role
Use our free Salary Checker to look up the minimum salary for your occupation — whether or not your role is on the ISL.
Frequently Asked Questions
Source: Home Office Skilled Worker going rates, Migration Advisory Committee. Updated when the ISL changes. Not legal advice.