VISA ATLASWork visas & talent mobility
From→ToFind a corridor EN
☰

Research and development (R&D) managers

Occupation · SOC 2020 2161 · United Kingdom

SOC 2020 code
2161
Going rate (Table 1, options A and D)
£54,400 (£27.90 per hour)
On the Immigration Salary List
No
Sponsored work visas 2025, minor group 216
908
Going rate£54,400 Table 1
Year by year
Data as at Immigration Rules, 11 Nov 2025
OC<GBRRESEARCH<AND<DEVELOPMENT<R<D<MANAGERS<
21610<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<0

Going rates

Minimum salaries by table of Appendix Skilled Occupations (per year, 37.5-hour week). Which table applies depends on the route and option.

TableGoing ratePhD points
Table 1£54,400 (£27.90 per hour)Yes
Table 2£40,000 (£20.51 per hour)Yes

Example job titles (non-exclusive)

  • Laboratory managers
  • Research and development (R&D) design managers
  • Research and development (R&D) managers not elsewhere classified
Source: Immigration Rules, Appendix Skilled Occupations and Appendix Immigration Salary List (GOV.UK)Data as at 11 Nov 2025

Sponsored work visas, minor group 216

Home Office grants for SOC 2020 minor group 216 (Research and Development (R&D) and Other Research Professionals); unit-group detail is published only for part of the data.

Visas granted by year (minor group)

1,4112,821202120222023202420252026
1,4112,821202120222023202420252026
Data table
20212,534
20222,821
20232,499
20241,398
2025908
2026396
By route
  1. Skilled Worker6,603
  2. Government Authorised Exchange (previously Tier 5)3,664
  3. Senior or Specialist Worker (Global Business Mobility)180
  4. Intra-company Transfer52
  5. Charity Worker (previously Tier 5)22
  6. Health and Care Worker13
By nationality, unit group 2161 (where published)
  1. United States31
  2. Japan24
  3. India22
  4. France16
  5. China14
  6. Germany14
  7. Italy11
  8. Canada7
  9. Turkey7
  10. Brazil6
Source: Home Office, Immigration system statistics (year ending June 2026), Open Government Licence v3.0Data as at Jun 2026

Compared with other occupations

The going rate for Research and development (R&D) managers (Table 1 where listed) is £54,400 a year, #26 highest of 277 eligible occupations and 81.3% above the median going rate of £30,000.

Going rate (Table 1 where listed)
£54,400
Median going rate, all occupations
£30,000
Rank (highest first)
26 of 277
Occupations on the Immigration Salary List
25
Going rate (Table 1), this and related occupations, £ a year
  1. Research and development (R&D) managers54,400
  2. Other researchers, unspecified discipline43,600
  3. Chemical scientists39,900
  4. Biological scientists40,300
  5. Biochemists and biomedical scientists45,900
  6. Physical scientists54,600
  7. Social and humanities scientists40,400
  8. Natural and social science professionals not elsewhere classifiedNote: For Skilled Worker purposes, SOC 2020 occupation code 2119 includes researchers in research organisations other than universities.41,500
  9. Civil engineers50,400
  10. Mechanical engineers46,800
  11. Electrical engineers58,700
Source: Immigration Rules, Appendix Skilled Occupations and Appendix Immigration Salary List (GOV.UK)Data as at 11 Nov 2025

Official data, not advice. Visa Atlas publishes figures from government registers and statistics. It does not assess eligibility or give immigration advice; for advice, consult a regulated adviser. Read more