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Chefs

Occupation · SOC 2020 5434 · United Kingdom

SOC 2020 code
5434
Going rate (Table 1, options A and D)
£33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
On the Immigration Salary List
No
Sponsored work visas 2025, minor group 543
1,387
Going rate£33,400 Table 1
Year by year
Data as at Immigration Rules, 11 Nov 2025
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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 1a£33,400 (£17.13 per hour)No
Table 2aa£25,000 (£12.82 per hour)No

Example job titles (non-exclusive)

  • Chefs
Source: Immigration Rules, Appendix Skilled Occupations and Appendix Immigration Salary List (GOV.UK)Data as at 11 Nov 2025

Sponsored work visas, minor group 543

Home Office grants for SOC 2020 minor group 543 (Food Preparation and Hospitality Trades); unit-group detail is published only for part of the data.

Visas granted by year (minor group)

4,4928,984202120222023202420252026
4,4928,984202120222023202420252026
Data table
20212,998
20226,688
20238,984
20247,958
20251,387
202632
By route
  1. Skilled Worker25,523
  2. Seasonal Worker (previously Tier 5)2,317
  3. Government Authorised Exchange (previously Tier 5)103
  4. International Agreement (previously Tier 5)52
  5. Charity Worker (previously Tier 5)23
  6. Creative Worker19
By nationality, unit group 5434 (where published)
  1. India245
  2. Bangladesh139
  3. Nepal89
  4. Pakistan72
  5. China57
  6. Turkey57
  7. Philippines36
  8. Sri Lanka25
  9. South Africa22
  10. Italy20
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 Chefs (Table 1 where listed) is £25,000 a year, #229 highest of 277 eligible occupations and 16.7% below the median going rate of £30,000.

Going rate (Table 1 where listed)
£25,000
Median going rate, all occupations
£30,000
Rank (highest first)
229 of 277
Occupations on the Immigration Salary List
25
Going rate (Table 1), this and related occupations, £ a year
  1. Chefs25,000
  2. Butchers25,000
  3. Bakers and flour confectioners25,000
  4. Fishmongers and poultry dressers25,000
  5. Catering and bar managers25,000
  6. Upholsterers25,000
  7. Footwear and leather working trades25,000
  8. Tailors and dressmakers25,000
  9. Textiles, garments and related trades not elsewhere classified25,000
  10. Pre-press technicians25,000
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