UK chef visa guide · Reviewed September 2026
UK chef sponsorship changed sharply after the Skilled Worker skill threshold was raised on 22 July 2025. Chefs are still listed as a medium-skilled occupation, but medium-skilled jobs normally need to be on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List for a new Skilled Worker application. Chef code 5434 is not on either current list, so a new overseas chef should not assume an advert saying “visa sponsorship” is enough.
1. Are chefs eligible for the UK Skilled Worker visa in 2026?
GOV.UK’s current eligible-occupations table classifies chefs under SOC 5434 as Medium Skilled.
That classification matters because the Skilled Worker rules now say a medium-skilled occupation can normally support an application only when the job is:
- on the Immigration Salary List;
- on the Temporary Shortage List;
- or covered by a specific transitional situation, such as certain existing Skilled Workers.
The current Temporary Shortage List does not contain SOC 5434, and the current Immigration Salary List does not contain it either.
For a new applicant outside the UK, a normal chef vacancy is not currently a straightforward Skilled Worker route.
A restaurant having a sponsor licence does not by itself make an occupation eligible under the current rules.
2. What changed for new overseas chef applicants?
Before 22 July 2025, chefs were commonly seen in Skilled Worker recruitment. The UK then raised the normal skill threshold, leaving many medium-skilled occupations dependent on special lists or transitional protections.
As of September 2026, someone applying for Skilled Worker entry clearance for a chef job cannot simply rely on the fact that chefs have a going rate in the occupation table. The occupation must also satisfy the current route eligibility rules.
This is why old adverts and old blog posts can be misleading even when they use a real SOC code.
Check the current occupation status
3. Transitional rules for people already on Skilled Worker
The position can be different for someone who was already in the Skilled Worker route before the July 2025 rule change.
GOV.UK says a person in a medium-skilled occupation may still be able to extend if they got their first Certificate of Sponsorship for Skilled Worker before 22 July 2025 and meet the current transitional requirements.
This is not a general exception for anyone who previously worked as a chef. It is tied to the person’s immigration history and Certificate of Sponsorship timing.
If you are already in the UK as a sponsored chef
Do not assume the same rules that apply to a new overseas applicant apply to you. Check the current Skilled Worker extension/switching rules for your exact immigration history before changing employer or role.
4. What is the current chef going rate?
The current Skilled Worker going-rates table lists SOC 5434 chefs at a standard going rate of £33,400 per year (£17.13 per hour), based on the published working-week assumptions.
A lower transitional rate of £25,000 (£12.82 per hour) appears in the table for people who qualify for the lower-rate framework.
However, salary is only one requirement. Meeting the chef going rate does not make a new chef application eligible if the occupation does not meet the route’s current medium-skilled eligibility rule.
Current official going rates
5. Chef and cook are not the same immigration occupation
Hospitality job titles can sound similar, but UK immigration coding distinguishes them.
| Role | SOC | Current status |
|---|---|---|
| Chef | 5434 | Medium Skilled |
| Cook | 5435 | Ineligible |
| Kitchen / catering assistant | 9263 | Ineligible |
| Catering and bar manager | 5436 | Medium Skilled |
The employer must choose the code that matches the real duties. Calling a cook a “chef” only to fit a visa code can create sponsorship and immigration problems.
6. Sponsor licence vs eligible occupation
A UK hospitality company may hold a sponsor licence. That does not mean every job in that company can be sponsored.
For a Skilled Worker application, you still need:
- a licensed sponsor;
- a genuine eligible occupation;
- a valid Certificate of Sponsorship;
- the correct salary;
- English and other route requirements;
- compliance with the current skill/list rules.
7. Where to search for legitimate UK hospitality work
If you already have UK work rights, hospitality vacancies can be found on normal recruitment platforms and employer career pages.
If you need immigration sponsorship, first check whether the occupation itself is currently sponsorable before spending time on an advert.
Useful checks include:
- the official Register of Licensed Sponsors;
- the employer’s own careers page;
- the occupation code and eligibility table;
- the Temporary Shortage List;
- the Immigration Salary List.
A sponsor-register entry proves the organisation has a licence. It does not prove that a particular chef vacancy can be sponsored.
8. Are there other visas that can let a chef work in the UK?
Possibly, if you independently qualify for another route that gives work rights. Examples can include Youth Mobility, Graduate, UK Ancestry, certain family routes or another visa suited to your personal circumstances.
Those visas are not “chef visas”. The eligibility comes from your age, nationality, family connection, study history or another route—not from the chef vacancy.
9. Chef sponsorship scam warning signs
- An advert says “guaranteed chef CoS” but never discusses occupation eligibility.
- You are asked to buy a Certificate of Sponsorship.
- The restaurant cannot be found on the sponsor register.
- The stated role is “chef” but the duties are mainly basic cooking or kitchen assistance.
- The employer asks you to repay sponsorship costs that should not be passed to you.
- The salary does not match the hours and stated immigration requirements.
- A recruiter promises that visa rules do not matter because the company “has connections”.
Always verify the employer independently before sending passport or financial documents.
10. Questions to ask a hospitality employer
Before you rely on a sponsorship promise
- What SOC code will be used?
- Is this a new Skilled Worker application or a transitional extension?
- Why is this medium-skilled role eligible under the current rules?
- What salary and weekly hours are on the Certificate of Sponsorship?
- Is the employer on the current sponsor register?
- Who pays each immigration-related employer cost?
- Do the job duties genuinely match a chef rather than cook or kitchen assistant role?
Frequently asked questions
Can a new chef outside the UK get Skilled Worker sponsorship in September 2026?
Chef SOC 5434 is medium skilled. New medium-skilled Skilled Worker applications normally need the occupation to be on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List. Chef 5434 is not currently on either list, so it is not a normal new-entry route at this time.
Can an existing sponsored chef extend?
Some existing Skilled Workers can use transitional rules if their first Skilled Worker Certificate of Sponsorship was before 22 July 2025 and they meet the other rules. Check the current GOV.UK requirements for your case.
Are cooks eligible?
No. GOV.UK currently marks SOC 5435 Cooks as ineligible.
What about kitchen porters?
Kitchen and catering assistants under SOC 9263 are currently ineligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
Does a sponsor licence guarantee my chef visa?
No. The sponsor, occupation, salary, Certificate of Sponsorship and applicant must all meet the rules.
Official sources used for this guide
- GOV.UK — Skilled Worker job rules
- GOV.UK — Eligible occupations and codes
- GOV.UK — Temporary Shortage List
- GOV.UK — Immigration Salary List
- GOV.UK — Going rates
Guide Travel note: UK work-visa occupation lists can change quickly. Check all three current items—occupation status, shortage/salary lists and sponsor licence—before treating a hospitality advert as a visa route.
