The UK government is currently weighing a policy shift that could see the removal of the PhD salary discounts for international professionals seeking Skilled Worker visas.
This follows a recommendation from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) in December 2025, which suggests that the current system of “tradable points” for doctoral holders should be abolished.
The MAC published its review of salary requirements for UK work visas, completing a commission from former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to assess thresholds and discounts across the Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, Global Business Mobility, and Scale-up routes.
If implemented, the move would force employers to pay PhD-qualified international talent the same standard salary thresholds as other skilled workers, potentially ending decades of lower-cost sponsorship for researchers and technical specialists.
MAC, in its recommendations, explains that the decision to scrap the PhD salary discounts stems from a lack of evidence that doctoral holders are paid less than their peers in the workforce.
According to the MAC’s latest review, recent PhD graduates typically earn wages comparable to the average worker on a Skilled Worker visa.
The committee argued that maintaining a lower salary floor for this group no longer has a “reasonable rationale” and creates unnecessary complexity in the immigration system.
The potential removal of the UK PhD salary discounts has sent ripples through the higher education and research sectors.
Under current rules, universities and tech firms often utilize these discounts to hire post-doctoral researchers and specialist engineers at salaries starting as low as £33,400.
The report noted: “These options demonstrate the trade-offs that exist when setting threshold levels. Lower thresholds are likely to allow improved access to the immigration system for employers outside of London and bring fiscal benefits. However, lower thresholds are also likely to result in more visas being granted, and hence higher net migration. The increase in population that results has other costs and benefits for the UK beyond public finances, including impacts on infrastructure, housing, and the demographic makeup of the UK.”
The MAC made the following recommendations:
Skilled Worker route:
Occupation-specific salary thresholds should be reduced so that they are based on 25th percentile salary data rather than median data.
The general salary threshold should be maintained at GBP 41,700, with GBP 48,400 noted as a possible alternative level.
Skilled Worker salary – discount framework:
A single new entrant salary threshold of GBP 33,400 should be introduced. The MAC also recommends extending the current four-year duration over which new entrant provisions can be relied upon.
The PhD salary discount should be abolished entirely.
If post-doctoral thresholds are retained, they should be subject to a single salary threshold of GBP 41,700, applicable for a maximum period of four years.
Global Business Mobility:
For Senior or Specialist and UK Expansion Workers, the general salary threshold as well as occupation-specific thresholds should be set at the median of eligible occupations.
For the Graduate Trainee route, a single salary threshold of GBP 33,400 should apply; while occupation-specific salary thresholds should be removed altogether.
Temporary Shortage List:
The general salary threshold should be set at a minimum of GBP 30,900.
Occupation-specific thresholds should be set at the median salary for each eligible occupation.
No salary discounts should apply under this route.
Scale-up route. Salary thresholds should be aligned with those of the Skilled Worker route.
