SOC 2020 code 3511 · Associate professional occupations
Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers: Skilled Worker visa salary and sponsorship (SOC 3511)
Can a new applicant be sponsored in this job today?
Yes. Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers (SOC 3511) is on the list of eligible occupations in the Immigration Rules, so an employer with a sponsor licence can sponsor a new applicant in it. The job must pay at least £80,400 a year, or £56,280 for someone who qualifies as a new entrant.
- Salary needed
- £80,400
- a year at 37.5 hours a week
- New entrant
- £56,280
- 70% of the going rate, at least £33,400
The going rate for this code (£80,400 a year) is higher than the £41,700 general salary threshold, so the going rate is the figure to meet. Going rates are set for a 37.5-hour week (£41.23 an hour for this code) and are pro-rated to the hours on your contract. The flat minimums are not reduced for part-time hours, so a part-time job can meet its pro-rated going rate and still fall short.
Checked against gov.uk on 23 October 2026. Sources: Appendix Skilled Occupations, Appendix Skilled Worker.
What the rules say about code 3511
Appendix Skilled Occupations lists this code in Table 1, and the gov.uk eligible occupations table labels it “Higher Skilled”.
Table 1 is for occupations skilled to RQF level 6 (degree level) or above. Being in it is what makes a job eligible for a new applicant on the Skilled Worker route, with a going rate taken from median earnings data.
This code is not eligible for PhD points, so a doctorate does not lower the salary needed.
The new-entrant rate applies, for example, to someone under 26 on the date of application, someone in the UK on a Student visa studying at degree level or above, or someone on a Graduate visa (each also covers the last two years in some cases). Total time in the UK on new-entrant terms is capped at four years, including time on a Graduate visa. The full conditions are on gov.uk.
Job titles in code 3511
Examples from the Immigration Rules and the gov.uk eligible occupations table. They are examples, not the full list: a job belongs in this code because of its duties, whatever it is called.
- Airline pilots
- Air traffic controllers
- Flying instructors
- Helicopter pilots
- Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers not elsewhere classified
Who chooses the occupation code
The employer does, not you and not GoRizzume. The sponsor picks the code when it assigns the Certificate of Sponsorship, and Appendix Skilled Worker (SW 6.2) lets the Home Office refuse the application if it has reasonable grounds to believe a less appropriate code was chosen because the right one is not eligible, has a higher going rate, or is not on the Immigration Salary List. The duties decide the code, not the job title.
So treat this page as the rules for code 3511, not a verdict on any particular offer. Ask the employer which code they will use, then check that code. If you are unsure, the CASCOT coding tool suggests codes for a job title, and gov.uk says to make sure the description matches what you will actually do.
Other occupations in minor group 351
Find an employer that can sponsor
Only an employer on the Home Office register of licensed sponsors can sponsor a Skilled Worker visa, and a licence means they can sponsor eligible roles, not that every job comes with sponsorship.
Common questions
Can aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers be sponsored for a UK Skilled Worker visa?
Yes. Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers (SOC 3511) is on the list of eligible occupations in the Immigration Rules, so an employer with a sponsor licence can sponsor a new applicant in it. The job must pay at least £80,400 a year, or £56,280 for someone who qualifies as a new entrant. Checked against gov.uk on 23 October 2026.
What salary do aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers need for a Skilled Worker visa?
At least £80,400 a year for a 37.5-hour week. The going rate for this code (£80,400 a year) is higher than the £41,700 general salary threshold, so the going rate is the figure to meet. Someone who qualifies as a new entrant, for example by being under 26 on the date of application or by being in the UK on a Graduate visa, can be paid 70% of the going rate with a £33,400 minimum: £56,280 here.
Is SOC 3511 (aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers) on a UK shortage list?
No. It is on neither the Temporary Shortage List nor the Immigration Salary List. Checked against gov.uk on 23 October 2026.
Who decides which occupation code goes on a Certificate of Sponsorship?
The employer. The sponsor chooses the code when it assigns the certificate, and the Home Office can refuse the application if it has reason to think a less appropriate code was chosen to get round the eligibility or salary rules. A job title alone does not decide the code: the duties do. Ask the employer which code the offer will use.
Rules checked against gov.uk on 23 October 2026. Occupation codes are SOC 2020. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.