SOC 2020 · 3415
Musicians
Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations from
Skilled Worker
Eligible
This occupation appears on Appendix Skilled Occupations.
Salary floor
£41,700
The general threshold, £41,700, is the higher of the two.
Shortage lists
Immigration Salary List
Listed roles carry their own restrictions — check GOV.UK.
Shortage list conditions
Immigration Salary List: only skilled orchestral musicians who are leaders, principals, sub-principals or numbered string positions, and who meet the standard required by internationally recognised UK orchestras. The orchestra must be a full member of the Association of British Orchestras. Listed until 31 Dec 2026.
Shortage-list jobs are below the usual skill level, so employers face restrictions such as no dependants and no salary discount. Check GOV.UK for the current conditions.
Salary the job must pay
A Skilled Worker job must pay at least the higher of the general threshold and the going rate for its occupation code.
Going rate (standard)
£37,500
General threshold
£41,700
Visa thresholds from
Minimum for this role
£41,700
Home Office going rates from
New entrants and some other cases can use 70% of the going rate, £33,400, subject to the lower general threshold of £33,400.
What this occupation actually pays
ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, full-time gross annual pay.
ONS has not published enough of the pay distribution for Musicians in UK to draw it. The figures we do hold are shown above.
| Region | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK 2025 | — | — | £46,591 | — | — |
Job titles in this code
What the work involves
Musicians write, arrange, orchestrate, conduct and perform musical compositions.
Typical tasks
conceives and writes original music
tunes instrument and studies and rehearses score
plays instrument as a soloist or as a member of a group or orchestra
scores music for different combinations of voices and instruments to produce desired effect
auditions and selects performers and rehearses and conducts them in the performance of the composition
Entry routes and qualifications
There are no formal academic entry requirements although many possess a degree and/or diploma. Entry to a degree or graduate diploma course requires A levels/H grades. Entrants to the performers’ diploma course generally possess GCSEs/S grades and associated board graded examination passes in their chosen instrument(s) and will be required to audition.