SOC 2020 · 3422
Clothing, fashion and accessories designers
Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations from
Skilled Worker
Shortage list only
Below the usual skill level, but listed.
Salary floor
£41,700
The general threshold, £41,700, is the higher of the two.
Shortage lists
Temporary Shortage List
Listed roles carry their own restrictions — check GOV.UK.
Shortage list conditions
Temporary Shortage List: all jobs in this code. Certificate of sponsorship must be issued before 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)
£36,500
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 Clothing, fashion and accessories designers in UK to draw it. The figures we do hold are shown above.
| Region | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK 2025 | — | — | £36,848 | — | — |
| East 2025 | — | — | £34,159 | — | — |
| London 2025 | — | — | £43,602 | — | — |
Job titles in this code
What the work involves
Clothing, fashion and accessories designers plan, direct and undertake the creation of designs for new clothing and related fashion accessories.
Typical tasks
liaises with client to determine the purpose, cost, technical specification and potential uses/users of clothing or related fashion accessory
undertakes research to determine market trends, production requirements, availability of resources and formulates design concepts
prepares sketches, designs, patterns or prototypes for textiles, clothing, footwear, jewellery, fashion accessories
submits design to management, sales department or client for approval, communicates design rationale and makes any necessary alterations
specifies materials, production method and finish for aesthetic or functional effect
oversees production of sample and/or finished product or produces one-off products for fashion shows
observes and manages intellectual property issues
Entry routes and qualifications
Entrants have usually completed a foundation course, BTEC/SQA award, degree and/or postgraduate qualification. Vocational qualifications in Fashion Design and Design are available at level 2 and 3, as are apprenticeships at levels 2 and 3.