SOC 2020 · 5323
Painters and decorators
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)
£33,400
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.
- UK pay for this occupation
- Going rate£33,400
- General threshold£41,700
View these figures as a table
| Percentile | Pay |
|---|---|
| 10th | £23,617 |
| 25th | £28,462 |
| 50th | £32,763 |
| 75th | £39,007 |
| Going rate | £33,400 |
| General threshold | £41,700 |
| Region | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK 2025 | £23,617 | £28,462 | £32,763 | £39,007 | — |
| East 2025 | — | — | £31,686 | — | — |
| East Midlands 2025 | — | — | £30,800 | — | — |
| North East 2025 | — | — | £32,520 | — | — |
| Scotland 2025 | — | — | £31,906 | — | — |
Job titles in this code
What the work involves
Painters and decorators use traditional and modern methods to apply or repair paint, varnish, wallpaper and other protective and decorative materials to interior and exterior walls and surfaces, paint designs on wood, glass, metal, plastics and other materials, and stain, wax and French polish wood surfaces by hand.
Typical tasks
erects working platform or scaffolding up to five metres in height
prepares surfaces by cleaning, sanding and filling cracks and holes with appropriate filler
applies primer, undercoat and finishing coat(s) using brush, roller, or spray equipment
mixes adhesive or removes self-adhesive backing and positions covering material on wall, matching up patterns where appropriate and removing wrinkles and air bubbles by hand or brush
stains, waxes and French polishes wood surfaces by hand
Entry routes and qualifications
There are no formal academic entry requirements, though GCSEs/S grades are advantageous. Entry is typically through an approved apprenticeship programme or college course in conjunction with on-the-job training, leading to a NVQ/SVQ level 2/3 qualification, or through building up work experience supplemented with short courses.