SOC 2020 · 8113
Chemical and related process operatives
Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations from
Skilled Worker
Not eligible
No Skilled Worker route through this code.
Salary floor
£41,700
The general threshold, £41,700, is the higher of the two.
Shortage lists
Not listed
This code is on neither the Immigration Salary List nor the Temporary Shortage List.
What this occupation actually pays
ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, full-time gross annual pay.
- UK pay for this occupation
View these figures as a table
| Percentile | Pay |
|---|---|
| 10th | £24,130 |
| 25th | £28,813 |
| 50th | £33,959 |
| 75th | £42,542 |
| Region | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK 2025 | £24,130 | £28,813 | £33,959 | £42,542 | — |
| East 2025 | — | — | £32,449 | — | — |
| East Midlands 2025 | — | — | £31,113 | — | — |
| North West 2025 | — | — | £35,167 | — | — |
| Scotland 2025 | — | — | £39,079 | — | — |
| West Midlands 2025 |
Job titles in this code
What the work involves
Chemical and related process operatives operate machinery in the processing of chemical and related materials by chemical, heat or other treatment, manufacture synthetic materials and bleach, dye or otherwise treat textiles, and treat hides, skins and pelts for making into fur, leather and skin products.
Typical tasks
loads prescribed quantities of ingredients into plant equipment, starts operational cycle, monitors instruments and gauges indicating conditions affecting the operation of the plant and adjusts controls as necessary
prepares dye, bleaching, water repellent, fixing salt and other chemical solutions to finish and treat textiles
regulates input of polymer into melting unit, extrudes polymer, gathers extruded filaments and feeds strands through rolling, cutting and treatment units to produce synthetic fibre
operates kilns, furnaces and ovens to produce charcoal, coke and other carbon products
operates machines to coat film and tape with sensitising material and otherwise impregnate materials by immersion, split and mould mica and produce asbestos pipes and sheets
cuts and trims skins, hides and pelts, removes wool, hair, flesh and other waste material, and washes, limes, tans, dyes and otherwise treats hides for making into leather, skin and fur products
withdraws samples for quality control testing, removes and regulates discharge of batch material upon completion of processing
Entry routes and qualifications
There are no formal academic entry requirements, although some employers require entrants to possess GCSEs/S grades. Training is typically received on-the-job, supplemented by specialised training courses. Vocational qualifications in Process Technology at levels 2 and 3 and apprenticeships are available.