SOC 2020 · 8143
Routine inspectors and testers
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 | £25,153 |
| 25th | £28,338 |
| 50th | £34,360 |
| 75th | £43,307 |
| Region | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK 2025 | £25,153 | £28,338 | £34,360 | £43,307 | — |
| East 2025 | — | — | £36,955 | — | — |
| East Midlands 2025 | — | — | £28,864 | — | — |
| London 2025 | — | — | £47,895 | — | — |
| North East 2025 | — | — | £35,220 | — | — |
Job titles in this code
What the work involves
Routine inspectors and testers inspect and/or test metal stock, parts and products, electrical plant, machinery and electronic components, systems and sub-assemblies, textiles, wood, paper, food, plastics and rubber goods, parts and materials to detect processing, manufacturing and other defects.
Typical tasks
examines articles for surface flaws such as cracks, dents, defective sealing or broken wires by visual inspection or using aids such as microscopes or magnifying glasses
checks sequence of assembly operations and checks assemblies and sub-assemblies against parts lists to detect missing items
sets up test equipment, connects items/system to power source/pressure outlet, etc. and operates controls to check performance and operation of electrical plant and machinery and electronics systems
examines yarn packages, textile fabrics and garments, wood or wood products, paper and paperboard, plastics and rubber materials, food products, food storage containers, etc., checks specifications, marks any repairable defects and rejects faulty items
reports any recurrent or major defects and recommends improvements to production methods
Entry routes and qualifications
There are no formal academic entry requirements, although some employers require candidates to possess GCSEs/S grades. Training is typically received on-the-job, supplemented by training courses where instruction in specific techniques is required. Various NVQs/SVQs encompass aspects of quality control.