An EU automation engineer moving to the UK in 2026 usually needs a Skilled Worker visa, which means a job offer from a Home Office licensed sponsor at a salary that meets the rules. As of 30 October 2026, gov.uk sets the general minimum at £41,700 a year or the going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher, and the visa fee starts at £819 plus a £1,035 a year health surcharge. An ETA lets you visit for up to 6 months, for example on a business trip, but never to work.
This page is about working in the UK. If you simply want free automation courses while living in Europe, use our sister site at edwartens.com/free-courses.
EDWartens is a training and jobs site, not a visa service, and we cannot sponsor anyone. Nothing here is legal advice: check gov.uk or an immigration adviser registered with the OISC (Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner) before you act.
Can EU citizens still work in the UK after Brexit?
Yes, but not freely. The EU Settlement Scheme was for people already living in the UK by 31 December 2020, and gov.uk says the deadline for most people to apply was 30 June 2021. If you have settled or pre-settled status, you can already work. If you arrive now, you need a visa, unless you are an Irish citizen: see working in UK automation as an Irish citizen.
What are the Skilled Worker visa requirements in 2026?
As of 30 October 2026, gov.uk says you need:
- a job offer from an employer the Home Office has approved as a sponsor, and a certificate of sponsorship for that role
- a job whose occupation code is on the eligible list, marked higher skilled, or marked medium skilled and on the Temporary Shortage List or Immigration Salary List
- a salary of at least £41,700 a year or the occupation's going rate, whichever is higher, unless a "paid less" option applies (for example, under 26 or a recent UK graduate can be paid 70% of the going rate, with a floor of £33,400)
- English at CEFR level B2 for new applicants (B1 applies only to some people extending a visa they held before 8 January 2026)
- £1,270 in savings held for 28 days, unless your sponsor certifies it will cover you
What are the going rates for engineering occupation codes?
Every sponsored job is matched to a SOC 2020 occupation code. These are the codes automation, controls and maintenance roles usually fall into, with gov.uk's standard going rates (37.5-hour week). Euro figures use the ECB reference rate of 29 October 2026 (€1 = £0.83578), rounded.
| SOC code | Occupation | Skill level | Standard going rate | On Temporary Shortage List? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2123 | Electrical engineers | Higher | £58,700 (about €70,230) | No |
| 2125 | Production and process engineers | Higher | £45,000 (about €53,840) | No |
| 3113 | Engineering technicians | Medium | £42,500 (about €50,850) | Yes |
| 3112 | Electrical and electronics technicians | Medium | £39,300 (about €47,020) | Yes |
| 5223 | Metal working production and maintenance fitters | Medium | £39,300 (about €47,020) | Yes |
| 5241 | Electricians and electrical fitters | Medium | £38,800 (about €46,420) | Yes |
Two points to read with the table. First, the going rate is only one test: gov.uk lists no salary discount for the Temporary Shortage List, so the £41,700 general threshold still applies unless one of the "paid less" options fits. That means a 5241 electrician job at £38,800 would not usually qualify on its own. Second, the employer, not you, chooses the code, and it must match the real duties.
When does the Temporary Shortage List expire?
The Migration Advisory Committee's stage 1 report says an expiry date of 31 December 2026 has been set for occupations on the interim Temporary Shortage List and the Immigration Salary List. The committee placed 3112, 3113 and 5241 in the group going forward to its stage 2 review, which does not mean they will stay on the list. If your plan depends on a medium skilled technician or electrician code, check the gov.uk list again before you apply, and expect changes from January 2027.
How much does a Skilled Worker visa cost?
Fees as of 30 October 2026, per person, from gov.uk:
| Route | Requirement | Cost | Where to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker, applying from outside the UK | Licensed sponsor, eligible code, salary rules, B2 English | £819 (up to 3 years) or £1,618 (over 3 years), about €980 or €1,940 | gov.uk Skilled Worker costs |
| Skilled Worker, Immigration Salary List job | As above, job on that list | £628 or £1,235 | gov.uk, as above |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | Paid on top of the visa fee | £1,035 per year (about €1,240) | gov.uk surcharge |
| Graduate visa (after UK study only) | In the UK on a Student visa, course completed | £937 plus surcharge; 2 years if you apply by 31 December 2026, 18 months from 1 January 2027 | gov.uk Graduate visa |
| ETA (visits, not work) | Most European nationals | £20; lasts 2 years or until your passport expires | gov.uk ETA |
A three-year Skilled Worker visa from abroad therefore costs £819 plus £3,105 in surcharge, before savings and travel. Some employers pay part of this; ask.
How do you find employers who can sponsor you?
Only organisations on the Home Office register of licensed sponsors can issue a certificate of sponsorship. The register is a public file that gov.uk updates often (the latest version we checked was published on 30 October 2026). Being on it does not mean an employer sponsors every role, so ask early.
Our visa sponsor checker searches that register by company name, and visa sponsor jobs shows live UK engineering adverts from listed sponsors. For a longer explanation of how sponsorship works in this sector, read engineering jobs with visa sponsorship in the UK and PLC jobs with UK visa sponsorship.
What does a UK engineering CV look like?
UK CVs differ from many European ones. These are common UK practices rather than rules:
- No photo. Most UK employers do not expect one.
- No personal details. The National Careers Service advises leaving out your age, date of birth, marital status and nationality.
- Two pages for most experienced engineers, with recent projects first: PLC platforms (for example Siemens S7-1500, Allen-Bradley CompactLogix), sectors and your exact role.
- A right-to-work line, stated plainly: "I will need Skilled Worker sponsorship" or "I hold pre-settled status". Hiding it only wastes both sides' time.
Are EU qualifications recognised in the UK?
Most engineering employers judge experience more than certificates, but some ask for a formal comparison. UK ENIC issues a Statement of Comparability showing how a foreign qualification compares with UK levels. As of 30 October 2026 its cost page lists £69.60 including an e-statement, with about 15 working days once documents and payment are in. A separate Ecctis assessment is used if you prove English through a degree taught in English.
If you plan to work as an electrician, the ECS (Electrotechnical Certification Scheme) card matters on many sites. The ECS says applicants trained outside the UK must complete an Ecctis skills statement and the Electrotechnical Experienced Worker Assessment, which includes BS 7671 and the AM2E practical assessment, before an ECS gold card. Learn the UK wiring book first with our free BS 7671 courses.
What do UK automation jobs pay?
From the sources we checked:
- ITJobsWatch showed a £60,000 median (about €71,790) for permanent UK PLC Engineer adverts in the six months to 30 October 2026, from 153 adverts, with a 10th percentile of £42,500 and a 90th of £65,000.
- The ONS put the UK median for full-time employees at £40,911 (about €48,950) in April 2026, provisional.
For live advertised medians by role, use our UK engineering pay index, salary pages and the PLC engineer salary guide. Compare any offer with the £41,700 threshold and the going rate for its code before you resign from a European job.
Start free
Prepare before you apply: take a free course in our catalogue, such as Siemens TIA Portal (certificate optional at £19), practise on the browser 3D Lab, then search UK jobs and check each employer with the visa sponsor checker. The employer, and the Home Office, decide on sponsorship; we cannot.
