How to Move to the UK as a Software Engineer From India in 2026

The Short Answer

Indian software engineers usually move to the UK on a Skilled Worker visa, which needs a job offer from an employer on the Home Office Register of Licensed Sponsors. For most developer roles the salary must be at least £54,700 a year, the going rate for software developers, or £38,300 if you qualify as a new entrant such as a recent graduate or someone under 26. Once your employer assigns your Certificate of Sponsorship, you apply online and GOV.UK says most decisions from outside the UK arrive within 3 weeks.

Why UK Tech Companies Hire From India

India is one of the largest sources of Skilled Worker visa holders in the UK, and many of them work in software engineering, data and technology. The UK technology sector is genuinely global, and Indian engineers are well represented at every level from graduate developer to engineering director.

Companies ranging from FTSE 100 firms with large technology functions, to scale-up fintechs, to consultancies and SaaS businesses hold Home Office sponsor licences and hire internationally. For the full picture for Indian professionals, see our UK visa sponsorship hub for Indian professionals.

Is Your Role Eligible for a Skilled Worker Visa?

Your employer assigns an occupation code to your job, and that code decides whether the role is eligible and what you must be paid. Common technology codes in the Appendix Skilled Occupations include:

• Programmers and software development professionals (2134)

• IT business analysts, architects and systems designers (2133)

• Cyber security professionals (2135)

• IT quality and testing professionals (2136)

• IT network professionals (2137)

• IT project managers (2131)

• IT managers (2132)

• Information technology professionals not elsewhere classified (2139)

Data roles need care. Statistical data scientists are listed under 2433. Data analysts (3544) are classed as medium skilled, and GOV.UK says medium-skilled jobs only qualify if they are on the immigration salary list or the temporary shortage list. Always ask which code your employer will use.

Minimum Salary in 2026

GOV.UK says you usually need to be paid the higher of £41,700 a year or the going rate for your occupation code. For technology roles, the going rate is often the higher figure:

• Programmers and software developers (2134): £54,700

• IT business analysts, architects and systems designers (2133): £54,900

• Cyber security professionals (2135): £48,500

New entrants can be paid less. If you are under 26, on a Student or Graduate visa, or recently held one, you can be paid 70% of the going rate with a minimum of £33,400. For a software developer that is £38,300. Your total stay on this basis cannot be more than 4 years. See when you can be paid less on GOV.UK.

For these figures in rupees, read UK Skilled Worker salary thresholds explained in rupees.

Finding a UK Tech Job That Offers Visa Sponsorship

The most important step is finding an employer that holds a Home Office sponsor licence. Not all UK tech companies do, particularly smaller startups that have not hired internationally before.

Where to look:

• Verified sponsor jobs. Every listing on Hiredge visa sponsorship jobs comes from an employer on the Home Office register.

• Hiredge job alerts. Set up a free alert for software engineering roles and turn on the visa sponsorship filter. Every employer in your alert is checked against the register automatically.

• Large licensed sponsors. Accenture, Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, IBM, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Sky and Lloyds Bank all appear on the Home Office register. So do Indian IT firms such as TCS, Infosys and Wipro. See UK companies that sponsor Indian IT professionals and do Amazon, Deloitte and Accenture sponsor Indian applicants?

• Job boards. LinkedIn and other technology job boards are useful, but check every employer on the Sponsor Checker before you apply.

When reading job descriptions, phrases such as "we are unable to offer visa sponsorship" quickly rule a role out. But the absence of that phrase does not confirm that sponsorship is available, which is why checking the employer against the register matters.

Skills That UK Tech Employers Are Hiring For

While demand for software engineers is broad, some skills come up again and again in UK job adverts:

Cloud and infrastructure: AWS, Azure and Google Cloud experience is highly valued. Platform engineers, site reliability engineers and DevOps specialists are in demand across industries.

Data and AI: Machine learning engineers and data engineers with hands-on Python, SQL and cloud data platform experience.

Cyber security: Security operations, penetration testing and cloud security roles.

Full-stack web development: React, Node.js, TypeScript and Python remain common stacks.

Fintech: London is a major fintech hub. Experience with payments, financial data APIs or regulatory technology opens a strong set of opportunities.

The Application and Visa Process Step by Step

Step 1: Prepare Your CV and Documents

A UK CV is usually two pages in reverse chronological order. Start with a short professional summary, then your experience, then education. Leave out your photograph, date of birth and marital status, which are common on Indian CVs but not used in the UK.

Use Hiredge's CV tailoring tool to adapt your CV to each job description. UK employers often use applicant tracking systems that screen for keywords, so tailoring matters.

Step 2: Secure a Job Offer

Apply to licensed sponsors, attend interviews and negotiate your offer. Once you have a written offer, confirm the occupation code and salary, and get your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number in writing before you apply for your visa.

Never pay anyone for a job offer or a CoS. Read how to spot a fake UK job offer.

Step 3: Apply for the Skilled Worker Visa

You apply online through GOV.UK. You will usually need:

• Your CoS reference number

• A valid passport

• Proof of English at level B2, for example an approved English test or a degree taught in English that Ecctis confirms is equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree or higher

• At least £1,270 in savings held for 28 days in a row, unless your employer confirms on your CoS that it will cover your costs for your first month

• The application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge

GOV.UK says you will usually get a decision within 3 weeks when applying from outside the UK, and you may be able to pay for a faster decision. Full fees are on the GOV.UK costs page.

Step 4: Prepare for the Move

National Insurance number: Apply through GOV.UK once you are in the UK.

Bank account: Some digital banks let you start an application before you arrive. A UK account is needed for your salary.

Accommodation: Rents in London are much higher than in other UK tech hubs such as Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol and Leeds. Research the area near your office before you sign anything, and never send a deposit for a property you have not seen through a trusted agent or platform.

Already in the UK on a Graduate Visa?

If you studied in the UK, you do not need to leave to apply. You can switch to a Skilled Worker visa from inside the UK before your Graduate visa expires, usually on the lower new entrant salary. Read Graduate visa to Skilled Worker: a guide for Indian students and plan your timeline with the Graduate Visa Switch Planner.

How Hiredge Helps Indian Tech Professionals

Set up a free Hiredge job alert for your target role and location, and turn on the visa sponsorship filter. Every role in your alert has already been checked against the Home Office register.

Use Hiredge's CV tailoring tool to match your experience to each UK job description, and the cover letter generator to write a UK-style application letter.

Related Reading

• UK Visa Sponsorship Jobs for Indian Professionals

• UK Companies That Sponsor Indian IT Professionals

• UK Skilled Worker Salary Thresholds Explained in Rupees

• Graduate Visa to Skilled Worker: A Guide for Indian Students

• UK Technology Jobs With Visa Sponsorship

• What is a Certificate of Sponsorship?