5221 — Metal machining setters and setter-operators

SOC 2020 code 5221 (Metal machining setters and setter-operators) is an eligible occupation for the UK Skilled Worker visa. The 2026 minimum salary threshold for this code is £34,600 per year.

Key facts

SOC 2020 code

5221

Job title

Metal machining setters and setter-operators

2026 going rate (annual)

£34,600

Route eligibility

Skilled Worker (and Health & Care Worker where applicable)

SOC 2020 classification

Every four-digit SOC 2020 code sits inside a three-level parent hierarchy maintained by the Office for National Statistics. Metal machining setters and setter-operators belongs to:

1. 5

   Major group

   SKILLED TRADES OCCUPATIONS

2. 52

   Sub-major group

   SKILLED METAL, ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC TRADES

3. 522

   Minor group

   Metal Machining, Fitting and Instrument Making Trades

4. 5221

   Unit group

   Metal machining setters and setter-operators

Source: ONS Standard Occupational Classification 2020, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Finding sponsors hiring for this code

Sponsors do not publish their per-SOC hiring plans in the public register — they only publish the visa routes they hold a licence for. To find sponsors who realistically recruit for metal machining setters and setter-operators:

1. Use the search box to look for employers in your sector that hold a Skilled Worker licence.
2. Filter by Skilled Worker or, where applicable, Health & Care Worker.
3. Apply through each sponsor’s standard recruitment channel and ask early whether the role is open to sponsorship.

Related reading

• How SOC 2020 codes work
• 2026 salary thresholds — full breakdown

SOC 2020 reference data is refreshed annually from ONS each April. Salary thresholds are reviewed annually by the Migration Advisory Committee and re-ingested at the same time. Always verify against the original GOV.UK / ONS publications before relying on this information for a visa application.