Metal working machine operatives
SOC 8120 · Process, Plant and Machine Operatives
Going rate data not available for this occupation.
Salary vs Visa Threshold
10th Percentile
£22,610.00
25th Percentile
£26,355.00
Median Salary
£31,344.00
75th Percentile
£38,689.00
Skilled Worker Sponsors
118,283 active employers are licensed to sponsor Skilled Worker visas.
003 Ltd
A
007 Taxi Limited
A
0086 Ltd
A
00Nation Limited
A
012 Global Ltd
A
01 ACCOUNTING SERVICES LTD
A
023 LTD
A
09 Care Limited
A
0xA Technologies Ltd
A
1000heads Ltd
A
1000 Trades Limited
A
100% HALAL MEAT STORES LTD
A
100 Percent Cornwall Ltd
A
100Starlings Ltd
A
10:10 Games Limited
A
10/10 MEDICAL LIMITED
A
1010 Restaurant @ The Blacksmiths arms
A
101 A+D Ltd.
A
101 Byres Road Limited
A
101 Harley Street LTD
A
Showing 20 of 118,283 sponsors. Search all →
Top Cities for Sponsorship
Cities with the most Skilled Worker sponsors.
1
London
Sponsors
33,777
2
Birmingham
Sponsors
2,877
3
Manchester
Sponsors
2,705
4
Leicester
Sponsors
1,334
5
Glasgow
Sponsors
1,229
6
Bristol
Sponsors
1,187
7
Edinburgh
Sponsors
1,060
8
Leeds
Sponsors
1,013
9
Nottingham
Sponsors
982
10
Ilford
Sponsors
911
Skilled Worker Visa Trend
Latest data: 2025 Q4
Visas Granted
13,795
Refused
1,718
Approval Rate
84.34%
YoY Change
-25.3%
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Chemical and related process operatives
Median
£33,531.00
Routine inspectors and testers
Median
£33,982.00
Water and sewerage plant operatives
Median
£39,057.00
Energy plant operatives
Process operatives n.e.c.
Median
£30,843.00
Paper and wood machine operatives
Median
£29,640.00
Mining and quarry workers and related operatives
Median
£38,301.00
Printing machine assistants
Median
£29,657.00
Plant and machine operatives n.e.c.
Median
£29,142.00
Assemblers (electrical and electronic products)
Median
£28,241.00
Assemblers (vehicles and metal goods)
Median
£31,041.00
Weighers, graders and sorters
Median
£29,141.00
Tyre, exhaust and windscreen fitters
Median
£30,429.00
Sewing machinists
Median
£22,767.00
Assemblers and routine operatives n.e.c.
Median
£26,975.00
Scaffolders, stagers and riggers
Median
£40,797.00
Road construction operatives
Median
£38,315.00
Rail construction and maintenance operatives
Median
£44,445.00
Construction operatives n.e.c.
Median
£30,237.00
Food, drink and tobacco process operatives
Median
£27,267.00
Production, factory and assembly supervisors
Median
£35,092.00
Textile process operatives
Median
£25,572.00
Plastics process operatives
Median
£29,644.00
Metal making and treating process operatives
Median
£31,893.00
Frequently Asked Questions
How many UK employers sponsor Metal working machine operatives roles?
There are currently 118,283 active UK employers licensed to sponsor Skilled Worker visas.
Note: not all sponsors actively recruit for every SOC code — the count reflects total Skilled Worker licence holders.
Which UK cities have the most sponsorship opportunities?
The top cities by number of Skilled Worker sponsors are:
London (33,777), Birmingham (2,877), Manchester (2,705), Leicester (1,334), Glasgow (1,229).