What is SOC code 1161?

SOC code 1161 is the Standard Occupational Classification code for officers in armed forces. UK employers use it on a Certificate of Sponsorship to identify the job being sponsored.

Is occupation code 1161 eligible for the Skilled Worker visa?

No. Code 1161 is ineligible for the Skilled Worker route following the July 2025 skills threshold increase to RQF level 6.

SOC Code 1161: Officers in armed forces — Salary & Eligibility 2026

Occupation code 1161 covers officers in armed forces. On the UK Skilled Worker route this code is classed as Ineligible.

Is code 1161 eligible for sponsorship?

Occupation code 1161 is ineligible for the Skilled Worker route. Since the skills threshold rose to RQF level 6 on 22 July 2025, this occupation can no longer be sponsored, and no salary will make it eligible. Your options are to look at a more senior role that genuinely matches a different code, or at another visa route — see which jobs still qualify.

Salary requirement for code 1161

GOV.UK does not publish a going rate for this occupation code, which is normally the case for codes that cannot be sponsored. If your role is eligible under a different code, use that code's going rate instead.

Job titles under this code

GOV.UK lists the following related job titles for occupation code 1161. Your employer should choose the code that matches your actual duties, not your job title — different employers use different titles for the same work.

Army officers
Royal Air Force officers
Royal Marines officers
Royal Navy officers
Officers in armed forces not elsewhere classified

Which employers can sponsor this role?

Any employer holding a Skilled Worker sponsor licence can sponsor an eligible occupation — the licence is not granted per occupation code. What you need to check is that the employer appears on the Home Office register with the Skilled Worker route and an A rating.

Search over 125,000 licensed sponsor records on the UK sponsor list, filter by town on sponsors by city, or check a specific employer in the A–Z company directory.

Related occupation codes

Other codes in the same managers, directors and senior officials group:

Source: GOV.UK Skilled Worker visa: going rates for eligible occupation codes and eligible occupations tables, in force since 22 July 2025 and checked on 10 August 2026. This is general information, not legal advice — confirm the current position on GOV.UK before applying.