You will need to ensure you meet the minimum salary requirements your visa is applying for Less Than Full Time (LTFT) training.

You will need to meet the minimum salary requirements of either £20,960 or £23,200 per annum depending on when your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) was issued. This is calculated as a percentage of the going rate. The ‘going rate’ is the basic salary as outlined in the NHS Medical and Dental pay scales.

If your Certificate of Sponsorship was issued before the immigration rules changed on 4 April 2024

If your Certificate of Sponsorship was issued before the immigration rules changed on 4 April 2024, you will need to meet the minimum salary requirements £20,960 per annum.

If your Certificate of Sponsorship was issued or extended after 4 April 2024

If your Certificate of Sponsorship was issued after 4 April 2024, you will need to meet the new minimum salary requirements of £23,200 per annum. This includes where you are extending your Certificate of Sponsorship.

Minimum hours based on current pay scales

The tables below provide a guide, based on current Dental pay scales, on the minimum hours required for a full year* to meet salary requirement of £20,960 or £23,200 per annum.

Dental minimum required hours

*If working part of a year at full time and part of a year at LTFT the total salary for the year must equate to a minimum salary requirement of either £20,960 or £23,200 per annum.

Situation 1 – where your Certificate of Sponsorship was issued before 4 April 2024

Dental FT
Going rate/Basic salary £38,742
Minimum hours to meet salary requirement of £20,960 per annum 55% or 19.5 hours
Salary per annum £21,308
Dental CT1/2
Going rate/Basic salary £43,923
Minimum hours to meet salary requirement of £20,960 per annum 48% or 16.8 hours
Salary per annum £21,083
Dental CT3
Going rate/Basic salary £55,329
Minimum hours to meet salary requirement of £20,960 per annum 38% or 13.3 hours
Salary per annum £21,025
Dental ST 1/2/3
Going rate/Basic salary £55,329
Minimum hours to meet salary requirement of £20,960 per annum 38% or 13.3 hours 
Salary per annum £21,025
Dental ST 4/5/6/7/8
Going rate/Basic salary £63,152
Minimum hours to meet salary requirement of £20,960 per annum 34% or 11.9 hours 
Salary per annum £21,471 

Situation 2 – where your Certificate of Sponsorship was issued or extended after 4 April 2024

Dental FT
Going rate/Basic salary £38,742
Minimum hours to meet salary requirement of £23,200 per annum 60% or 21 hours
Salary per annum £23,245
Dental CT1/2
Going rate/Basic salary £43,923
Minimum hours to meet salary requirement of £23,200 per annum 53% or 18.5 hours
Salary per annum £23,279
Dental CT3
Going rate/Basic salary £55,329
Minimum hours to meet salary requirement of £23,200 per annum 42% or 14.7 hours
Salary per annum £23,238
Dental ST 1/2/3
Going rate/Basic salary £55,329
Minimum hours to meet salary requirement of £23,200 per annum 42% or 14.7 hours
Salary per annum £23,238
Dental ST 4/5/6/7/8
Going rate/Basic salary £63,152
Minimum hours to meet salary requirement of £23,200 per annum 37% or 13 hours
Salary per annum £23,366

Getting approval

While you may be able to reduce your hours to meet sponsorship requirements, LTFT hours will need to be approved by your local HEE Office and/or Trust. 

For more information on this please visit the United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) website.

Reporting form

You will also need to complete the Reporting Form after your LTFT is approved and before it commences.

Page last reviewed: 10 April 2024
Next review due: 10 April 2025