Bricklayer jobs in the UK can pay £25–£30 an hour, but that figure describes a specific person: an experienced, self-employed bricklayer working day rates on busy sites in London and the South East, often under the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) with no holiday pay, sick pay or pension behind it. A PAYE bricklayer employed by a housebuilder in the Midlands or the North earns more like £15–£20 an hour, which is still comfortably above the £12.71 National Living Wage and a solid trade income.
The visa side is where you need to read carefully. Bricklaying is an RQF level 3 trade, and since July 2025 the Skilled Worker visa normally requires RQF level 6. The only reason bricklayers can still be sponsored at all is the Temporary Shortage List, which keeps a limited set of construction and engineering occupations sponsorable while the list remains in force (currently to the end of 2026, with the Migration Advisory Committee reviewing it). At the time of writing bricklayers and masons appear on that list, but you must confirm the current position on GOV.UK before relying on it, and new applicants under the list cannot bring dependants.
How much do bricklayers really earn across the UK?
Pay depends on three things: whether you are employed or self-employed, where you work, and whether you are paid by the hour, by the day or by the thousand bricks (price work). The ranges below reflect typical 2026 advertisements and industry rate surveys; check current listings because rates move with housebuilding demand.
| Region / arrangement | Typical rate (2026) | Approximate annual equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| London and South East, self-employed day rate | £220–£280 per day (£27–£35/hour) | £50,000–£62,000 if fully booked |
| London, PAYE employed | £18–£23 per hour | £37,000–£48,000 |
| Midlands and East, self-employed | £180–£230 per day | £40,000–£52,000 |
| North of England, Scotland, Wales, PAYE | £15–£19 per hour | £31,000–£40,000 |
| Price work (per 1,000 bricks) | Roughly £400–£600 depending on region and spec | Varies widely |
| Improver / newly qualified | £13–£16 per hour | £27,000–£33,000 |
| Apprentice (year 1–2) | Apprentice minimum wage upwards; many employers pay more | £16,000–£24,000 |
“Fully booked” is doing a lot of work in that first row. Self-employed bricklayers lose days to weather, between-job gaps and sickness, so an honest annual figure for a busy London brickie is nearer £45,000–£55,000 than the £62,000 the daily rate implies.
Day rates, PAYE and CIS: what the difference means for you
Most UK bricklayers on larger sites are self-employed subcontractors paid under the Construction Industry Scheme. The contractor deducts 20% tax at source (30% if you are not registered with HMRC) and you file a Self Assessment return each year to reclaim any overpayment and claim expenses. You have no employment rights, no paid holiday and no employer pension, and you buy your own tools, van and public liability insurance.
A PAYE job with a housebuilder or a regional contractor pays a lower hourly rate but adds 28 days’ holiday, employer pension contributions, sick pay and stability. For visa purposes this distinction is decisive: a Skilled Worker visa can only be held through an employer who directly employs you. A sponsor cannot sponsor you as a self-employed CIS subcontractor, so the £25–£30 day-rate world is largely closed to someone who needs sponsorship until they have settled status.
- CIS self-employed: higher headline rate, 20% tax deducted at source, no benefits, must have the right to work independently of any employer.
- PAYE employed: lower rate, full employment rights, the only arrangement compatible with sponsorship.
- Agency work: common for short contracts; agencies can be sponsors in theory but rarely are for trades, and the Home Office does not allow sponsors to supply workers to third parties as labour.
Qualifications and cards you need on site
CSCS card
Almost every UK site requires a Construction Skills Certification Scheme card. To get a Blue Skilled Worker card as a bricklayer you need an NVQ or SVQ Level 2 in Trowel Occupations plus a pass in the CITB Health, Safety and Environment test. Foreign qualifications are not accepted directly; you either complete an NVQ Level 2 through on-site assessment (often three to six months with an assessor visiting you at work) or obtain a comparison statement and go through the Experienced Worker route.
NVQ Level 2 and Level 3
Level 2 is the standard qualification for a working bricklayer. Level 3 covers complex masonry, arches, decorative work and supervision, and helps when applying for Gold card or site supervisor roles. Colleges across the UK offer both, and experienced workers can be assessed on site rather than attending classes.
Health and safety
The CITB test, manual handling, working at height and abrasive wheels training are routinely expected. Some employers also want a PASMA or IPAF certificate for scaffolding and access platforms.
Who hires bricklayers, and who can sponsor?
The large national housebuilders, regional contractors, brickwork subcontractors and specialist heritage masonry firms all employ bricklayers. The major housebuilders and Tier 1 contractors generally hold sponsor licences because they also sponsor engineers and site managers; many brickwork subcontractors do not. Check the Register of Licensed Sponsors on GOV.UK for the exact legal entity on your contract. Our guide to construction jobs in Leeds shows how this plays out in one busy regional market, and visa sponsorship jobs in Scotland covers Scottish rates and tax.
When an employer sponsors a bricklayer under the Temporary Shortage List they must still pay at least the going rate for the occupation code or the relevant threshold, whichever is higher, and the hours must be full time. Expect sponsored roles to sit around £31,000–£40,000 a year on PAYE rather than the day-rate figures.
How to apply for a sponsored bricklayer job: step by step
- Confirm the occupation is still on the Temporary Shortage List on GOV.UK and note the going rate for the SOC code covering bricklayers and masons.
- Prepare evidence of experience: references from previous contractors, photographs of completed work, any trade certificates, and a short video of you laying to a line if you can.
- Pass an approved English test at B2 (IELTS for UKVI, PTE Academic UKVI or an equivalent) unless you are from an exempt country.
- Target licensed sponsors only. Search housebuilder and contractor career pages, CITB’s Go Construct resources, and job boards such as Indeed, Totaljobs and CV-Library, then verify each employer on the sponsor register.
- Be upfront in your application that you need Skilled Worker sponsorship; employers who cannot sponsor will say so immediately and save you time.
- Receive a Certificate of Sponsorship, apply online, pay the visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (£1,035 per year), and attend a biometrics appointment.
- On arrival, sit the CITB test, apply for your CSCS card through the appropriate route, open a bank account and register for a National Insurance number.
Alternatives if sponsorship is not available
If the list is withdrawn or you cannot find a sponsor, these are the honest alternatives rather than paying an agent for a promise.
- Youth Mobility Scheme: for 18–30s (18–35 for some countries) from participating nations, two to three years with no sponsor required; you can work self-employed on day rates.
- Dependant visas: partners of Skilled Worker, student and other visa holders usually have full work rights, including self-employment.
- Settled or pre-settled status for EU citizens and their family members under the EU Settlement Scheme.
- Ireland and the Common Travel Area: Irish citizens can work freely in the UK.
- Other countries’ trade routes: Australia’s Skills in Demand visa and Canada’s trades-focused Express Entry draws list bricklayers more consistently than the UK does.
Costs, insurance and money basics for a bricklayer moving to the UK
Budget realistically before you arrive. A sponsored PAYE bricklayer needs the visa fee (several hundred pounds), the health surcharge paid up front for the full visa length, a flight, a rental deposit of up to five weeks’ rent and a month’s rent in advance, plus two months of living costs. Tools and boots run £300–£800 if the employer does not supply them. Self-employed bricklayers also need public liability insurance (typically a few hundred pounds a year for £1–£2 million cover), a van, and ideally income protection because there is no sick pay. Your UK credit file starts empty, so a basic bank account and a mobile contract paid on time are the first building blocks towards a car loan or mortgage. For cheaper rents outside London see cheap UK housing for immigrants. This is general information, not financial advice.
Red flags for trade workers
Bricklaying is a favourite of visa unofficial agent networks because the day rates look attractive and the trade is on a shortage list. No genuine employer charges you for a job offer or a Certificate of Sponsorship; selling one is a criminal offence. Be wary of adverts promising “£30/hour bricklayer jobs with free visa, no experience needed”, of employers not on the GOV.UK sponsor register, of requests to pay “visa processing” fees to an individual, and of job offers that arrive without an interview or any check of your skills. For immigration advice use only an Immigration Advice Authority registered adviser or a solicitor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I be sponsored as a bricklayer without an NVQ?
Immigration rules do not require an NVQ; the employer decides whether you are skilled enough, and your experience is what they assess. Site access is a different matter: you will need a CSCS card to work on most sites, and that requires an NVQ Level 2 or equivalent, which you can complete on the job after arrival.
Why cannot I work day rates on a Skilled Worker visa?
The visa ties you to the sponsoring employer and the job on your Certificate of Sponsorship. Self-employment, including CIS subcontracting, is not permitted as your main work. Supplementary work for another employer is allowed within limits, but it must be employed, not self-employed.
What happens if the Temporary Shortage List is withdrawn while I am in the UK?
Changes generally apply to new applications, not to visas already granted, but extension rules can change. Keep a record of the rules in force when your visa was granted and check GOV.UK before each extension; an adviser can confirm transitional arrangements.
Are there bricklayer apprenticeships for foreigners?
Apprenticeships are open to anyone with the right to work in the UK, but they do not come with sponsorship. Dependants, Youth Mobility participants and settled residents can and do take them; applicants abroad cannot be sponsored for an apprenticeship.
How quickly can I earn £25–£30 an hour?
Typically after several years of UK site experience, a Gold or Blue CSCS card, a reputation with local contractors and the ability to work self-employed. That last point usually means waiting until you hold settlement or a visa without employer restrictions.
Bottom line
Bricklayer jobs in the UK pay well by trade standards, and the £25–£30 an hour headline is real for experienced, self-employed bricklayers in the South East. Sponsorship is possible only while bricklayers stay on the Temporary Shortage List, only through a PAYE employer with a licence, and only without dependants. Verify the list, verify the sponsor, get your English test and CSCS route sorted, and treat any “pay us and the visa is guaranteed” offer as the misleading offers it almost certainly is.