UK Skilled Worker: switching jobs and changing employer

Skilled Workers must update their visa before starting a new sponsored job with a different employer or a job in a different occupation code. The application is made online through the UKVI account system, using the new Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) issued by the new employer. You cannot start the new role until the Home Office confirms the updated permission.

When an update is not required: Promotions or internal role changes within the same employer and same occupation code do not require a visa update, as long as the salary still meets the threshold. Changes to a different occupation code within the same employer generally do require an update.

The key timing rule: you can apply up to 3 months before the new job start date. If you apply from inside the UK, you remain on your current Skilled Worker conditions while the application is pending (section 3C protection). This means you can continue working for your current employer until the new visa is granted. Do not resign from your current role until the new application is submitted or ideally until it is approved, as a gap in sponsored employment could create complications.

Skilled Worker visa holders changing employer, changing occupation code, adding substantial second employment, or moving from Student or Graduate Route to Skilled Worker sponsorship.

This guide is also for HR teams managing sponsorship changes for existing employees who are moving to a new role within the same organisation or moving to a different employer. If you are managing a pipeline of sponsorship changes, track the key dates: when the previous employment ends, when the new CoS is assigned, when the visa application is submitted, and when the new role can lawfully begin.

• Health and Care Worker visa holders — different rules and reduced application fees apply.
• Global Talent or Innovator Founder visa holders — switching to Skilled Worker is a separate route change, not a same-route update.
• Workers whose new role is with the same employer in the same occupation code — no update needed as long as the salary threshold is still met.

The new employer must assign a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) through the sponsor management system before you can apply. The CoS confirms the job title, occupation code (SOC 2020), salary, and that the employer holds a valid sponsor licence. Check that the occupation code is correct — a wrong code is a common refusal reason. The role must be at RQF level 3 or above (most graduate roles are RQF 6).

The new role must meet both the general salary threshold and the going rate for the specific occupation code. As of 2026, the general threshold is typically GBP 38,700 per year (check current rates). If the going rate for the occupation code is higher than the general threshold, the going rate applies. Some transitional rules allow lower rates for new entrants or workers switching from the Graduate Route. The two-test system means that even if the offered salary exceeds the general threshold of GBP 38,700, the application can still be refused if the salary falls below the going rate for the specific occupation code listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations. For example, a software engineer with a salary of GBP 40,000 meets the general threshold but may fall short of the going rate for SOC 2135 if the published rate for that code is significantly higher than the current general threshold set by the Home Office for the Skilled Worker route in 2026. Always check both figures against the live Home Office salary tables before accepting a job offer. If the salary is close to the threshold but below the going rate, consider whether the role qualifies for a new entrant discount or a healthcare exemption that would lower the applicable going rate for the specific occupation code and make the application eligible for approval under the tradeable points system that governs the Skilled Worker route.

Tradeable points can fill a salary gap in certain circumstances. Workers who do not meet the standard salary threshold can still qualify if they earn at least GBP 30,960 per year and have a PhD relevant to the job, or a job in a shortage occupation, or are new entrants (including recent graduates switching from the Graduate Route). The tradeable points system allows up to 10 additional points for these attributes, which can bridge the gap between the offered salary and the standard threshold. Workers should check whether their occupation appears on the Immigration Salary List or shortage occupation list before accepting a job offer below the standard threshold, because a shortage occupation designation can make the difference between a qualifying and non-qualifying salary for the visa application.

Once the Home Office approves the update application, the new permission is typically granted for the remaining period of the original Skilled Worker visa, plus any additional time that reflects the new sponsorship. The new visa start date is the date of the decision, not the date of the new job start. This means the settlement clock resets for the new permission period — the 5-year continuous residence requirement for indefinite leave to remain is calculated from the date the new Skilled Worker permission is granted, unless the worker can combine time from the previous Skilled Worker permission under the continuous residence rules that allow aggregation of time spent on different grants of permission in the same route.

Workers should update their UKVI account with the new visa details and confirm that their employer has updated the sponsor licence records to reflect the change. Keep copies of the new decision letter, the new CoS, and any correspondence with the Home Office. These records are essential for future settlement applications, because UKVI will ask for evidence of continuous lawful residence and compliance with the conditions of the Skilled Worker permission throughout the entire period claimed toward the 5-year qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom under the Skilled Worker route.

You can apply up to 3 months before the new job start date. Do not start the new role until the Home Office confirms permission. Processing typically takes 8 weeks from inside the UK. Apply early enough to allow processing time before the planned start date. If you apply from inside the UK, you can remain while the application is pending (section 3C protection), which means your current visa conditions (including work rights for your current employer) continue until a decision is made.

If your current employment ends before the new application is approved, you have a gap in sponsored employment. In most cases, a short gap (up to 60 days) is permissible — Skilled Workers who stop working for a previous sponsor have a 60-day grace period to find a new sponsor or make arrangements to leave the UK. If the gap exceeds 60 days, the curtailment of leave rules may apply. Plan the timing so that the new application is submitted before or immediately after the previous employment ends.

New entrants switching from the Graduate Route: apply before the Graduate Route expires. If the Graduate Route has more than 3 months remaining, start the Skilled Worker application process early. The CoS must be assigned, the application must be submitted, and the biometrics must be completed before the Graduate Route expiry to maintain continuous lawful residence. If the Graduate Route expires before the Skilled Worker application is decided, section 3C protection maintains your lawful status, but you cannot start the new job until the Skilled Worker is approved.

Starting the new job too early. Working before permission is confirmed is a breach of conditions. Even if the application is ultimately approved, working before the decision date is technically working without permission. Employers who knowingly allow this risk their sponsor licence. Do not start work until you have the decision email or letter from UKVI.

Travelling while the application is pending. Leaving the Common Travel Area (UK, Ireland, Isle of Man, Channel Islands) while the application is pending withdraws the application. This includes short trips to Europe. If you must travel, wait until the application is decided. If you travel while the application is pending, you will need to start the entire process again, including a new CoS.

Assuming dependants update automatically. Dependants who were granted permission based on your previous sponsored employment must update their own visa records when you change jobs. They do not automatically receive updated permission. Include dependant details in the new application or apply for them separately. If dependants are not included, they will still hold permission linked to the previous sponsorship, which may cause issues at the border or when applying for benefits or services.

Salary below the correct threshold. The new role must meet both the general threshold and the occupation-specific going rate. The going rate for the new occupation code may be higher than the previous one. If the salary is below the going rate, the application will be refused. Check both figures against the live Home Office tables before accepting a job offer, not after.

Wrong occupation code. An incorrect SOC code on the CoS leads to refusal. The new employer must assign the correct code for the new role. If the new role has the same SOC code as the old one but different duties, confirm that the code still matches the primary duties. Read the SOC 2020 occupation descriptions before the CoS is assigned. If the employer is unsure which code to use, they can consult the SOC 2020 guidance on the Office for National Statistics website.