Skilled Worker Visa

What is the UK Skilled Worker visa?

The Skilled Worker visa lets you live in the UK and work in an eligible job for an employer the Home Office has approved. It is the main work visa for people from outside the UK and Ireland. It opened on 1 December 2020 and replaced the old Tier 2 (General) visa.

The visa rests on one idea: a UK employer wants to hire you for a skilled job and is willing to sponsor you. Sponsorship means the employer takes legal responsibility for your visa. The employer must hold a sponsor licence, pay extra charges, and report to the Home Office if you stop working there.

The visa is tied to that employer and that job. You cannot simply move to another company. If you want to change employer, you make a new application. If you lose the job, you have a short time to find a new sponsor or leave the UK.

In return, the visa offers a lot:

•      You can stay for up to five years at a time

•      You can extend as many times as you like while you still qualify

•      Many holders can bring a partner and children

•      You can use the National Health Service

•      You can apply to settle in the UK after enough years

The rules have changed more in the last two years than at any time since the route opened. The skill level went up in July 2025. Salary thresholds rose. The English standard rose in January 2026. Care worker recruitment from abroad closed. More changes to settlement are planned.

Much of what you read online is out of date. This guide uses the rules in force in October 2026 and tells you where to check each one. It covers who qualifies, what the job and salary must look like, what it costs, how to apply, and how to move from the visa to settlement and British citizenship.

The requirements at a glance

You need a confirmed job offer from an approved UK employer before you can apply. Everything else follows from that offer. The official overview is on the GOV.UK Skilled Worker visa page.

The visa is part of the UK points system, and you need 70 points. In practice you do not count points yourself. If your job, sponsor, salary and English all meet the rules, you have the points.

What you do not need

•      A degree. The job must be at a skilled level, but the rules test the job, not your certificates. Your employer decides if you can do it. Regulated professions such as medicine, nursing and teaching still need the right UK registration.

•      A UK address before you apply.

•      A minimum number of years of experience.

•      To be in any particular country. You can apply from anywhere, or switch from most visas inside the UK.

Who the visa suits

The visa works well for people who have, or can get, a graduate level job offer with a UK employer that sponsors workers. Common fields are technology, engineering, finance, healthcare, teaching, science and architecture.

It is a poor fit for people who want to freelance, start a business, or move freely between employers. Those people should look at the Global Talent or Innovator Founder visas instead.

Is yours job eligible?

Your job must be on the official list of eligible occupations, and since 22 July 2025 most new applicants need a job at graduate level. The rules are on the GOV.UK “Your job” page.

Occupation codes

The Home Office does not judge your job by its title. It uses a four digit occupation code. Every type of job in the UK has one. For example, programmers and software developers are code 2134, and nurses fall under codes starting 223.

Your employer chooses the code and writes it on your certificate of sponsorship. The code decides three things: whether the job is eligible, what the going rate is, and whether any discount applies.

You can look up a code yourself with the CASCOT tool, which GOV.UK links to. Match the duties, not the title. Similar sounding jobs can have different codes. Bricklayers and carpenters are eligible, for example, while construction labourers are not.

The code must match the work you will really do. If the Home Office believes the employer picked a code that does not fit, or made the role look more senior than it is, it can refuse the visa.

Higher skilled and medium skilled jobs

The table of eligible jobs marks each code as higher skilled or medium skilled.

Higher skilled jobs are at graduate level (called RQF level 6). Examples are engineers, software developers, doctors, nurses, accountants, architects, scientists and secondary school teachers. If your code is higher skilled, you can apply.

Medium skilled jobs sit below graduate level (RQF levels 3 to 5). Examples are many technician, trade and supervisor roles. Until July 2025 these were widely eligible. Now you can apply for a medium skilled job only if one of these is true:

•      The job is on the immigration salary list

•      The job is on the temporary shortage list

•      You are extending your visa and got your first certificate of sponsorship before 22 July 2025

•      You are a prison officer extending or switching, under a time limited exception

Jobs below RQF level 3 have never been eligible.

The two lists

The immigration salary list names skilled jobs the UK is short of. A job on this list has a lower salary floor and a lower visa fee. Some jobs are listed only for certain parts of the UK, so check the entry for where you will work.

The temporary shortage list was created in July 2025. It keeps the route open for certain medium skilled jobs that matter to the UK's industrial plans or major building projects. As the name says, it is temporary. Entries have end dates and the list is under review.

Both lists change. Check them on GOV.UK on the day your employer assigns your certificate.

People who get their first visa for a medium skilled job on these lists face one large limit: they cannot bring a partner or children as dependants. The family section below explains this.

Care workers

Care worker and senior care worker roles (codes 6135 and 6136) are closed to new recruitment from abroad. That change took effect on 22 July 2025.

People already in the UK on this route can still extend. Some people already working in care in the UK can still switch into the route for a limited period. If you are abroad and someone offers you a sponsored care job, treat it as a warning sign of a scam.

The job must be genuine

The role must be a real vacancy. The Home Office refuses applications where it believes the job was created mainly to get someone a visa, or where the employer does not really need the role. Expect questions if the business is very small, the salary looks high for the duties, or you are related to the owner.

Visa Sponsorship

Only an employer with a Home Office sponsor licence can hire you on this visa. Finding that employer is the hardest part for most applicants.

The sponsor licence

A sponsor licence is the Home Office's permission for an organisation to hire workers from abroad. To get one, an employer must show that it is a real, lawful business and that it has systems to track its sponsored workers.

The licence fee is £611 for small businesses and charities and £1,682 for medium and large organisations. A decision usually takes about eight weeks. If an employer wants to hire you but has no licence, it can apply for one, and you wait.

The Home Office publishes the register of licensed sponsors. It lists every approved employer, its location and the routes it can sponsor. Before you accept an offer, check that the employer is on the register, has an A rating, and is licensed for the Skilled Worker route.

The certificate of sponsorship

Once an employer decides to hire you, it assigns you a certificate of sponsorship, usually shortened to CoS. This is an electronic record with a reference number. You do not receive a paper document.

The certificate records:

•      Your name and passport details

•      Your job title, duties and occupation code

•      Your salary and weekly hours

•      Your start and end dates

•      Whether the employer will cover your support costs for the first month

You enter the reference number in your visa application. Two timing rules apply. You must apply within three months of the date the certificate was assigned. You cannot apply more than three months before your start date.

Read your certificate details carefully before you apply. A wrong salary, code or date on the certificate can lead to refusal, and only the employer can correct it.

What sponsorship costs the employer

For a five year sponsorship, a large employer pays £6,600 in skills charge alone. This cost explains why some employers are slow to sponsor, and why they prefer candidates they are sure about.

The employer must pay these charges itself. It is not allowed to recover the licence fee, the certificate fee or the skills charge from you. An employer that asks you to pay them, directly or through pay deductions, is breaking the sponsor rules and can lose its licence.

No real sponsor charges you for a job offer or a certificate. If an agent or employer asks for payment in return for sponsorship, walk away.

The employer's duties

Your sponsor must keep records about you and report certain events to the Home Office. These include your failing to start work, long unexplained absences, major changes to your job or pay, and your leaving the job.

This affects you directly. If the Home Office takes away your employer's licence, your visa is normally cut short, even if you did nothing wrong. You then have a limited time to find a new sponsor. Choosing a stable, well run sponsor reduces this risk.

How to find a sponsoring employer

1.     Start from the register. Search it for employers in your field and location, then check their careers pages.

2.     Use job sites with a sponsorship filter. Many large job boards let you search for roles that offer visa sponsorship. NHS Jobs and Civil Service Jobs state sponsorship terms in each advert.

3.     Target sectors that sponsor often. These include the NHS, universities, technology firms, engineering companies, large banks and the big accounting firms.

4.     Ask early. Raise sponsorship in the first conversation with a recruiter. It saves time for both sides.

5.     Check the salary against the rules first. An offer below the threshold for your job cannot be sponsored, however keen the employer is.

Salary rules

Most new applicants must be paid at least £41,700 a year, or the going rate for their job if that is higher. Lower figures apply to some groups, with a floor of £33,400 outside health and education. This is the part of the visa people most often get wrong.

Two tests, and you must pass both

Test 1: the general threshold. This is a single figure for the whole route. The standard figure is £41,700 a year.

Test 2: the going rate. Every occupation code has its own going rate, based on what UK workers in that job earn. The Home Office publishes these in the going rates table.

Your salary must reach whichever is higher.

Suppose your offer is £42,000 and the going rate for your code is £45,000. You clear the general threshold but miss the going rate, so you do not qualify. Suppose instead the going rate is £36,000. Now the general threshold is the higher figure, and £42,000 passes.

What counts as salary

Only guaranteed basic pay before tax counts. The Home Office normally ignores:

•      Bonuses and commission

•      Overtime that is not guaranteed

•      Allowances for housing, travel or relocation

•      Benefits such as pension contributions or health insurance

•      Shares and share options

Going rates are set for a standard working week and are adjusted if you work more or fewer hours. The general threshold is not reduced for part time work. There is also a minimum hourly rate, so long weekly hours cannot be used to reach the annual figure on low hourly pay.

When you can be paid less

Several groups can qualify on a lower salary. Each has its own floor and its own share of the going rate. The details are on the GOV.UK “When you can be paid less” page.

New entrants

The new entrant discount helps people at the start of their career. You qualify if any one of these applies:

•      You are under 26 on the day you apply

•      You are in the UK on a Student visa at degree level or above, or were within the last two years

•      You are in the UK on a Graduate visa, or were within the last two years

•      You will be working towards a recognised qualification in a UK regulated profession

•      You will be working towards full registration or chartered status in your job

There is a time limit. Your total stay as a new entrant cannot pass four years, and time on a Graduate visa counts towards it. After that, you must meet the full salary rules to extend. Plan for a pay rise before year four ends.

PhD holders

A PhD only helps if it is relevant to the job and the job is on the list of codes that allow the PhD discount. Your employer confirms the relevance. A doctorate from outside the UK must be checked by Ecctis, the UK body that compares qualifications.

Health and education jobs

Nurses, doctors, midwives, paramedics, teachers and some other roles follow national pay scales. For these jobs the salary must be at least £25,000, and at least the pay scale rate for the role and area. This applies in the private sector too.

People already on the route

If you got your first certificate of sponsorship before 4 April 2024 and have held the visa ever since, older and lower thresholds can still apply when you extend or change job. GOV.UK has a separate page for this group. These protections are time limited, so check them before each application.

Keeping your salary up

The salary on your certificate is a floor for the life of the visa. Your employer cannot cut your pay below the level that qualified you, apart from limited cases such as parental leave or sick leave. A pay cut outside those cases must be reported and can end your visa.

English language

New applicants must prove English at level B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening. The level rose from B1 on 8 January 2026. The rules are on the GOV.UK “Knowledge of English” page.

B2 is an upper intermediate level. A person at B2 can follow the main ideas of complex text, take part in discussion in their own field, and speak with native speakers without strain on either side. It is roughly the level many universities ask of international students.

Four ways to prove it

1.     A UK school qualification. A GCSE, A level, or Scottish National 4 or 5, Higher or Advanced Higher in English, from a course you began before you were 18.

2.     A degree from a UK institution. The degree must have been taught in English. It counts even if you studied outside the UK.

3.     A degree taught in English from outside the UK. You apply to Ecctis for an assessment. Ecctis confirms that the degree equals a UK bachelor's degree or higher and was taught in English, then gives you a reference code for your application.

4.     An approved English test. You pass a Secure English Language Test with an approved provider at an approved test centre. Only tests on the Home Office list count. A standard academic test taken for university entry may not be the right version, so check before you book.

The Ecctis route is popular because many applicants already hold a degree taught in English. Allow a few weeks for it and expect a fee.

Who is exempt

You do not need to prove English if you are a citizen of one of these countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, or the USA. Citizens of the British overseas territories are also exempt.

The list is based on citizenship, not on where you studied or lived. Countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, India, Pakistan, Kenya and South Africa are not on it, even though English is widely used there. Applicants from those countries normally use a degree with Ecctis or a test.

Doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives and vets do not need to prove English again if they already passed an English assessment accepted by their UK professional regulator.

If you already hold the visa

People who held a Skilled Worker visa before 8 January 2026 stay on level B1 when they extend or update it, and they do not need to prove English again. People switching in from a Health and Care Worker visa also do not need new proof. Anyone switching from another visa needs B2.

If you proved English at the right level in an earlier successful visa application, you usually do not need to prove it again.

Money and documents

You need £1,270 in savings, or an employer who agrees to cover that amount, plus a short set of documents. The lists are on the GOV.UK documents page.

Money to support yourself

The Home Office wants to know you can pay your way until your first salary arrives. You must show at least £1,270 in your bank account.

The timing rule catches many people out:

•      The money must stay in your account for at least 28 days in a row

•      The balance must not drop below £1,270 on any of those days, even for a few hours

•      Day 28 must fall within the 31 days before you apply

You do not need to show savings in two cases.

Your employer certifies it. The employer ticks the “sponsor certifies maintenance” box on your certificate of sponsorship. This is a promise to cover your costs for the first month, up to £1,270, if you need it. Most established sponsors do this as standard. Ask for it.

You have been in the UK for 12 months. If you have lived in the UK on a valid visa for at least a year, the money rule does not apply.

Family members need their own funds unless the employer certifies for them too. The family section gives the figures.

Documents everyone needs

•      Your certificate of sponsorship reference number

•      A valid passport or other travel document

•      Proof of your English

•      Your job title, annual salary and occupation code

•      Your employer's name and sponsor licence number (both are on your certificate)

Documents some people need

Criminal record certificates

This applies to roles such as teachers, teaching assistants, nurses, doctors, pharmacists, dentists, psychologists, counsellors and social workers. You get the certificate from the police or government of the country concerned.

You may need more than one:

•      If you are under 28, you need a certificate from every country where you have stayed 12 months or more in total since you turned 18

•      If you are 28 or over, you need a certificate from every country where you have stayed 12 months or more in the last 10 years

Some countries take weeks to issue these. Apply for them as soon as you have a job offer.

Tuberculosis tests

If you have lived for six months or more in a country on the Home Office list, you need a test from a clinic the Home Office has approved. A test from another clinic is not accepted. The certificate is valid for six months.

How much it costs

A single adult applying from abroad pays £3,924 for a three year visa and £6,793 for a five year visa. Most of that is the healthcare surcharge. The figures below are from the GOV.UK cost page and apply from 8 April 2026.

Application fees

The fee is per person. A partner or child pays the same fee as you, based on the length of your certificate of sponsorship.

The healthcare surcharge

The Immigration Health Surcharge is £1,035 a year for adults and £776 a year for children under 18. You pay it upfront for the whole visa when you apply. It gives you access to the National Health Service.

Health and Care Worker visa holders and their families do not pay it.

Worked examples

On top of these, you need the £1,270 in savings unless your employer certifies maintenance.

Other costs

•      English test or Ecctis assessment. Each costs a few hundred pounds at most.

•      Tuberculosis test. The price depends on the clinic and country.

•      Criminal record certificates. Usually a small fee per country.

•      Translations. Charged per document.

•      Faster decision. Priority services are available in some locations for an extra fee.

•      Travel and setting up. Flights, a rental deposit and the first month's rent often cost more than the visa itself.

Who pays what

The law puts the visa fee and healthcare surcharge on the worker, but many employers pay them as part of the job offer. Ask what the employer will cover before you accept, and get the answer in writing.

Some employers add a repayment clause to the contract. Under it, you repay part of the visa costs the employer covered if you leave within a set period. That can be lawful for the visa fee and the surcharge. It is not lawful for the sponsor licence fee, the certificate of sponsorship fee or the Immigration Skills Charge. Read the contract before you sign it.

Three years or five?

The employer chooses the length of the certificate, up to five years. Your visa matches it.

A five year visa costs more upfront but takes you straight to the point where you can apply to settle under the current rules. A three year visa is cheaper at first, but you then pay a second application fee and more surcharge to extend. Over five years, one long visa is usually the cheaper path.

How to apply, step by step

A visa decision usually takes about three weeks from outside the UK and eight weeks from inside. The whole process, from job search to arrival, often takes three to six months.

The steps

1.     Find a job with a licensed sponsor. Check the employer on the register of licensed sponsors.

2.     Check the job against the rules. Ask the employer for the occupation code. Confirm the code is eligible and the salary meets both tests.

3.     Accept the offer and agree the details. Settle the start date, the visa length, and which costs the employer will pay.

4.     Prepare your English proof. Book a test or apply to Ecctis now, because this can take weeks.

5.     Get your other documents. Order criminal record certificates and book a tuberculosis test if you need them.

6.     Receive your certificate of sponsorship. The employer assigns it and sends you the reference number. Check every detail.

7.     Apply online. Fill in the form on GOV.UK, enter your certificate number, and pay the application fee and healthcare surcharge. Apply within three months of the certificate date.

8.     Prove your identity. Depending on your passport, you either scan it with the UK Immigration: ID Check app or give fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre.

9.     Upload your documents. Send clear scans of everything the form asks for.

10.  Wait for the decision. The Home Office may ask for more documents or, less often, an interview.

11.  Receive your eVisa. Your status is recorded online. You view it and share it with employers and landlords through your UK Visas and Immigration account. Some applicants also get a short entry sticker in their passport for travel.

12.  Travel and start work. Your employer checks your right to work before your first day.

How long it takes

Decisions take longer when documents need checking, when you are called for an interview, or when you have a criminal conviction. A paid faster service is offered in some locations.

Applying from inside the UK (switching)

You can switch to the Skilled Worker visa from most other visas without leaving the UK. Apply before your current visa ends. Do not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man while you wait, or your application is withdrawn.

Student visa holders can switch only if one of these is true:

•      You have completed your course

•      Your job start date is after your course finishes

•      You are a full time PhD student and have studied for at least 24 months

Graduate visa holders can switch at any time, and many qualify for the new entrant salary discount.

You cannot switch from inside the UK if you are here as a visitor, a short term student, the parent of a child student, a seasonal worker, or a domestic worker in a private household. The same applies if you are on immigration bail or have permission given outside the Immigration Rules. People in these groups must leave and apply from abroad.

Credibility interviews

The Home Office sometimes interviews applicants to check that the job is real and that they can do it. Expect simple, direct questions:

•      What does your employer do?

•      What will your daily duties be?

•      How did you find the job?

•      What is your salary and how was it agreed?

•      What experience or training prepared you for the role?

Answer plainly and truthfully. Applicants who cannot describe their own job are refused.

If your application is refused

There is no full right of appeal for most work visa refusals. You can ask for an administrative review if you think the caseworker made an error. The fee is £80 and you must apply within 28 days from abroad or 14 days from inside the UK.

If the refusal was correct, a fresh application that fixes the problem is usually faster. You will pay the application fee again.

What you can and cannot do on the visa

You can work in your sponsored job, study, travel and do limited extra work. You cannot change employer freely or claim most benefits.

Extra work

The rules on extra work are on the GOV.UK additional work page.

You can work up to 20 hours a week in a second job, or for your own business, while you keep doing your sponsored job. The extra work must meet one of these conditions:

•      It is in an eligible occupation code listed as higher skilled

•      It is on the immigration salary list

•      It is in the same sector and at the same level as your main job

A software developer could do 15 hours a week of freelance development. The same person could not drive for a delivery app, because that work meets none of the three conditions.

Time spent on running your own business counts towards the 20 hours. That includes writing invoices and other paperwork.

If you want to work more than 20 hours a week in a second job, the second employer must also sponsor you. You then apply to update your visa so that it covers both jobs.

Things that break your visa conditions

•      Working for an employer who is not your sponsor, outside the extra work rules

•      Doing a different job from the one on your certificate

•      Taking extra work in a field that does not qualify

•      Stopping your sponsored job while staying in the UK without telling anyone

•      Claiming benefits you are not entitled to

Breaking the conditions can lead to your visa being cancelled. It can also damage future applications, including settlement. If you are unsure whether something is allowed, check before you start.

Bringing your family

Workers in higher skilled jobs can bring a partner and children under 18. Most workers in medium skilled jobs and most care workers cannot. The rules are on the GOV.UK partner and children page.

Who counts as a dependant

•      Your husband, wife or civil partner

•      Your unmarried partner, if you have been in a relationship for at least two years

•      Your child under 18, including a child born in the UK during your stay

•      Your child over 18, only if they are already in the UK as your dependant

Parents, brothers, sisters and other relatives cannot come as dependants.

The limits for medium skilled jobs and care workers

Check this before you accept a job, because it decides whether your family can live with you.

Medium skilled jobs. If your occupation code is listed as medium skilled, your partner and children can come from abroad only if one of these applies:

•      You have been continuously employed in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa in a medium skilled job since before 22 July 2025

•      The dependant is your child and was born in the UK

Care workers and senior care workers. Your family can come from abroad only if one of these applies:

•      You have been continuously employed as a care worker or senior care worker in the UK on this visa since before 11 March 2024

•      The dependant is your child and was born in the UK

A few more exceptions apply to family members who are already inside the UK. One covers a child whose only living parent is the worker. Another covers a child whose parents are both sponsored in these jobs.

If your code is higher skilled, none of these limits apply.

Proving the relationship

Married couples and civil partners send their certificate. Unmarried partners must show a relationship of at least two years. If you do not live together, you must show an ongoing commitment, such as regular contact, shared finances or shared care of children.

A child must live with you, unless they are away at boarding school or university. A child must not be married or in a civil partnership. Send a birth certificate that names you as a parent.

Money for dependants

On top of your own £1,270, your family needs:

A worker bringing a partner and two children needs £1,270 plus £800, which is £2,070 in total. The same 28 day rule applies. The money is not needed if your employer certifies maintenance for your family on the certificate of sponsorship, or if you have all lived in the UK for at least 12 months.

Fees for dependants

Each dependant pays the same application fee as you, plus the healthcare surcharge for each year. They pay for the full length of your certificate, even if they apply later than you.

What dependants can do

Your partner can work in almost any job without a sponsor, be self-employed, or study. The only barred work is professional sport and sports coaching. Children can attend state schools without fees.

Dependants cannot claim most benefits.

How they apply

Each family member makes a separate online application. They need your application number. If you apply first, you can get a family linking code that ties the applications together. Family members can apply at the same time as you or later.

Their visas usually end on the same date as yours. When you extend, they must extend too. Their visas do not renew automatically.

Children born in the UK

A child born in the UK while you hold this visa is not automatically British. Apply for a dependant visa for the child if you want to travel abroad with them. You need a full UK birth certificate showing both parents.

Once a parent becomes settled, a child born in the UK can usually be registered as a British citizen.

Changing jobs, losing your job, and extending

You can change employer, but only by making a new application with a new certificate of sponsorship. You must not start the new job until that application is approved.

When you need to update your visa

You must apply to update your visa if:

•      You move to a different employer

•      Your job changes to a different occupation code, even with the same employer

•      You leave a job on the immigration salary list for a job that is not on it

You do not need to apply if:

•      You get a pay rise or a new title in the same occupation code with the same employer

•      You are on a graduate training programme and rotate between roles

•      Your job is removed from the immigration salary list while you stay in it

The details are on the GOV.UK page on changing job or employer.

How to change employer safely

1.     Get a written offer from a new employer that holds a sponsor licence.

2.     Check the new job against the current rules on skill level and salary. The new job is tested under today's rules, not the rules you first entered under, unless a protection for long standing visa holders applies.

3.     Wait for the new certificate of sponsorship.

4.     Apply to update your visa. You can apply up to three months before the new start date.

5.     Keep working in your current job, or work your notice, while you wait.

6.     Start the new job only after the Home Office approves the application.

A decision usually takes up to eight weeks, so agree a realistic start date with the new employer. Do not travel outside the UK and Ireland while the application is pending.

You pay the application fee again. You also pay the healthcare surcharge for the new visa period, and receive a partial refund for unused time on the old visa in some cases.

One warning for people in medium skilled jobs. If you first got your certificate before 22 July 2025 and have held the visa ever since, you can still move to another medium skilled job. Newer visa holders cannot.

If you lose your job

Redundancy, dismissal and resignation all have the same effect. Your employer must tell the Home Office that your sponsorship has ended, normally within 10 working days.

The Home Office then shortens your visa. It writes to you with a new end date, usually 60 days from the date of its letter. If your visa had less than 60 days left anyway, the original end date stays.

Within that period you must do one of three things:

•      Find a new sponsor and apply to update your visa

•      Switch to a different visa you qualify for, such as a family visa or Global Talent

•      Leave the UK

A valid application made before the new end date lets you stay lawfully while it is decided.

Practical steps if this happens to you:

•      Start your job search on the day you are told, not the day the letter arrives

•      Keep your contact details up to date in your UK Visas and Immigration account, so that the letter reaches you

•      Tell recruiters about your deadline at the start

•      Take advice quickly if your dismissal may have been unfair, because employment claims have short time limits

The same shortening happens if your employer loses its sponsor licence. You are given time to find a new sponsor, provided you were not involved in the reasons the licence was removed.

Extending your visa

You can extend as many times as you like. To extend, you must:

•      Still be in the same job, with the same occupation code

•      Still work for the employer that gave you your current certificate of sponsorship

•      Meet the salary rules that apply to you at the time

•      Apply before your current visa ends

Your employer assigns a new certificate of sponsorship, and you apply online from inside the UK. The fee is £943 for up to three years or £1,865 for longer, plus the healthcare surcharge. Your partner and children must apply to extend as well.

You do not need to prove English again. You do not need to show savings if you have been in the UK for 12 months.

If you will reach the settlement point soon, compare the cost of a short extension with applying for settlement directly. Settlement costs more upfront but ends visa fees and the healthcare surcharge.

Settlement and citizenship

Under the rules in force in October 2026, a Skilled Worker can apply to settle after five years. The government plans to lengthen that period for most people, but the change is not yet law.

Settlement under the current rules

Settlement is also called indefinite leave to remain, or ILR. It lets you live and work in the UK with no time limit and no sponsor. You stop paying visa fees and the healthcare surcharge.

The current requirements are:

1.     Five years in the UK on an eligible route. Time on the Skilled Worker visa counts. So does time on some other routes, including Global Talent, Innovator Founder and Scale-up. Your most recent visa must be Skilled Worker.

2.     Limited absences. No more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 month period.

3.     Your employer still needs you. Your sponsor confirms that it still employs you and will keep doing so.

4.     Salary. Your pay meets the level required for settlement. For people whose first certificate of sponsorship came after 4 April 2024, that is normally £41,700 or the going rate, whichever is higher. Lower figures apply to some people who entered earlier and to health and education pay scale jobs.

5.     Life in the UK test. A 45 minute test on British history, values and daily life, costing £50.

6.     English. Level B1 in speaking and listening, rising to B2 from 26 March 2027.

7.     The fee. £3,226 per person.

Your partner can apply after five years of living in the UK as your dependant. Children can usually apply with you.

The planned changes: earned settlement

In November 2025 the government proposed a new system called earned settlement. A consultation ran until 12 February 2026. The main ideas for Skilled Workers are:

•      A standard wait of 10 years, up from five

•      A wait of about five years for people with taxable income of at least £50,270 in each of the three years before they apply

•      A wait of about three years for people with taxable income of at least £125,140 over the same period

•      A longer wait, possibly 15 years, for people in jobs below graduate level

•      New conditions on tax and National Insurance contributions, English and conduct

The consultation said the new rules could apply to people already in the UK who have not yet settled. This point has drawn the most criticism, and the final rules may include protection for people part way through the current route.

Where things stand:

•      As of late September 2026, the government had not published its response and had not changed the Immigration Rules on qualifying periods

•      The five year route is still open

•      The higher English level for settlement is confirmed and starts on 26 March 2027

What to do about it:

•      If you reach five years soon, prepare your application early and apply as soon as you are eligible. You can apply up to 28 days before the five year date.

•      Pass the Life in the UK test now. The pass does not expire.

•      Keep records of every trip abroad, with dates.

•      Check the GOV.UK settlement page each month. New rules can take effect a few weeks after they are announced.

British citizenship

After settlement, you can apply to naturalise as a British citizen. The main requirements are:

•      At least 12 months with settled status, unless you are married to a British citizen

•      At least five years of living in the UK

•      No more than 450 days outside the UK in the last five years, and no more than 90 days in the last 12 months

•      Good character, which covers criminal record, tax and immigration history

•      The Life in the UK test and the English requirement, both already met for settlement

The fee is £1,709, plus £130 for the ceremony.

On the current rules, the usual timeline is settlement at year five and citizenship at year six. The UK allows dual citizenship. Check whether your home country does.

The Health and Care Worker visa

The Health and Care Worker visa is a cheaper form of the Skilled Worker visa for medical and care professionals. It costs £324 for up to three years, and holders pay no healthcare surcharge. The rules are on the GOV.UK Health and Care Worker visa page.

Who qualifies

You must be a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional or adult social care professional, in an eligible job, working for one of these:

•      The NHS

•      An organisation that provides services to the NHS

•      An adult social care provider

Eligible roles include doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, pharmacists, physiotherapists, radiographers, occupational therapists, psychologists and biomedical scientists. GOV.UK lists the eligible occupation codes.

A nurse hired by a private hospital with no NHS contract would normally use the standard Skilled Worker visa. The job is the same, but the employer does not fit the health visa.

How it differs from the standard visa

For a nurse coming for three years with a partner, the saving in fees and surcharge is over £7,000.

Everything else works the same way. You still need a licensed sponsor, a certificate of sponsorship, English at the required level, and the same documents. The same rules apply to changing jobs, extra work, extending and settlement.

Professional registration

Most health roles need registration with a UK regulator before you can work. Doctors register with the General Medical Council. Nurses and midwives register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Many other professions register with the Health and Care Professions Council.

Registration has its own tests, fees and English standards. It often takes longer than the visa itself. Start it first. The English assessment you pass for your regulator also satisfies the visa requirement.

Care workers

The route is closed to new care workers and senior care workers recruited from abroad. That has been the position since 22 July 2025.

Care workers already in the UK on the visa can extend it and can move to another licensed care employer. Some people already working lawfully in care in the UK can still switch into the route for a limited period. Care providers in England must be registered with the Care Quality Commission.

Most care workers cannot bring family members. The family section above sets out the exceptions.

Why applications are refused, and how to avoid it

Most refusals come from a small number of avoidable mistakes. The share of refusals on this route has risen as the rules have tightened, so check each point below before you apply.

1. The salary does not meet the rules

The offer clears the general threshold but misses the going rate, or it relies on allowances and bonuses that do not count.

How to avoid it: check your occupation code in the going rates table yourself. Compare your guaranteed basic pay with both figures.

2. The wrong occupation code

The employer picks a code that does not match the real duties, sometimes to reach an eligible or cheaper category.

How to avoid it: read the description of the code and compare it with your job description. Raise any mismatch with the employer before the certificate is assigned.

3. The job does not look genuine

The Home Office doubts that the vacancy is real, or that the business needs the role.

How to avoid it: be ready to explain how you were recruited, what you will do each day, and why the employer needs you. Keep the advert, interview emails and offer letter.

4. The money rule is missed

The balance dipped below £1,270 during the 28 days, or the statement is too old.

How to avoid it: ask your employer to certify maintenance on the certificate. If it will not, keep the balance well above the minimum for the full period.

5. The English proof is not accepted

The test was the wrong type, was taken at a centre that is not approved, or has expired. Or the degree was never checked by Ecctis.

How to avoid it: use only tests and centres on the Home Office list, and get your Ecctis reference before you apply.

6. A certificate problem

The certificate of sponsorship has expired, has already been used, or contains an error.

How to avoid it: apply within three months of the assignment date and check every field first.

7. Missing documents

No criminal record certificate for a job that needs one, no tuberculosis certificate, or no certified translation.

How to avoid it: use the document tables in this guide and order slow documents first.

8. Past immigration problems or false information

Previous overstaying, breaches of visa conditions, unpaid NHS debts and criminal convictions can all lead to refusal. False documents or untrue answers lead to refusal and can bring a ban of up to 10 years.

How to avoid it: answer every question truthfully. Declare past refusals and problems, even old ones. An honest explanation is far safer than an omission.

9. A weak interview

The applicant cannot describe the employer, the role or the salary.

How to avoid it: learn the details of your own job offer before any interview.

Job offer scams

Fraud is common on this route. Watch for these signs:

•      You are asked to pay for a job offer or a certificate of sponsorship

•      The employer is not on the register of licensed sponsors

•      The offer arrives without a proper interview

•      The salary looks too high for the role

•      The offer is for care work and you are abroad

•      You are told to use a personal email address or a messaging app for everything

•      You are pushed to pay quickly

Real sponsors pay their own sponsorship costs and recruit through normal interviews. If you paid for a certificate and the job turns out not to exist, you lose the money and your immigration record can be damaged too.

Getting advice

In the UK, only regulated people can give immigration advice. That means solicitors, barristers and advisers registered with the Immigration Advice Authority. Check the register before you pay anyone. Many applicants complete this visa without paid help, because the employer and its advisers handle the sponsorship side.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply without a job offer? No. You need a confirmed offer and a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed employer first.

Do I need a degree? No. The job must be at the required skill level, but the rules do not ask you for a degree. Your employer decides whether you can do the job. Regulated professions need UK registration.

Is there an age limit? You must be at least 18. There is no upper limit.

Is there a limit on the number of visas each year? No. There is no annual cap on this route.

Can I work part time? Yes, if your pay still meets the salary rules. The general threshold is an annual figure and is not reduced for shorter hours, so part time work only fits well paid roles.

Can I work from home? Yes, if your employer agrees. The employer must tell the Home Office about a regular remote or hybrid pattern.

Can I take unpaid leave? Short periods are fine. More than four weeks of unpaid absence in a calendar year can end your sponsorship. Exceptions cover maternity, paternity, parental and adoption leave, sick leave and some other cases.

What happens during maternity or sick leave? Your sponsorship continues. A drop in pay during these kinds of leave does not break the salary rules.

Can I start my own business? Only within the extra work rules: up to 20 hours a week, in qualifying work, while you keep your sponsored job. For a full time business, look at the Innovator Founder or Global Talent visa.

Does time on a Student or Graduate visa count towards settlement? No. Only time on eligible work routes counts towards the five years.

Can my family apply later than me? Yes, if your job allows dependants. They can apply at the same time or at any point while your visa is valid.

Do I need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)? No. An ETA is for visitors who do not need a visa. You travel on your eVisa.

Can I switch to another visa later? Yes. Many people move to Global Talent, a family visa or settlement when they qualify.

Will the planned settlement changes affect me? Possibly. The proposals could apply to people already on the route. Nothing has been made law as of late September 2026. Follow GOV.UK for updates.

How do I know a job offer is real? Check the employer on the register of licensed sponsors, expect a proper interview, and never pay for a job or a certificate.

Before you apply: a short checklist

•      ☐ My employer is on the register of licensed sponsors with an A rating

•      ☐ I know my occupation code and it is eligible

•      ☐ My guaranteed basic salary meets the general threshold and the going rate, or a discount I qualify for

•      ☐ I have checked whether my job lets me bring my family

•      ☐ My English proof is ready, through a degree with Ecctis or an approved test

•      ☐ My employer has certified maintenance, or I have held £1,270 for 28 days

•      ☐ I have my tuberculosis and criminal record certificates if I need them

•      ☐ Every detail on my certificate of sponsorship is correct

•      ☐ I am applying within three months of the certificate date

•      ☐ I have budgeted for the fee, the healthcare surcharge and my first month in the UK

Final word

The Skilled Worker visa is the most used route into UK work, and the hardest part is finding a licensed employer with a job that meets the skill and salary rules. Once you have that, the application itself is a matter of careful paperwork.

Check the occupation code and salary yourself, get your English proof early, and read your certificate before you apply. Keep an eye on the settlement proposals, because they may change how long the path to permanent residence takes.

This guide gives general information and is not legal advice. Rules and fees were checked against official sources on 4 October 2026 and can change.

Sources

•      GOV.UK: Skilled Worker visa overview

•      GOV.UK: Your job (eligible jobs, salary, sponsor licence fees)

•      GOV.UK: When you can be paid less

•      GOV.UK: If you work in healthcare or education

•      GOV.UK: Knowledge of English

•      GOV.UK: How much it costs

•      GOV.UK: Documents you'll need to apply

•      GOV.UK: Your partner and children

•      GOV.UK: Update your visa if you change job or employer

•      GOV.UK: Switch to this visa

•      GOV.UK: Taking on additional work

•      GOV.UK: Health and Care Worker visa

•      GOV.UK: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026

•      GOV.UK: Earned settlement consultation

•      NatWest Mentor: How much does it cost to sponsor a Skilled Worker in 2026? (certificate of sponsorship fee, application trends)

•      BritPass: What is earned settlement? (status of the settlement proposals, English level from March 2027)