Switch to Skilled Worker Visa in UK
Switching from one visa to another in the UK can be a complicated process.
If you are seeking legal advice or are looking for general support and guidance from an expert immigration lawyer, contact our team at Total Law today on +44 (0) 333 305 9375. We are here to help.
Understand the UK Skilled Worker Visa?
The Skilled Worker Visa category is a UK work visa route that allows foreign nationals to live and gain employment in skilled roles within the United Kingdom.
The purpose of skilled worker visas is to offer professionals from outside the UK who have specific skills to meet specified UK employer and sector needs. The skilled worker visa route also offers excellent options for career growth, financial stability, and new job opportunities to foreign nationals who wish to live and contribute their valuable skill set to the UK market.
In general, the UK Skilled worker visa is valid for up to 5 years or the length of your contract. After five years, skilled worker visa holders can become eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR), which offers an eventual route to permanent residency.
The UK Skilled worker visa holder is also entitled to bring their dependent family members with them to live and work in the UK, and also entitles them with long-term residency options.
Page Contents
- Understand the UK Skilled Worker Visa?
- What are the Eligibility Criteria to Switch to Skilled Worker Visa in UK?
- What Documents Do I Need to Switch to Skilled Worker Visa?
- How Do I Make a Skilled Worker Visa Application in the UK?
- How Long Does the Visa Application Process Take?
- How Much Does the Skilled Worker Visa Cost?
- How Can Total Law Help?
- Skilled Worker Visa FAQs
What are the Eligibility Criteria to Switch to Skilled Worker Visa in UK?
Overview
Regardless of whether you are switching to a Skilled worker visa or applying from abroad, as an applicant you will need fulfil the following eligibility requirements:
- You have a clear criminal background
- You have the relevant skills or qualifications to apply for a role that is eligible for the Skilled worker visa
- You must have good English language proficiency, demonstrated by passing an approved CEFR Level B1 exam or higher, or by obtaining a degree that was taught in the English language
- You must be able to demonstrate financial stability, either through personal funds or employer sponsorship.
Can I Switch to a Skilled Worker Visa from my Current Visa?
If you are switching from your current UK visa to the Skilled worker visa, your current visa must be valid for UK visa switching. Certain valid visas include:
- Global Talent visa
- Spouse or Partner visa
- Student visa
- Work visas
- Youth mobility scheme visa.
Visas NOT valid for switching to the Skilled worker visa are:
- Visitor visas
- Short term Student visa
- Parent of a Child Student visa
- Seasonal Worker visa
- Domestic Worker in a Private Household visa.
If your current visa is not valid for switching, you will need to leave the UK and apply for a Skilled Worker visa from abroad.
Please note, you will not be eligible to switch your visa if you are currently under immigration bail or have permission to be in the UK on compassionate grounds.
You cannot travel outside the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands, or Isle of Man until you receive a decision on your skilled worker visa application. Note that if you do, your application will be withdrawn.
Employer Eligibility Criteria
When applying for an eligible Skilled Worker visa role, your UK employer must meet the following criteria:
- The company has a valid sponsor licence and can provide you with a certificate of sponsorship
- The company is UK based and registered
Job Eligibility Requirements
When applying for a Skilled worker visa, the job you are applying for must:
- Be listed on the list of eligible occupations for the Skilled worker visa
- Require a minimum of RQF Level 3 (equivalent of A levels) skillset
- Be a role that you have all the relevant qualifications for
- Offer a minimum salary requirement of £41,700 or ‘going rate’ for the role, whichever is higher (some positions on the Immigration Salary List may qualify for a lower salary threshold).
What Documents Do I Need to Switch to Skilled Worker Visa?
To switch to a Skilled Worker Visa in UK, you’ll need to provide supporting documents as part of your application:
- Your current passport or other valid travel document
- A valid job offer, including a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number from your UK employer, confirming the job role and the employer’s details
- Proof of English language proficiency – an approved English language test certificate at CEFR Level B1 or above, or a degree certificate if taught in English or in an English speaking country
- Evidence of the salary you have been offered, such as documentation from your employer verifying that your salary meets the required threshold
- Proof of relevant qualifications, such as certificates or transcripts showing you meet the requirements for your job
- Proof of financial self-sufficiency by providing bank statements showing you have had at least £1,270 held for 28 days in your bank account – if your sponsor is covering your costs, a written agreement of this will need to be provided
- A Criminal Record Certificate from any country that you have lived in for 12 months or more in the past 10 years, if applicable
- Tuberculosis test results, if you are applying from abroad and if applicable to your country of origin or residency
- Immigration health surcharge receipt: Proof of payment for the surcharge to access the UK’s National Health Service (NHS)
- Any previous copies of UK visa(s) that you have had, and evidence of your current immigration status
- Your biometric data, including a submission of your fingerprints and a photo of your face as part of the application process.
- Documents indicating proof of relationship if you are applying with dependent family members, such as a marriage certificate, or birth certificates for children).
Please note that your application will be rejected if you apply with missing documents or provide false or incomplete information.
Switching visa categories in the UK can be a complicated process, particularly if you have confusing circumstances with your employers, or are having challenges with your immigration status. Applying with your full family can be overwhelming too, with many different types of documents and considerations to factor in.
For guidance on your visa application, you can get in touch with one of our expert immigration advisors today by calling us on +44 (0) 333 305 9375, or you can get in touch online.
How Do I Make a Skilled Worker Visa Application in the UK?
To make a Skilled Worker visa application, you must follow the steps detailed below:
- Complete the skilled worker visa application form in full, including all relevant immigration history. You will also need to include all the required documents outlined above, and any other relevant documents that may help your case
- Pay the visa application fee and immigration health surcharge online using a debit or credit card
- Book a biometric appointment at a UKVACS centre to provide your biometric information (fingerprints and photo)
- Submit your application online via the UK government website.
How Long Does the Visa Application Process Take?
Generally, the skilled worker visa application is processed by the UK Home Office within 8 weeks. However, this may take longer if your documents are unclear or require verification, or if you are called in to attend an interview.
In some cases, you may have the option to pay for a faster decision. You will be informed if this option is available when you apply.
Please note you cannot leave the UK whilst your visa switching application is being processed. If you break any immigration rules during that time, your application will automatically get rejected.
How Much Does the Skilled Worker Visa Cost?
In general, the cost of switching to a Skilled Worker Visa depends on your job and your salary threshold.
You can expect to pay:
- £590 for a standard application if your job is listed on the shortage occupation list
- £885 for a standard application if your job is not on the shortage occupation list or you have applied previously.
You must also factor in the following costs:
- Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) which typically costs £1035 per year
- Travel to attend your biometric appointment or any other appointments
- Any fees related to obtaining, printing or translating documents
Any tests or exams, such as an English proficiency exam.
In some cases, you may be able to pay for a fast track priority processing service. The fees are as follows:
- £500 for priority processing that gives you a decision in 5 working days
- £1000 for super priority processing, that gives you a decision within 1-2 working days.
How Can Total Law Help?
Navigating the UK visa process can be a complicated process, especially if you have unique or challenging personal circumstances. You may find that you’re eligible for multiple visa types but are unsure which option best suits your long-term plans in the UK. Perhaps you’re currently in the UK on a visa that doesn’t allow switching to a Skilled Worker Visa, or you’re uncertain if switching visas is the right step for your career and residency goals.
If you’ve previously applied for a visa and faced a refusal, the situation can become even more difficult. Visa refusals stay on your immigration record, potentially affecting future applications for other visas or long-term residency options, like indefinite leave to remain or citizenship. Appeals and reviews can be costly, and it’s essential to take the right steps after a refusal to avoid further complications.
This is why Total Law exists. Our team of expert immigration lawyers can support you through the process of switching to a Skilled Worker Visa, and handle any application challenges or complex immigration issues that you might be facing.
To get professional immigration guidance today, contact Total Law on +44 (0) 333 305 9375, or get in touch with our team online. We are here to help.
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Related pages for your continued reading.
Skilled Worker Visa FAQs
Yes, you can switch employers on a Skilled Worker Visa in the UK, but there are specific requirements and steps involved. If you receive a new job offer from a different UK employer, you’ll need to reapply for a new Skilled Worker Visa to work with the new employer. You will therefore need to go through the steps outlined above again, including obtaining a new Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from your new employer, and they must also hold a valid sponsor licence.
Yes. Graduates who meet the eligibility requirements for a role listed for the skilled worker visa UK can switch to a Skilled worker visa. Other visas eligible for switching include:
- Global Talent visa
- Innovator visa
- Spouse or Partner visa
- Student visa
- Work visas
- Youth mobility scheme visa.
Yes, you can apply for a Skilled Worker Visa from abroad, so long as you fulfil all the relevant eligibility criteria, such as having qualifications or experience at the right skill level and English proficiency. You must have applied for and received a confirmed job offer from a UK employer with a skilled worker sponsor licence.
However, please note that you will need to apply from within the UK if you are switching from an eligible UK visa to the skilled worker visa.
If you are currently in the UK on a visitor visa or short-term student visa, or any other visa that doesn’t allow switching to a Skilled Worker Visa, you will need to leave the UK and apply for the Skilled Worker visa from abroad.
A skilled worker application made from outside the UK generally follows similar steps, including providing all the supporting documents and passing standard criminal background checks, or further intensive background checks if required for certain jobs. You may also be required to attend a visa appointment or visa interview at your nearest UK visa application centre in your country of residence or origin.
