Student Visa to Skilled Worker Visa: How to Switch

If you currently hold a UK Student Visa, you can switch to a Skilled Worker Visa while in the UK if you meet the student-specific switching rules relating to the completing of the course and the visa eligibility requirements. It is important to note that short-term Student visa holders cannot apply to switch to a Skilled Worker visa within the UK.

What are the requirements for switching from a Student Visa to a Skilled Worker visa?

To switch to a Skilled Worker visa as a student in the UK, you must requirements including:

• Meet the Student visa switching requirement relating to the completion of your course – you must have completed your course or the employment start date is after your course completion. If you are a full-time PhD student, your employment start date must be no earlier than 24 months after the start date of your PhD course.
• Have a job offer from an employer who has a sponsor licence – the employer must have provided you with a valid CoS showing the job, occupation code, salary and employment start date.
• Meet the eligible occupation requirements – the job must fall under an eligible Skilled Worker occupation code and be at RQF level 6 or above – unless an exception applies, such as if you have an occupation on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List.
• Meet the minimum salary requirement – you must have a salary of at least £41,700 per year or the occupation’s applicable going rate, whichever is higher. You may be eligible for a lower Skilled Worker Visa salary requirement if you have a relevant PhD, a PhD in a STEM subject, are a new entrant, or your role is on the Immigration Salary List.
• Meet the English language requirement – at least CEFR level B2. However, UK Student visa holders normally meet this requirement by having a UK school qualification, a degree from a UK institution, or a degree from an institution outside the UK taught in English.
• Meet the financial maintenance requirement – this means having £1,270 in your bank account and held for at least 28 consecutive days if you have been in the UK for less than 12 months. You do not need to provide evidence of these funds if you have been living in the UK with valid immigration permission for at least 12 months when you apply.
• Meet the suitability requirements – such as no serious criminal convictions, no deception or false information, and no overstaying or other breaches of immigration rules, subject to applicable exceptions.

Who qualifies for a lower salary requirement when switching from a Student Visa to a Skilled Worker Visa?

As a UK student visa holder switching to a Skilled Worker visa, you will not be expected to meet the general salary threshold of £41,700 if you:

• Have a relevant PhD (Option B) – in which case you will need a salary of £37,500 or 90% of your job’s going rate, whichever is higher.
• Have a PhD in a STEM subject (Option C) – in which case you will need a salary of £33,400 or 80% of your job’s going rate, whichever is higher.
• Have a job on the Immigration Salary List (Option D) – you will need a salary of at least £33,400 for eligible RQF 6+ occupations or your job’s going rate, whichever is higher.
• New entrants (Option E) – in this case you will need a salary of at least £33,400 or 70% of your job’s going rate, whichever is higher.

You may qualify as a new entrant for the UK Skilled Worker visa if you are:

• Under 26 on the date of your visa application.
• Switching from a UK Student visa (or they held one within the last two years) and completed a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or PhD.
• Switching from a UK Graduate visa (or you held one within the last two years), or
• Working toward a recognised qualification in a UK-regulated profession or working toward full chartered status.

The new entrant salary discount is time-limited and can generally be used for a maximum of 4 years in total. Crucially, this limit is cumulative. Time already spent on the Graduate route, Skilled Worker route, or the former Tier 2 route will count towards this 4-year limit.

How to switch from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa

To make a successful switch from a UK Student Visa to a Skilled Worker visa, the steps you need to complete are as follows:

1. Secure a job offer from a company that has a Sponsor Licence – your employer must hold a valid Skilled Worker sponsor licence. The job itself must meet the relevant Skilled Worker eligibility and salary requirements. If your prospective employer doesn’t have a sponsor licence then they can apply for one and then issue a Certificate of Sponsorship once that has been approved.
2. Get a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) – you must have a valid CoS provided to you by your UK employer which confirms details of your job, salary, occupation code and employment start date.
3. Apply online before your Student visa expires – prepare supporting documents, complete and submit the online application form. Pay the applicable visa application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), unless an exemption applies.
4. Prove your identity and biometric information – depending on your circumstances, you will either use the UK Immigration: ID Check app or attend a UKVCAS appointment to provide biometric information.
5. Wait for a decision – applications made from inside the UK are usually decided within 8 weeks.

FAQs about switching from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa