How to Switch from Student Visa to Skilled Worker Visa in the UK (2026)

Switching from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa inside the UK is a defined Home Office route — but the rules around when you can switch, what salary you need, and what evidence you must show are stricter than most applicants realise. This guide walks you through the 2026 process, including the new-entrant discount that drops the salary threshold by £7,740 and the timing rules that catch out roughly 20% of applicants.

Can you switch directly?

Yes — switching from Student to Skilled Worker is allowed inside the UK, provided you meet specific timing and course conditions. You do not have to leave the UK first. Most students switch in their final term or shortly after graduation.

You qualify to switch if all of the following are true:

1. You currently hold a valid Student visa.
2. You have completed (or will complete by the date the new visa takes effect) the course on your Student visa, OR you are studying a PhD and have studied at least 24 months.
3. You have a sponsorship offer from a Home Office licensed employer with a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).
4. The role meets the Skilled Worker eligibility (RQF Level 3+ skill, salary thresholds, etc.).

Apply before your Student visa expires. If it lapses, you must leave the UK and apply from abroad — a slower and more expensive path.

The salary threshold — and the new-entrant discount

In 2026 the Skilled Worker general minimum is £38,700. But students switching almost always qualify for the new-entrant rate of £30,960. New entrant applies if any of these is true:

• You are under 26 at application date
• You are switching from a Student visa (regardless of age)
• You are switching from a Graduate visa
• You hold a UK PhD relevant to the job

Crucially, the second bullet means all Student-to-Skilled-Worker switchers get the discount, not just those under 26. New-entrant rate is valid for up to 4 years on Skilled Worker — at extension you'll need to meet the full £38,700 (or your role's going rate, whichever is higher).

You must still meet:

• The going rate for your SOC 2020 occupation code
• £15.88 per hour minimum

The Home Office takes the highest of the three numbers as your effective threshold.

The course-completion rule — the most missed detail

You can switch before your course officially ends, but only in narrow circumstances. The Home Office will accept your application if any of these is true:

• Your course is a PhD and you've been studying it for at least 24 months
• Your course end date is on or before the start date of your sponsored role on your CoS

Common error: a student finishes exams in May, course end date is 30 September (matches the Student visa expiry), but the job offer wants them to start on 1 July. Provided the CoS lists 1 July and the Student visa expiry is later, the Home Office allows it. But if the CoS start date is before the course end date you were sponsored for, it can be refused.

Solve this by either:

• Asking your sponsor to push CoS start date past your course end, OR
• Asking your university to confirm an earlier course completion to UKVI.

Costs to switch in 2026

Most switchers go for the 3-year visa to minimise upfront IHS, then extend. Total cost for 3 years with priority service: around £4,400 (the employer typically covers all of this for sponsored roles, but check your offer carefully).

The Home Office processing target for in-country switches is 8 weeks standard, 5 working days priority. Real-world averages in 2026 sit at 3–5 weeks standard during off-peak.

What your employer must provide

Your sponsor must:

1. Hold a valid Sponsor Licence (check the Home Office register).
2. Issue you a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) — a digital reference number, not a physical document.
3. Pay the Immigration Skills Charge (£1,000/year for medium/large employers, £364/year for small employers/charities). This cannot be passed to you — doing so is illegal.
4. Confirm the role, salary, hours, and SOC code on the CoS.

If the employer asks you to pay the Skills Charge or the £880 sponsor fee for issuing the CoS, walk away. It's a red flag and likely an unlicensed or unethical sponsor.

Documents you'll need

For your application:

• Current passport
• BRP or eVisa share code
• Certificate of Sponsorship reference number
• Proof of English (Student visa applicants are usually exempt — your existing English evidence carries forward)
• Bank statements showing £1,270 maintenance for 28 days OR sponsor letter confirming maintenance is covered (Skilled Worker A-rated sponsors can certify this)
• TB test results (if from a listed country and you've been outside the UK for 6+ months recently)
• Criminal record certificate (only for specific roles — healthcare, education, social work)

For your sponsor's records (they handle these, not you):

• Right to Work check evidence
• HR system showing your contract details
• Records of how they recruited you (some roles still require advertising checks)

Timing — the window that catches people out

The most common refusal scenario for switchers:

• Student visa expires 31 October
• Course completed 15 September
• Job offer received 1 October, CoS issued 10 October
• Application submitted 25 October — should be fine, but...
• Job start date on CoS: 1 November (after Student visa expiry)
• Result: refused, because at the moment the new visa takes effect (the gap between submission and grant), the student has no current visa with the right work permission.

Solution: ensure your application is submitted and the start date on CoS sits before the Student visa expires, or wait to apply until you are on a Graduate visa. Switching from Graduate to Skilled Worker has the same rules but a much wider window.

Should you take Graduate visa first?

Many students benefit from spending 6–18 months on Graduate visa before switching. Pros:

• No salary threshold during job search.
• More employers will hire you when you can start immediately without sponsorship.
• You can experience the role before committing to 5 years.

Cons:

• Extra £880 + IHS (£2,070) to apply for Graduate visa first.
• Graduate visa years don't count toward ILR.

If you have a firm Skilled Worker offer that meets the threshold and starts soon after graduation, switch directly. If you don't have an offer or want to job-hunt without time pressure, take the Graduate route.

After you switch — what changes

• You're on a 3- or 5-year Skilled Worker visa, tied to your sponsor.
• The 5-year ILR clock starts now.
• You can change employers but must apply for a new CoS each time and submit a change-of-employment application.
• You can bring dependants (spouse, children under 18) on Skilled Worker — much easier than under Student visa.
• You can do supplementary work in addition to your sponsored role, capped at 20 hours/week and only in the same broad SOC group or on the Immigration Salary List.

See our Skilled Worker visa guide for the full salary threshold breakdown by occupation, or our Graduate visa article for the alternative path.