UK Skilled Worker Visa Extension 2026 — When to Apply and What Changes

Your first Skilled Worker visa lasts 3 or 5 years. What happens when it's time to extend? The extension process is more demanding than most workers expect — particularly the salary threshold, which may have increased since you first applied. This guide covers everything you need to know to extend successfully in 2026 and to plan the path to Indefinite Leave to Remain.

When to apply for an extension

The standard advice: apply no earlier than 3 months and no later than 28 days before your current visa expires.

Why not earlier than 3 months? The Home Office processes extension applications in order. Applying very early doesn't speed up the decision but does result in you paying IHS for a period when your existing visa provides coverage. Most applicants apply 4–8 weeks before expiry.

Why at least 28 days before? If you apply before your visa expires, you're protected by Section 3C of the Immigration Act — your old leave conditions continue while the decision is pending. If you apply after your visa expires (even by one day), there's no 3C leave — you're technically in the UK without leave pending a decision, which has serious consequences.

What "28 days before" means practically: If your visa expires 15 September, apply by 17 August at the latest. Set a calendar reminder for 17 July as a buffer.

Documents needed for a 2026 extension

Unlike the initial Skilled Worker application, an extension doesn't require proof of English (already demonstrated) or TB test (unless you've spent significant time abroad). Key documents:

Mandatory:

• Current valid passport
• Current Skilled Worker visa details
• Certificate of Sponsorship reference (new CoS from your employer)
• Recent payslips — typically last 3 months
• Bank statements matching payslips — last 3 months
• Employer letter confirming continued employment and salary

Potentially required:

• Maintenance funds evidence (£1,270 for 28 days) — unless your employer certifies maintenance
• English language evidence — usually not required if already on file from initial application
• TB test — only if you've been outside the UK for 6+ months since last application

Not required at extension:

• Academic qualifications (already assessed)
• Sponsor licence check (your employer must still be licensed, but you don't submit this — UKVI checks the register)

The salary at extension — the most important number

At extension, the salary rules are the same as for new applications — you must meet whichever is highest of:

• General minimum: £41,700
• Going rate for your SOC 2020 occupation code
• Minimum hourly rate: £15.88

The new-entrant discount at extension: If you're within your 4-year new-entrant window, you can still use the lower new-entrant rate (£33,400) at extension. But once 4 years have passed since your original Skilled Worker visa was granted, the full rates apply.

Example — developer facing a salary gap: A software developer (SOC 2136) applied for their first Skilled Worker visa in 2022 at £35,000 using the new-entrant rate (£33,400 at the time). Now extending in 2025 (3 years later), they're in the new-entrant window. But in 2026 when they extend again (year 5), the new-entrant window closes. The going rate for SOC 2136 is £49,400. They need a £14,400 salary increase between now and extension.

Negotiate this proactively. Employers respond better to "I need to reach £49,400 to remain on my visa before my extension in [date]" with a clear timeline than to a last-minute salary request.

Changing jobs at extension — can you switch employers?

Yes — you can change employer at the extension stage, but it's treated as a "change of employment" application, not just an extension. Practically, this means:

• New employer issues a new CoS
• You submit a change-of-employment + extension application together
• Processing time: same as standard extension
• Fee: same as extension (£827 or £1,636 depending on length)

The new employer's CoS must show:

• Salary meeting current thresholds (not new-entrant rate if 4+ years since original grant)
• Valid SOC 2020 code
• Start date that aligns with your application

Extending with the same vs a different visa length

At extension you choose: 3-year extension or 2-year extension (to reach exactly the 5-year ILR mark).

Option A: 3-year extension

• Lower IHS upfront: £1,035 × 3 = £3,105
• But you'll need to apply again before ILR (technically within the 5-year period)
• Application fee: £827

Option B: 2-year extension (to reach 5 years exactly)

• Higher IHS upfront: £1,035 × 2 = £2,070 (lower total because only 2 years)
• You apply for ILR after this visa expires
• Application fee: £827

Most common choice: If you're at the 3-year mark and have been on Skilled Worker from the start, a 2-year extension takes you to exactly 5 years and you apply for ILR at the end. This is the cleanest path.

If your ILR timeline is more complicated (you had Graduate visa time that doesn't count), a longer extension may make more sense.

Processing times for extensions in 2026

Priority service is worth considering at extension, especially if your current visa leaves limited buffer time. A standard 8-week processing window with only a 28-day buffer can be tight. If you apply 8 weeks before expiry with standard processing, you're relying on the service standard being met — which it usually is, but not always.

What changes on an extended Skilled Worker visa

Your conditions remain the same: tied to your sponsor, same SOC code requirements, same supplementary work rules. What may change:

• Salary: Your CoS must reflect your current salary, which must meet current thresholds. If your salary changed since initial application, the extension CoS shows the new figure.
• Job title or description: Minor changes don't require action; significant changes (different SOC code, fundamentally different role) may require a change-of-employment application first.
• Working hours: If you've gone from full-time to part-time, the hourly minimum threshold (£15.88/hour) is more relevant. Ensure your hourly rate still meets the minimum.
• Employer: Only changes if you've moved employer (new CoS required).

Dependants at extension

Each dependant (spouse, children) must extend their leave separately. They apply simultaneously with or shortly after the main applicant:

• They need the main applicant's CoS reference
• Their application: FLR(O) — Further Leave to Remain (Other)
• Each pays: £827 application fee + IHS (£1,035 × visa length) per person
• No CoS required for dependants — they're linked to the main applicant's CoS

A dependant who forgets to extend and lapses into unlawful presence creates a complication. Always submit all family extensions at the same time.

Absence records at extension vs ILR

At extension (3-year to 5-year), there is no absence check — the 180-day rule applies only at ILR. You can have spent 200 days outside the UK in one year during your initial 3-year visa period without it affecting your extension.

However, those 200 days will count toward your ILR absence calculation. The ILR rolling 12-month window extends back to the first day of your qualifying 5-year period. So even absences during year 1 are in scope for the ILR assessment.

Track every absence from day 1 of your Skilled Worker visa.

The ILR application after 5 years

After 5 years of Skilled Worker leave (including any extension), you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. The ILR application is separate from any extension and uses the SET(O) form:

• Fee: £3,029
• Absence check: 180 days per rolling year across all 5 years
• Life in the UK Test: must have passed
• English at B1: must be evidenced (though usually already on file)
• Employer evidence: same sponsor letter + payslips + bank statements

Processing: 6 months standard, 5 working days super priority (£800), same day premium in-person (£1,000 — very limited availability).

What to do if your extension is refused

Administrative Review: If your Skilled Worker extension is refused for an eligibility reason (wrong salary calculated, document not correctly considered), you have a right to Administrative Review. Time limit: 14 days for in-country refusals. Fee: £80.

Reapplication: For straightforward fixable issues (salary gap, missing document), reapplication is often faster than AR.

Curtailment notice: If your existing leave expires during an extension refusal, the Home Office issues a curtailment giving 60 days to leave or find a new route. During this 60 days you can:

• Reapply with corrected evidence
• Switch to another visa route
• Appeal if a right of appeal exists

The 60-day curtailment period is a genuine opportunity to resolve the situation. Use priority service on any reapplication to get a decision within the window.

Frequently asked questions