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Changing jobs on a Skilled Worker visa

A Skilled Worker must apply to update their visa if they move to a different employer, or to a job in a different occupation code. The update needs a new certificate of sponsorship and costs £943 for up to 3 years from inside the UK. You can keep working your current job until a decision, but should not start the new one.

A Skilled Worker visa is tied to a job, and that tie is the reason most workers searching for this topic are anxious: the new job is lined up, the notice period is running and they want to know what has to happen before the first day. GOV.UK has a section on this, called updating your visa, and Appendix Skilled Worker has the underlying rules. This guide goes through when an update is needed and when it is not, what a new certificate of sponsorship has to show, the cost, the timing, the dependants and the rules on extra work.

The figures and wording come from GOV.UK's Skilled Worker page, Appendix Skilled Worker (updated 8 October 2026) and the GOV.UK pages for sponsors, read on 10 October 2026. This is general information on how the rules work. It does not say whether a particular move is allowed.

When an update is needed

GOV.UK says you will need to apply to update your Skilled Worker or Tier 2 (General) work visa if:

  • you want to change your job and your new job is with a different employer
  • your job changes to a different occupation code, and you are not in a graduate training programme
  • you leave a job that is on the immigration salary list for a job that is not on the list

The exceptions come with the same list. GOV.UK says "You do not need to apply again if you stay in the same job, but your job is taken off the immigration salary list." And for a move within the same organisation: "If you’ll be doing a different job for your current employer, you only need to apply to update your visa if your new job is in a different occupation code."

Occupation codes are four-digit codes from the standard occupational classification. The sponsor chooses the code, and under rule SW 6.2 the decision maker must not have reasonable grounds to believe the sponsor chose a less appropriate code to avoid a rule, for example to avoid a higher going rate. A promotion with the same employer can therefore change the code, and with it the need to update.

The rule on working conditions explains why the update matters. Rule SW 18.2(b) says work is permitted only in the job the applicant is being sponsored for, apart from supplementary work, voluntary work and working a contractual notice period. GOV.UK puts it in the list of things you cannot do: "change jobs or employer unless you apply to update your visa."

What the new employer and the new certificate must show

GOV.UK says "Your new job must meet the eligibility requirements and you’ll need a new certificate of sponsorship to prove this." In Appendix Skilled Worker terms, that means:

  • the job is in an eligible occupation code (rule SW 6.1), and the code is one the applicant can use, which for "medium skilled" codes depends on dates, as GOV.UK explains below
  • the sponsor holds a licence and is listed as A-rated on the Home Office register (SW 5.3). The exception in that rule is for an applicant continuing with the same sponsor as in their last permission
  • the certificate names the applicant, the job, the salary and the start date, and the start date is no more than three months after the application date (SW 5.1(c))
  • the certificate was issued by the sponsor no more than three months before the application date (SW 1.2(d))
  • the certificate has not been used in a previous application that was granted or refused, and has not been withdrawn or cancelled (SW 5.1(d)–(e))
  • the sponsor has paid any immigration skills charge in full (SW 5.4)
  • the salary meets one of the options in SW 4.4 for the new occupation code. The pay on the old certificate does not carry over

For "medium skilled" jobs, GOV.UK says that if the new occupation code is listed as medium skilled, you can update your visa if "you got your certificate of sponsorship for your first Tier 2 or Skilled Worker visa before 22 July 2025" and "you have continually held one or more Skilled Worker visas since then." Otherwise a medium skilled code is open only if the job is on the immigration salary list or the temporary shortage list. Our guide to those lists explains them.

GOV.UK also notes a salary point for longer-serving workers: "You may be able to meet lower salary requirements if both of the following apply", namely that you got your certificate of sponsorship for your first Tier 2 or Skilled Worker visa before 4 April 2024 and have continually held one or more Skilled Worker visas since then.

The English and documents point is lighter for people already in the UK: "You’ll only need to provide other evidence again if you’ve been in the UK for less than one year."

Timing: before, during and after the application

You can apply to update your visa up to 3 months before the start date of your new job. GOV.UK sets out what you may do while you wait: "You can continue working in your current job while your new application is being considered, or to work out your notice period - as long as you apply before your current visa expires." And it sets out what you should not do: "You should not start your new job until you’ve got confirmation of your new permission."

The Rules' conditions of grant are the legal basis for the notice period point. Rule SW 18.2(e) permits "working out a contractual notice period" for a job the applicant was lawfully working in on the date of application.

Travel: "You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do." This matters for people who planned a trip between jobs.

The decision time on GOV.UK's update page is "usually" within 8 weeks of the application date. The page says you will be contacted if the application will take longer, for example because supporting documents need verifying, an interview is needed or personal circumstances such as a criminal conviction are involved. A paid faster decision may be offered during the application. For Health and Care Worker updates the usual decision time is 3 weeks.

If you need to change something after submitting, GOV.UK says to contact UK Visas and Immigration. You can ask to cancel an application, and the fee is refunded only if UKVI has not started processing it.

The length of the new grant follows the certificate. Rule SW 18.1 says permission is granted until 14 days after the end date of the certificate, which may be up to a maximum of 5 years after its start date.

What it costs

For an update from inside the UK, GOV.UK lists the Skilled Worker fee at £943 per person for up to 3 years and £1,865 for more than 3 years. If the new job is on the immigration salary list the fee is £628 or £1,235, the same inside or outside the UK. If the new job is a Health and Care Worker job the fee is £324 or £628, with no healthcare surcharge. Biometrics have no fee.

The healthcare surcharge for the standard route is usually £1,035 per year, and the application shows the amount due. GOV.UK's refund page says that if you pay twice for the same period, you can get a partial refund, rounded down to the nearest 6 months, with no refund where the doubled period is under 6 months.

On funds: rule SW 15.1 says someone applying for permission to stay who has been in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer does not need to show funds. GOV.UK says the £1,270 requirement applies if you have been in the UK for less than a year.

The employer's costs are separate, and the worker cannot be asked to pay them. The sponsor guidance says an immigration skills charge is payable for the full length of the visa, and that where "the new certificate of sponsorship allows the worker more time on their visa, you’ll need to pay for this extra time." For a move within the same organisation that does not extend the visa length, no additional charge is due. The certificate fee is £525 per certificate. GOV.UK says "Your licence may be revoked if you ask the sponsored worker to pay the fee or any costs linked to your application."

Second jobs and extra work

The update rules also cover additional work. GOV.UK says "You must apply to update your visa if you take on a second job that is more than 20 paid hours a week in addition to the job you’re being sponsored for." The second job needs its own certificate and must meet the eligibility requirements, and you have to include a letter with your application stating your name, date of birth, current certificate reference and the date your permission runs out. If it is granted you receive a new visa giving permission to do both jobs.

GOV.UK also says "You do not need to apply to update your visa if you’re taking on additional work that has an eligible occupation code or you’ll be doing less than 20 paid hours a week." Rule SW 18.2(c) allows supplementary employment as long as the person continues to work in the job they are sponsored for. The exact boundary between supplementary work and a second job is set out in the Rules and in GOV.UK's page on additional work, which is worth reading in full before taking on extra hours.

Family members

GOV.UK says "Your partner or children will need to apply separately to update their visa. They can either apply at the same time as you, or at any time before their current visa expires." Their visa does not automatically change when yours does, and if they do not update it, it stays valid until its original end date. Dependants pay the same fee band as the worker, for the same length of time, and the surcharge.

If the worker moves into a medium skilled or care job, dependants have extra conditions. The care worker rules, covered in our guide on dependants, apply to codes 6135 and 6136, and the medium skilled conditions in GOV.UK's Skilled Worker page apply to other medium skilled codes.

What can go wrong

These are patterns in the rules and not predictions.

  • Starting the new job before the decision. GOV.UK says you should not. Work outside the conditions in SW 18.2 may breach the visa.
  • Applying after the current visa has expired. The notice-period and continued-work wording depends on applying before the current visa expires.
  • Using a certificate that cannot be used. A certificate from a granted or refused application cannot be reused, and one issued more than three months before the application is out of time.
  • A sponsor that is not A-rated, or whose licence is revoked. The guidance for workers whose sponsor loses its licence is in our guide to revoked licences.
  • A job in a code that is not open to you. The medium skilled conditions depend on dates and on continuous permission.
  • Leaving a job before the new permission is in place. Rule SW 18.2(b) limits work to the sponsored job, subject to the exceptions in that rule, so the position after leaving depends on those exceptions and on the guidance on curtailment.

If the update is refused, the decision carries a right to administrative review under Appendix AR. Rule SW 17.2 says so, and our guide to administrative review has the deadlines.

Worked examples (illustrative)

These examples are invented, they are not advice, and real cases turn on facts not shown.

Example 1. Hannah is a Skilled Worker in a software role and is offered a role at a different company in the same occupation code. She needs to update her visa with a new certificate from the new company. She can apply up to 3 months before the start date, keep working through her notice, and should not start the new job until she has confirmation. The fee is £943 if the new certificate is for up to 3 years, plus the surcharge. She has been in the UK for more than 12 months, so SW 15.1 means she does not need to show £1,270.

Example 2. Oluwaseun is promoted at the same employer, and his sponsor assigns a different four-digit code for the new role. GOV.UK's wording is that a different job for the current employer needs an update only if the new job is in a different occupation code, so this move would need one.

Example 3. Marcus's job is taken off the immigration salary list while he is in it. GOV.UK says he does not need to apply again if he stays in the same job. If he moves to a different job that is not on the list, he does need to update.

Finding a regulated adviser

Changing jobs on a Skilled Worker visa turns on the occupation code on the new certificate, the dates on the old and new certificates and the date the current visa ends. If you want a regulated adviser to check those against your documents, GOV.UK explains how to find an immigration adviser, and only IAA-registered advisers, solicitors and other qualified persons can give immigration advice in England and Wales.

The Migratio directory lists IAA-registered advisers (with their level) and SRA-regulated solicitors, each with their regulator and registration number. Migratio is not regulated by the IAA or the SRA and does not give immigration advice. This page explains how the rules work; it does not tell you what to do in your case.

Questions people ask

Do I need a new visa to change jobs on a Skilled Worker visa?

You need to apply to update your visa if you move to a different employer, or if your job changes to a different occupation code (unless you are in a graduate training programme), or if you leave an immigration salary list job for one not on the list. GOV.UK says you do not need to apply again if you stay in the same job.

Can I start my new job before my Skilled Worker update is approved?

GOV.UK says you should not start the new job until you have confirmation of your new permission. You can keep working in your current job, or work out your notice period, while the application is considered, as long as you applied before your current visa expired.

How much does it cost to change employer on a Skilled Worker visa?

From inside the UK the fee is £943 for up to 3 years or £1,865 for more than 3 years, or £628 and £1,235 for an immigration salary list job, plus the healthcare surcharge for the new permission. Health and Care Worker updates cost £324 or £628 with no surcharge.

How long does a Skilled Worker update take?

GOV.UK says you will usually get a decision within 8 weeks of your application date, and may be able to pay for a faster decision. It may take longer if documents need verifying or an interview is needed. Do not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you have a decision.

Can I take a second job on a Skilled Worker visa?

GOV.UK says you must apply to update your visa if the second job is more than 20 paid hours a week, and it needs its own certificate of sponsorship. You do not need to update if the additional work has an eligible occupation code or is under 20 paid hours a week.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-10.

Related guides

  • Skilled Worker visa cost: worker and employer totals — A worker applying from outside the UK for up to 3 years pays £819 plus £1,035 a year in healthcare surcharge, and usually needs £1,270 held in savings. The employer separately pays a £525 certificate fee and the immigration skills charge, and its licence fee if it is new.
  • Skilled Worker salary: £41,700 and going rates — Under Appendix Skilled Worker the general salary test is at least £41,700 a year and the occupation's going rate, whichever is higher. Lower thresholds of £33,400, £37,500 or £25,000 apply to specific groups, and only guaranteed basic pay counts.
  • Medium-skilled jobs after July 2025: the ISL and TSL — Since 22 July 2025 the Skilled Worker route is open to degree-level jobs, plus mid-level jobs only if they are on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List, or if the worker already held permission before that date. Both lists have a cut-off date for new certificates.
  • Sponsor licence revoked: what it means for your visa — If your sponsor loses its licence, the Immigration Rules say your permission may be cancelled. Home Office guidance says that where you were not involved, cancellation normally leaves you 60 days to apply for permission with a new sponsor or to leave. There is no appeal or administrative review against cancellation. A temporary arrangement currently protects care workers.
  • Bringing family on a Skilled Worker visa: costs and rules — Each partner and child pays the same application fee as the Skilled Worker for the same length of stay (£819 or £1,618 from outside the UK), plus the Immigration Health Surcharge, and must show £285 for a partner, £315 for the first child and £200 for each further child. Restrictions apply to dependants of care workers and some medium-skilled jobs.
  • Care workers changing sponsor: the rules in 2026 — A care worker or senior care worker who wants a new sponsor applies to update their visa with a new certificate of sponsorship. The new employer must be registered with the Care Quality Commission if the job is in England, and the fee is £324 for up to 3 years with no health surcharge.
  • Administrative review of a UK visa refusal — Administrative review is a Home Office check of whether a refusal was caused by a caseworking error. It costs £80 and must be requested online within 14 days if you were in the UK, 28 days if you applied from outside, or 7 days if detained. It only covers routes listed in Appendix AR, usually ignores new evidence, and GOV.UK says results can take 12 months or more.
  • Skilled Worker visa refused: options and deadlines — A refused Skilled Worker application can be challenged by administrative review (£80; 14 days if you applied in the UK, 28 days if you applied from abroad) because Appendix Skilled Worker is on the eligible list. A certificate of sponsorship that has been used in a refused application cannot be used again (SW 5.1(d)), so a fresh application needs a new certificate and a new visa fee.