You can change employer on a Skilled Worker visa, but in most cases you must make a new application to update your permission before you start the new sponsored role. A Skilled Worker visa is tied to the employer, job and Certificate of Sponsorship recorded in your application, so it is not usually something you can simply transfer like a gym membership, although that would certainly be easier.
The key point is that your new employer must normally be a licensed Skilled Worker sponsor and must assign you a new Certificate of Sponsorship, often called a CoS. You then use that CoS to apply online for updated permission. A job offer alone, even a very attractive one, is not enough to authorise you to work for the new employer.
If you are planning a move, timing matters. You need to coordinate your notice period, visa expiry date, new start date, dependant applications and any settlement plans. Professional guidance from Immigration UK can be useful where the new role has a different occupation code, a different salary structure, dependant issues or a possible impact on future indefinite leave to remain.
Can You Change Employer on a Skilled Worker Visa?
Yes, you can usually change employer on a Skilled Worker visa, provided the new job and sponsor meet the requirements. However, changing to a different employer normally requires a change of employment application. This is not just an informal notification to the Home Office.
Your current permission normally allows you to work for the sponsor and in the role approved by UK Visas and Immigration. If you move to another employer, the Home Office needs to assess the new sponsorship, job, salary, occupation code and your continuing eligibility. GOV.UK provides specific guidance on when you must update your Skilled Worker visa if you change job or employer.
You may also need a new application if you stay with the same employer but move into a different occupation code, or if you move from a role with specific salary list provisions to one that does not benefit from them. Small changes to duties, work location or salary may not always require a new application, but your sponsor may still need to report changes through the Sponsorship Management System.
When Is a New Skilled Worker Application Needed?
The safest way to think about it is this: if the change affects the employer, sponsored role or occupation code, you should check whether a new application is required before taking action. The Immigration Rules and current sponsor guidance always take priority, but the following summary is a helpful starting point.
- Moving to a different employer normally requires a new CoS and a new Skilled Worker application.
- Changing occupation code with the same employer normally requires an updated application.
- Changing job title only may not require an application if the duties and occupation code remain the same.
- A promotion may require an application if the new role falls under a different occupation code.
- A TUPE or equivalent statutory transfer may be treated differently, but sponsor reporting duties can still apply.
- A second job may need separate permission if it does not fall within the permitted supplementary employment rules.
This is where confusion often arises. Changing employer is different from taking supplementary work. Supplementary employment may be allowed in limited circumstances alongside your main sponsored role, but replacing your sponsored job with a new employer is a change of employment and is normally treated as a fresh Skilled Worker assessment.
Step One: Check That the New Employer Can Sponsor You
Before you resign, confirm that the new employer holds the correct sponsor licence for the Skilled Worker route. An employer can offer you a job without being licensed, but they cannot sponsor your Skilled Worker application unless they have the appropriate licence in place.
A sponsor licence and a Certificate of Sponsorship are not the same thing. The licence allows the organisation to sponsor eligible workers. The CoS is the electronic sponsorship record assigned to you for the specific role. If you would like a plain English explanation of sponsorship, Immigration UK has a helpful page on what visa sponsorship means in the UK.
You should also check that the job details are accurate. The employer should be clear about the job title, main duties, occupation code, salary, weekly hours, work location and proposed start date. Incorrect occupation coding can cause real problems, especially where the job description has been stretched to fit an eligible code. The Home Office can refuse an application if it considers that the vacancy is not genuine or the role has been inaccurately described.
Step Two: Get a New Certificate of Sponsorship
Your new employer must usually assign a new Certificate of Sponsorship before you can apply. The CoS is not a paper certificate. It is an electronic record with a reference number that you enter in your online application.
Check the CoS carefully before submitting your visa application. Small errors can lead to delay, requests for evidence or refusal. Important details include the sponsor name, sponsor licence details, occupation code, salary, hours, work location, start date and end date. If the role has special requirements, such as a criminal record certificate, ATAS certificate or health and care-related condition, these should be considered before applying.
The employer may also need to pay the Immigration Skills Charge, unless an exemption applies. This is generally a sponsor cost, not the applicant's visa application fee. Applicants should still budget for their own application fee, Immigration Health Surcharge where payable and any optional priority service fee if available.
Step Three: Check That the New Role Qualifies
A change of employer application is assessed in much the same way as a Skilled Worker application for a new role. Your previous approval does not automatically mean the next job will qualify.
The new role must normally be in an eligible occupation and meet the relevant skill and salary requirements. Salary rules can be detailed because the correct threshold may depend on the occupation code, going rate, weekly hours, whether the job is in a listed role, whether transitional arrangements apply and whether the role falls within health or care provisions. For wider background on the route, you may find Immigration UK's guide to what a Skilled Worker visa is useful.
Do not assume that a lower salary will be acceptable just because you already hold a Skilled Worker visa. The new salary must be assessed under the rules that apply to your application. Some existing Skilled Workers may benefit from transitional arrangements, but these are not universal and depend on immigration history, CoS dates and the current rules at the time of application.
You may also need to meet English language, financial, suitability and immigration history requirements. If you already proved English language in a previous successful application, you may not need to prove it again in the same way, but the application should still be completed accurately.
Step Four: Apply to Update Your Visa
You can normally apply to update your Skilled Worker visa up to three months before the new job start date stated on the CoS. The application is made online. You will need to enter the CoS reference, provide personal and immigration details, confirm the new employment information and prove your identity.
Depending on the application instructions, you may be able to use a digital identity process or you may need to attend a UKVCAS appointment. You should not leave the application until the last moment, particularly if your current visa is close to expiry. A late or invalid application can cause serious problems for your lawful status and future settlement planning.
If you are inside the UK, you will usually be applying for permission to stay. However, some people cannot switch from certain immigration categories inside the UK, such as visitors, short-term students, seasonal workers, domestic workers in private households, parents of Child Students or those on immigration bail. If your immigration history is unusual, check before applying.
Can You Start the New Job Before the Decision?
You should not assume that you can start work for the new employer just because you have submitted the application. Your existing Skilled Worker permission normally covers your current sponsored employer and role. Starting the new sponsored job too early may risk breaching your visa conditions.
It is sensible to coordinate your resignation, notice period and proposed start date carefully. Employment law obligations and immigration permission are separate. You may have to serve notice with your current employer, but that does not automatically mean you can begin work for the new employer before the Home Office grants permission covering that employment.
If your current employer reports that your employment has ended, UKVI may take action in relation to your existing permission. This makes timing especially important where there is a gap between roles. If your situation is urgent, take advice before resigning or agreeing a fixed start date.
Costs and Processing Times
GOV.UK publishes the current Skilled Worker application fees, and you should check the live fee guidance immediately before applying because immigration fees can change. The amount you pay may depend on the length of permission requested, whether the role falls within a reduced fee category and whether you are applying from inside or outside the UK. The Immigration Health Surcharge may also be payable unless an exemption applies.
Standard in-country Skilled Worker applications are currently listed as usually taking up to eight weeks, although this is a service standard rather than a guaranteed deadline. Priority or super priority services may be offered in some cases, but availability depends on the application system at the time.
Delays can occur if the CoS contains errors, documents are missing, the Home Office wants to verify the sponsor, or there are concerns about the occupation code, salary or genuine vacancy. Try not to book non-refundable travel or agree an unrealistic start date based only on the standard processing time.
Dependants, Settlement and Future Planning
Your partner or child's dependant visa does not automatically update when you change employer. Dependants normally make separate applications. They may apply at the same time as you or before their existing permission expires, depending on their circumstances.
If dependants do not apply immediately, their existing permission may remain valid until its expiry date, but this should be checked carefully. Restrictions can apply in some care worker and senior care worker roles, with transitional rules in certain cases. Do not assume that a dependant's permission will automatically match your new visa end date.
Changing employer does not normally reset your five year Skilled Worker settlement clock if your permission remains continuous and you stay within qualifying routes. However, an invalid application, late application, refusal or period without lawful status can create problems. If you are approaching indefinite leave to remain, it is worth reviewing the requirements for a UK settlement application before making the move.
Common Problems to Avoid
Most change of employer issues are avoidable with careful preparation. The common risks include accepting a role before confirming sponsorship, relying on an offer letter instead of a CoS, using the wrong occupation code, overlooking dependant applications or starting the new job too soon.
Salary is another common problem. The Home Office will look at the salary that counts under the Skilled Worker rules, not necessarily the total value of every benefit in your package. Allowances, bonuses and benefits may not always count in the way an applicant expects. Hours also matter because the going rate may need to be calculated by reference to the working pattern.
If an application is refused, there may not be a full right of appeal. Administrative review may be available where you believe the Home Office made a caseworking error. The best strategy is to reduce refusal risk before submission by checking the CoS, job eligibility, salary, documents and timing in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change employer on a Skilled Worker visa?
Yes, but changing to a different employer normally requires a new Skilled Worker application supported by a new Certificate of Sponsorship from the new sponsor.
Do I need a new Certificate of Sponsorship?
In most cases, yes. A new employer must usually assign a new CoS that accurately records the role, salary, occupation code, work location and start date.
Can I start my new job while the application is pending?
You should not assume that you can. Your existing permission normally relates to your current sponsored employment, so you should wait until you have permission for the new role unless official conditions clearly allow otherwise.
Will changing employer affect my ILR?
A lawful change of employer does not usually reset the Skilled Worker qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain, provided your lawful residence remains continuous and you meet the relevant settlement requirements.
Do my dependants need to apply again?
Dependants do not automatically receive updated permission when you change employer. They normally need separate applications, either at the same time as you or before their current visas expire.
