Switching from Student Visa to Skilled Worker Visa

In the UK, there are numerous visa routes for overseas citizens. If those who immigrate for study purposes find employment after graduation, they need to change their visa route. Let’s discuss how to convert a Student Visa to a work permit in the UK, who and when is eligible for doing so, and what steps shall be done to successfully switch your visa in 2024.

Can immigrants switch from Student Visa to Skilled Worker Visa?

Yes, foreign students can do so if they complete their course of studies, get the corresponding academic degree, and receive a job offer from a British institution. Besides, a number of other requirements shall be met, including the financial and the linguistic ones (see below).

Not all jobs are suitable for switching from a Student Visa to a Work Visa. In 2024, foreign graduates may choose only skilled jobs included in the updated Standard Occupation Classification (SOC) list. The currently used version is SOC 2020 which outlines four skill levels, but only two of them allow initiating the switching process:

Level 3 – managerial, healthcare, culture, skilled agricultural, construction jobs;
Level 4 – healthcare, science, engineering, business, media professionals, directors.

Note that in order to switch from a Student Visa to a UK Work Visa, you must stay within the country. Yet, this does not hold for Short-Term Student Visa holders who shall apply from outside the country.

Requirements for changing a Student Visa to a Skilled Worker Visa

New rules of switching from Tier 4 to Tier 2 visas get published each year, and 2024 has not been an exception in these terms. Changes affect mostly the financial requirement. New entrants (below the age of 26) and those who are studying for their PhD (or already have it) shall have an annual salary equal to at least £30,960. To be recognized as a new entrant, one of the following circumstances shall hold:

applicant is working towards a recognized professional qualification, and their profession is considered as UK-related;
applicant is on their way towards a chartered status or full registration;
applicant’s most recent visa was under the Tier 4 (General) or Student route and expired less than two years before (application only from outside the UK).

Immigrants with working experience, on the other hand, shall earn at least £38,700 per year.

Your employer shall be a British legal entity with a Skilled Worker sponsor licence. They shall issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) which will serve as the proof of your employment in Great Britain.

Among other requirements – proficiency in the English language and a Tuberculosis test (for applicants from certain countries).

How to switch from a Student Visa to a Skilled Worker Visa?

First of all, you need to collect the necessary documents, and these include:

Passport or ID card;
CoS;
Criminal record certificate;
Application form;
Application fee payment receipt;
Any other documents that support your application and your immigration plans.

Applications are submitted online on the Home Office’s official website. Normally, applicants are required to visit the Home Office for an interview and presentation of additional papers. Afterwards the only thing you need to do is to wait until the decision is taken.

How much does the UK work permit after study cost?

In 2024, the application fee is £827 for three-year visas and £1,636 for visas for more than three years. In case your job is on the shortage occupation list, the fee will be lower (£551 and £1,084, respectively). Additionally, foreign applicants also pay a healthcare surcharge which is equal to £1,035 per year.

Please keep in mind that application fees for all UK visa types are subject to yearly revision. Always check the most up-to-date information before starting the application process.

How long can it take?

Normally, to get a UK work visa for students, you will have to wait about two months. It is important that you apply well before your Student Visa expires since those whose visa is no longer valid on the date of application will be considered as overstayers. However, once you have applied, the remaining validity of your Student Visa becomes irrelevant, and you can stay in Great Britain until you get the Home Office’s decision, even if your current visa expires in the meantime.

In case of urgency you can order a priority service. It costs £500 and allows obtaining a visa within five working days. Besides, a super-priority application processing service is available (£800-1,000 for the opportunity to get the Home Office’s decision on the next working day).

Applicants shall keep in mind that they are not allowed to travel abroad while awaiting their Working Visa. If they leave the country, they will be allowed to re-enter using their Student Visa (if valid) but their application will become void. Those who travel abroad and later face the expiration of their current visa’s validity will not be able to return to the UK and will have to apply for a different immigration route from outside the country.

Does the time spent on a Student Visa count towards the qualifying period for ILR?

Student Visas, just like the Graduate ones, are not valid for applying for an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) under a 5-year route. However, if you plan on getting an ILR after 10 years spent in Great Britain then your Student Visa can be included in the required period of stay.

How can Sterling law help?

Qualified immigration solicitors from Sterling Law are always ready to help international students in the UK get their work permit. We have a profound experience in solving various immigration matters, and switching from one visa route to another is smooth sailing for our lawyers. By entrusting your visa switching to our legal firm, you get the following clear advantages: