Switching from Student Visa to Skilled Worker Visa

Key takeaways

You can switch from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa from inside the UK once you have a job offer and a Certificate of Sponsorship from a licensed sponsor.
You must usually have completed your course first; you can only apply before it ends if your job start date is after your course finishes, or you have been studying a full-time PhD for at least 24 months.
The job must be skilled to graduate level (RQF 6) and pay at least £41,700 a year or the going rate, whichever is higher.
Recent graduates and other new entrants can use a lower salary floor of £33,400 a year (or 70% of the going rate) for up to 4 years.
From 8 January 2026 new applicants must meet English at CEFR level B2, and your employer usually does not pay the Immigration Skills Charge when you switch from a Student visa.
Time on a Student visa does not count towards the 5-year route to settlement, but it can count towards the 10-year long residence route.

Finishing your studies in the UK and want to stay on to work? Switching from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa lets you do exactly that — moving from study straight into a sponsored, graduate-level job without going home first. Below we cover eligibility, the timing rules, salary thresholds and fees.

Can you switch from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa?
Requirements for changing a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa
How to switch from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa
How much does the Skilled Worker visa after study cost?
How long does it take?
Does time on a Student visa count towards the qualifying period for ILR?
Switching from a Graduate visa instead
How can Sterling Law help?
FAQ

Can you switch from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa?

Yes. Overseas students can switch if they have a job offer from a UK employer and meet the requirements, including the financial and English language conditions set out below. The switch is made from inside the UK.

There is an important timing rule. You must usually have completed the course you were sponsored to study before you switch. You can only apply before your course ends if your job start date is after your course finishes, or if you are studying full time for a PhD and have been doing so for at least 24 months. Short-term Student visa holders cannot switch in the UK and must apply from outside the country.

Not every job qualifies. Since 22 July 2025 the role must be skilled to at least RQF level 6 — broadly graduate or degree level — which removed many previously eligible medium-skilled occupations. Your prospective employer can confirm whether the specific occupation code still qualifies.

Requirements for changing a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa

The rules are reviewed regularly, and the salary requirement changed significantly in 2025. The main conditions are:

A licensed sponsor. Your employer must be a UK organisation holding a Skilled Worker sponsor licence, and must assign you a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) as proof of the job.
An eligible, graduate-level job. The role must sit in an eligible occupation code at RQF level 6 or above.
Salary. You must usually be paid at least £41,700 a year, or the going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher. Recent graduates and other “new entrants” can instead be paid at least £33,400 a year, or 70% of the going rate, for up to 4 years — which makes this the common route for students moving straight into their first professional job.
English language. From 8 January 2026 you must prove English at CEFR level B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening, raised from the previous B1 standard.
Other requirements. Depending on your circumstances you may also need a tuberculosis test result and to show maintenance funds unless your sponsor certifies them.

To qualify as a new entrant, you generally need to be under 26, switching from a Student or Graduate visa, working towards a recognised professional qualification, or moving towards chartered status or full registration in your profession.

How to switch from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa

First, gather your documents. These usually include your passport or ID, your CoS reference number, proof you meet the English language requirement, a criminal record certificate for certain roles, and any documents that support your application.

You apply online through the Home Office website and prove your identity either through the UK Immigration: ID Check app or at a visa application centre, where you give your biometric information. After that you wait for the decision.

How much does the Skilled Worker visa after study cost?

The application fee for switching from inside the UK is £943 for a visa of up to 3 years and £1,865 for more than 3 years, per person. For jobs on the Immigration Salary List the fee is lower, at £628 and £1,235 respectively. On top of the fee you pay the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 per year.

A significant saving applies here: when you switch from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa, your employer usually does not have to pay the Immigration Skills Charge, which would otherwise cost them up to £1,320 per year of sponsorship.

How long does it take?

Normally, an in-country switch takes about two months. It is important to apply well before your Student visa expires, since anyone whose visa is no longer valid on the date of application is treated as an overstayer. However, once you have applied, the remaining validity of your Student visa becomes irrelevant, and you can stay in the UK 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 (around £500) to obtain a decision within five working days, or a super-priority service (around £1,000) for a decision by the next working day.

Applicants should keep in mind that they are not allowed to travel abroad while awaiting the decision. If you leave the country, you can re-enter using your Student visa while it is still valid, but your application will become void. Anyone who travels abroad and then faces the expiry of their current visa will not be able to return to the UK and would have to apply for a different route from outside the country.

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

Student visas, just like Graduate ones, are not valid for applying for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) under the 5-year route — the five qualifying years begin once you are on the Skilled Worker visa. However, if you plan on getting ILR after 10 years in the UK through the long residence route, time spent lawfully on your Student visa can be included in the required period of stay.

Switching from a Graduate visa instead

Many students first move onto the Graduate visa, which allows work without sponsorship for a limited period, and then switch to the Skilled Worker visa once they have a sponsored job. The Skilled Worker requirements are the same whether you switch from a Student or a Graduate visa; the difference is timing and whether you already need a sponsor.

How can Sterling Law help?

Sterling Law helps international students and graduates move from study to work in the UK, and advises the employers who sponsor them. We handle the detail so a switch does not fail on a technicality.

Our work can include:

confirming whether your job and its occupation code qualify for the Skilled Worker visa;
checking the salary against the general and new entrant thresholds;
advising on the timing rules if you want to switch before your course ends;
applying for or maintaining an employer sponsor licence and assigning the CoS correctly;
preparing and checking the application and supporting documents;
advising on the Graduate visa as an alternative first step;
planning your route to settlement;
supporting partners and children as dependants;
representing you if an application is refused.

Speak to us before you apply, so any issue is dealt with while it can still be fixed. Contact us to arrange a consultation.

Frequently asked questions

Can I switch from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa before my course ends?

Only if your job start date is after your course finishes, or you have been studying full time for a PhD for at least 24 months. Otherwise you must complete your course first.

Do I switch from inside or outside the UK?

From inside the UK. Short-term Student visa holders are the exception and must apply from outside.

What salary do I need?

Usually £41,700 a year or the going rate, whichever is higher. As a recent graduate or new entrant you can instead be paid £33,400 a year or 70% of the going rate for up to 4 years.

What English level do I need?

From 8 January 2026 new applicants must meet CEFR level B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening.

How much does it cost?

£943 for up to 3 years or £1,865 for more than 3 years from inside the UK (less for Immigration Salary List jobs), plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 per year.