From Student to Skilled Worker: How to Switch Visa Routes in the UK

The most common path to becoming a UK Skilled Worker is to arrive on a Student visa, complete a UK degree, switch onto the Graduate Route for up to three years, and then switch onto the Skilled Worker route once an offer is in hand. Home Office data suggests well over half of in-country Skilled Worker switches come from this pipeline.

Applicants already on a Student or Graduate Route visa are in a materially stronger position than overseas applicants. They can attend interviews in person, evidence current UK earnings, and begin the new role on the agreed start date once their switch is submitted.

Eligibility to switch

An applicant can switch into the Skilled Worker route from inside the UK while holding any of the following:

• Student or Tier 4 (General) visa — provided the qualifying course is complete or has an early CoS start date within three months of the course end date.
• Graduate Route visa.
• Most other work or family visa categories, with the exception of Visitor and Short-term Study visas, which cannot be switched.

Additional requirements:

• A Certificate of Sponsorship from a licensed Skilled Worker sponsor.
• A salary at or above the relevant threshold — the new-entrant discount applies to under-26s and recent Student / Graduate Route switchers. See 2026 Salary Thresholds.
• B1 English, almost always already evidenced via a UK degree.
• The application fee, the Immigration Health Surcharge, and biometrics.

Timing

Two timing rules matter:

1. Submit before the current visa expires. Submission even one day late means the holder is an overstayer, and overstayers cannot switch in-country. A delay of under 14 days may be accepted with “good reason”, but acceptance is discretionary.
2. Work can start the day after submission. Once the Skilled Worker application is submitted, existing leave is extended under section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 until a decision is made. The new role can begin on the agreed start date even before the decision lands.

Cost of switching

Switching is more expensive than applying out-of-country for the same length of leave. As of 2026:

• Skilled Worker switch, up to 3 years: around £1,500 (versus around £769 from outside the UK).
• Health and Care Worker switch, up to 3 years: around £601.
• Plus the Immigration Health Surcharge at the standard rate.
• Plus the £19.20 biometric enrolment fee.

Total out-of-pocket for a single applicant on a 3-year Skilled Worker switch is therefore around £6,000 once IHS is included. See our 2026 visa fees breakdown for the per-route detail.

Common pitfalls

• Switching during the final term. Many sponsors will issue a CoS three months before the course end date, but the start date on the CoS cannot be earlier than the course end date. Issuing too early causes the application to fail.
• Continuous-residence resets. Time on the Graduate Route counts toward most settlement clocks but not toward the Skilled Worker settlement clock. The five-year clock for Indefinite Leave to Remain restarts from the date the Skilled Worker leave is granted.
• Maintenance funds. If the sponsor does not certify maintenance on the CoS, £1,270 must be held in savings for 28 consecutive days — the same as an overseas applicant.
• Working between course end and switch grant. A Graduate Route holder can continue to work right up to the switch decision, but once the switch is submitted, only the new Skilled Worker role can be worked under section 3C leave.

A practical sequence

1. Final term — speak to the university careers service for sponsor-targeted sessions.
2. Two to three months before course end — secure an offer from a licensed sponsor.
3. CoS issued, start date no earlier than course end date.
4. Switch application submitted before existing visa expires.
5. Work begins on the agreed CoS start date under section 3C.
6. Decision typically arrives within eight weeks; in-country priority service is available.

Frequently asked questions

Can I switch from a Student visa directly to a Skilled Worker visa?

Yes. Student visa holders can switch in-country if they have completed the qualifying course or have an early CoS start date within three months of the course end date.

Can I keep working between submitting my switch and getting a decision?

Once a Skilled Worker switch is submitted before the existing visa expires, section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 extends the current leave until a decision is made. The applicant can begin the new role on the agreed CoS start date even before the decision lands.

Does my Graduate Route time count toward Skilled Worker settlement?

No. Time on the Graduate Route does not count toward the Skilled Worker five-year settlement clock. The clock restarts from the date the Skilled Worker leave is granted.

What happens if I apply late?

A late application — even by a single day — usually leaves the applicant as an overstayer, and overstayers cannot switch in-country. A delay of under 14 days may be accepted on a "good reason" basis, but acceptance is discretionary.