Student to Skilled Worker Visa: Employer Guide 2026

Section A: International Graduate Recruitment

UK employers are permitted to employ student visa holders within certain restrictions and where the individual’s visa conditions allow. For example, where the visa holder is still studying, they may carry out paid employment up to 20 hours per week during term time if studying at degree level or above, or 10 hours if below degree level, or on a full-time basis during holidays.

If you are looking to onboard a Student visa holder after they have finished their studies, you will need to ensure that their immigration status is in order and permits the type of employment you are offering.

Once a Student visa holder has successfully completed their course and remains within a valid period of Student permission, full-time work is generally permitted, subject to the remaining conditions of the Student route.

There are a number of visa options and schemes open to student visa holders wanting to stay in the UK to work after their studies.

The most common work visa route is the Graduate visa, which allows unsponsored work for 2 years after bachelor’s/master’s or 3 years after PhD/doctorate, though the Skilled Worker visa is also available if sponsored by an employer.

Student visa holders are permitted to switch to the Skilled Worker visa category, provided they meet the visa eligibility criteria.

Note that students on a short-term student visa, however, are not eligible to apply from within the UK to switch to become a skilled worker; they would need to leave the country and make an application for entry clearance under a Skilled Worker visa. Short-term study visa holders are also not permitted to work at all – paid or unpaid, including voluntary work or placements – during their stay.

Section B: Student to Graduate Route or Direct to Skilled Worker visa?

For UK employers, deciding whether to hire a candidate switching from a Student visa directly to a Skilled Worker visa, or first moving through the Graduate visa route before switching, comes with certain advantages and challenges.

When a candidate moves straight from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa, the main advantage for the employer is immediate sponsorship control over the employee.

Sponsorship can improve retention because a worker would usually need a new sponsor before moving to another sponsored role.

Employers can also claim a discount on the salary threshold if the applicant qualifies as a new entrant, making it more affordable to sponsor them. However, sponsorship comes with legal and administrative responsibilities, including issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), complying with Home Office reporting duties and paying the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC).

If the candidate instead moves from a Student visa to a Graduate visa before switching to Skilled Worker, this offers more flexibility to both the employer and the worker.

The Graduate visa is normally granted for 2 years, or 3 years for applicants awarded a doctoral qualification, although this is set to reduce to 18 months from 1 January 2027 for non-PhD graduates.

The route allows the individual to work in any job without needing sponsorship. This can be beneficial for employers who are uncertain about long-term sponsorship commitments, as they can assess the candidate’s suitability before offering a Skilled Worker role. It also removes the initial cost of sponsorship during this period, as the employer does not need a sponsor licence to hire someone on a Graduate visa. However, there are drawbacks to this approach. Since the Graduate visa is unsponsored, the employee can switch jobs freely, making retention more challenging. Employers who wait until the Graduate visa expires before offering sponsorship may also lose access to the new entrant salary discount, meaning they must pay a higher salary threshold to sponsor the worker under the Skilled Worker route.

The choice between the two routes depends on the employer’s workforce strategy. If retaining skilled talent is the priority, sponsoring a Student visa holder directly under the Skilled Worker route provides long-term stability and ensures the worker remains with the company. However, if the employer is unsure about immediate sponsorship or wants to trial the worker in different roles, the Graduate visa can serve as a flexible stepping stone before making a sponsorship commitment.

Our UK immigration experts can support you in considering your options in light of your specific needs and circumstances.

Section C: Student to Skilled Worker Visa Requirements

Student visa holders, or those whose last grant of leave was as a student, are only allowed to switch into the Skilled Worker route if one of the following conditions apply on the date of making their application: they have completed their course of study for which the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) was assigned, or a course which is degree level or above in the UK; or the applicant must be studying a full-time course of study at degree level or above with a higher education provider which has a track record of compliance, and the Certificate of Sponsorship must have a start date no earlier than the course completion date; or the applicant must be studying a full-time course of study leading to the award of a PhD with a higher education provider which has a track record of compliance, and the Certificate of Sponsorship must have a start date no earlier than 24 months after the start date of that course.

As with all Skilled Worker applications, the visa requirements must also be met in relation to the job on offer and the individual applying. This means the role being recruited for has to meet the minimum thresholds for skill level and salary.

Skilled worker eligible roles are listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations.

Following the changes introduced on 22 July 2025, new Skilled Worker sponsorship is generally limited to occupations assessed at RQF Level 6 or above. Certain sub-degree occupations remain eligible in limited circumstances, including roles appearing on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List and transitional arrangements for some existing sponsored workers.

Each occupation is assigned a unique, four-digit SOC code that corresponds to a specific ‘going rate‘ for each particular job. The job on offer must be at or above the relevant going rate or applicable salary threshold at the time of the application to meet the minimum salary requirement.

In most cases, students switching will be considered ‘new entrants‘ for the purposes of the Skilled Worker route, which means a reduced salary threshold may apply. New entrants may benefit from reduced salary thresholds where they satisfy the requirements of the relevant tradeable points option.

Most applicants switching from the Student route will already satisfy the English language requirement, although the basis on which this requirement is met can vary.

The Skilled Worker visa does include a financial requirement, but this does not apply to those applying in the UK who have been living here with a valid visa for at least 12 months.

If the applicant does not qualify for this exemption, they will need to show they have held at least £1270 for a consecutive period of 28 days by providing a bank statement ending no later than one month before the date of application, or, if you are an A rated sponsor, you can state on the CoS that you will maintain and accommodate the applicant to the end of the first month of employment in the UK up to £1,270.

Section D: Who Qualifies as a New Entrant?

Graduates are often able to benefit from the Skilled Worker route’s reduced salary provisions for new entrants, although eligibility is determined by the specific requirements in Appendix Skilled Worker rather than by graduate status alone.
New entrant provisions are intended to support individuals at an earlier stage of their career progression. Where the requirements are met, sponsors may be able to rely on a lower salary threshold than would otherwise apply under the standard Skilled Worker rules.

1. Who qualifies as a new entrant?

An applicant may qualify as a new entrant where they fall within one of the categories set out in Appendix Skilled Worker. For graduates and international students, the most commonly used categories are:

• An applicant who is applying from the Student route and has completed, or is close to completing, an eligible UK qualification in accordance with the switching requirements.
• An applicant who is applying from the Graduate route and remains within the period during which Graduate visa holders can benefit from the new entrant provisions.
• An applicant who is under the age of 26 on the date of application and satisfies the relevant Appendix Skilled Worker requirements.
• An applicant working towards a recognised professional qualification, registration or chartered status where this is required for the sponsored role.
• An applicant undertaking eligible postdoctoral research roles specified within the Immigration Rules.

2. How do the new entrant salary rules work?

Applicants who qualify as new entrants may be sponsored using the reduced salary provisions available under the Skilled Worker route. The applicable salary requirement is determined by the tradeable points option being relied upon and the relevant salary tables in force at the date of application.

The reduced salary provisions do not remove the requirement to pay an appropriate salary. Sponsors still need to ensure that the worker is paid at or above the minimum level required under the applicable tradeable points option and that all salary requirements in Appendix Skilled Worker are met.

Salary thresholds and going rates have been subject to significant reform in recent years and are amended periodically. Sponsors should therefore verify the current requirements before assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship.

3. How long can a worker benefit from new entrant status?

New entrant status is intended as a temporary concession for workers at the beginning of their careers. It cannot be relied upon indefinitely and is subject to maximum time limits set out in the Immigration Rules.

Where a worker is later sponsored in an extension application, the sponsor will need to assess whether the individual can continue to rely on the new entrant provisions or whether the standard Skilled Worker salary requirements will apply.

For employers recruiting international graduates, new entrant eligibility can provide a valuable route into sponsorship by reducing salary costs during the early stages of employment. However, workforce planning should take account of the fact that the worker may need to meet higher salary requirements in future applications as their immigration journey progresses.

Section E: Sponsoring Student-Skilled Worker Visa switchers

One of the fundamental requirements of hiring under the Skilled Worker route is that your organisation holds a valid sponsorship licence, and pays the relevant fees to recruit and sponsor points-based visa workers, such as the Immigration Skills Charge.

The next step is to assign a Certificate of Sponsorship to certify that the role and applicant meet the visa requirements.

The individual then makes their visa application to the Home Office using the CoS. This has to be submitted within 3 months of the CoS being issued and no more than 3 months before the intended start of employment.

Importantly, the CoS is not transferrable between individuals. You have to issue a new CoS for each individual applicant.

Remember that as a UK sponsor licence holder, you will be operating under a number of immigration compliance duties in respect of your sponsored workers. This includes a duty to notify the Home Office if there is unexplained absence or the individual leaves your employment early. Failure to meet these duties could result in penalties, impacting your ability to employ sponsored workers.

Section F: Supporting Student to Skilled Worker Switchers

We recommend assisting the applicants with their visa application to the Home Office, ensuring their paperwork is all present and correct, that the correct fees are paid, and generally helping to avoid errors that could otherwise cause delay or issues with their ability to join your organisation.

The documentary evidence element of the application, in particular, can be difficult for applicants to satisfy without guidance.

Student visa holders should be reminded that the application has to be made before the expiry date of their current period of leave. Provided the application is submitted before this date, should their leave expire, it will be extended automatically without overstaying issues until a decision is made.

It will also be worth making the individual aware that they should not travel until the outcome of the application. Leaving the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man while a Home Office decision is pending will automatically withdraw the application.

Should the applicant need to travel overseas urgently, take advice. In most cases, if the individual still has valid leave under their student visa, they will be permitted to travel and return to the UK, but their Skilled Worker visa application will have been forfeited and a new application would be needed, and the application fee payable again.

Summary

International graduates remain an important source of talent for UK employers, but moving from the Student route into sponsored employment requires careful planning from both the employer and the applicant. While the switching process is well established, eligibility requirements relating to course completion, sponsorship, salary thresholds and immigration timing can create complications if not managed correctly.

For many organisations, direct sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route offers a more predictable long-term recruitment strategy than relying on the Graduate route. However, sponsors need to ensure that the role, salary and worker all satisfy the current Immigration Rules and that their compliance obligations are understood from the outset.

With immigration policy continuing to evolve, employers should verify the latest requirements before assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship and ensure that any application is prepared carefully to avoid unnecessary delays or refusals.

Need assistance?

As with all Home Office applications, strict rules and eligibility criteria apply for applicants switching from the Student to Skilled Worker visa. With so much at stake, employers should take a proactive and collaborative approach with their new recruits to support them through the visa application process and maximise the prospects of the visa being granted.

DavidsonMorris’ team of business immigration lawyers are on hand to advise employers on the switching process, on supporting with applications such as the Skilled Worker route. We can also advise on related issues such as applications for intra company transfers and the Health and Care Worker visa.

If you have any questions relating to switching to the Skilled Worker category or any wider business immigration related query, please get in touch.

Student to skilled worker visa FAQs

Can a student switch to a Skilled Worker visa?

Yes, international students in the UK on a Student visa (formerly Tier 4) can switch to a Skilled Worker visa if they meet the eligibility criteria, including having a job offer from a UK employer with a sponsor licence.

When can a student apply to switch to a Skilled Worker visa?

A student can apply if they have completed their course of study for which the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies was assigned (or a course which is degree level or above in the UK); or they are studying a full-time course at degree level or above with a higher education provider with a track record of compliance, and the Certificate of Sponsorship has a start date no earlier than the course completion date; or they are studying a full-time PhD with a higher education provider with a track record of compliance, and the Certificate of Sponsorship has a start date no earlier than 24 months after the start date of that course. The job they are offered must meet the minimum salary and skill level requirements.

Does the employer need a sponsor licence?

Yes, the employer must hold a valid sponsor licence and be approved by the Home Office to hire skilled workers under the Skilled Worker route.

What salary must be offered for a Skilled Worker visa?

The salary must meet the relevant applicable salary threshold, depending on the job role and if a reduced threshold applies.

Can a student work full-time before switching to a Skilled Worker visa?

Once a student has successfully completed their course and remains within a valid period of Student permission, full-time work is generally permitted subject to the remaining conditions of the Student route.

What is the cost of switching from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa?

The visa fee varies depending on the length of sponsorship and job role. Applicants must also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) per year of leave.

Can dependants apply with a student switching to a Skilled Worker visa?

Yes, dependants (spouse/partner and children) already in the UK on a Student dependant visa can apply to switch to a Skilled Worker dependant visa.

Does time spent on a Student visa count towards settlement (ILR)?

No, time spent on a Student visa does not count towards Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). However, time on a Skilled Worker visa does count, and after five years, the visa holder may be eligible for settlement.

What happens if a Skilled Worker visa application is refused?

If the application is refused, the applicant may be able to request an administrative review if they believe the decision was incorrect. Alternatively, they may need to reapply with additional supporting evidence or seek legal advice.

How long does the Skilled Worker visa application process take?

UKVI service standards and priority services can change. Applicants should check the latest published processing times before applying.

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