International students currently in the UK on a previous Tier 4 (General) Student visa (the current student visa has replaced this) can switch to a Skilled Worker Visa (formerly known as Tier 2 visa) without being required to leave the country. This route is popular among Tier 4 holders who have secured a job offer from a UK employer.
The Skilled Worker visa allows qualifying overseas nationals to come to or stay in the UK to work in an eligible role for an approved sponsor. An approved sponsor is a UK company or organisation that has obtained a sponsor licence, required to hire foreign workers, from the Home Office.
Switching to a Skilled Worker visa means you are already in the UK on another valid visa, such as a Tier 4 or Student Visa, and now you want to make an in-country application for a Skilled Worker visa to stay and work in the UK. You will need to be eligible for this visa; for example, you must have a job offer and a Certificate of Sponsorship from your employer, and you must meet the skill and salary thresholds set by the Home Office, among other requirements.
You can switch to a Skilled Worker visa from a Tier 4 visa after:
You have completed your course of study in the UK or within 3 months of your course end date (except in the case you are a PhD student, you may apply earlier) and
You have received an eligible job offer from an approved sponsor in the UK.
You might be able to apply to switch from a Tier 4 to a Skilled Worker visa if you’re already, at the time of application, in the UK on a Tier 4 visa and meet one of the following requirements:
You have completed the course you were sponsored to study
Your job start date is after your course end date as listed on your CAS letter
You’re studying for a PhD full-time, and have been for at least 24 months
Apart from these specific requirements, you will also need to meet the general requirements for the UK Skilled Worker visa.
You must have an eligible job offer for this visa, you must be working for an approved UK employer, and you must be paid at least the minimum annual salary rate for the type of work you’ll be doing.
Your employer with a sponsor licence must provide you with a certificate of sponsorship (CoS). A CoS is an electronic record that lists specific details such as your job role, salary, start date of the job, your occupation code, etc.
Your job must be at an appropriate skill level. From 22 July 2025, the skill threshold for the Skilled Worker role has been raised from the existing RQF (Regulated Qualifications Framework) Level 3 (A-level equivalent) to RQF Level 6 (graduate level) except where the job appears on the ISL (Immigration Salary List) or newly launched TSL (Temporary Shortage List).
You must also be paid the minimum salary threshold. As a Tier 4 Migrant you can be paid New Entrant Salary £33,400 or 70% of the going rate, whichever is higher. The new entrant salary is only limited to a period of 4 years.
If you want to be sponsored for 5 years straight the new salary threshold is £41,700 per year, effective from 22 July 2025. So, you must be paid the general salary threshold of £41,700 or the going rate specific to your occupation code – whichever is higher.
You can be paid less than the general minimum salary threshold if you:
You have a PhD that is relevant to your job role
You have a PhD in a STEM subject that is relevant to your job role
You have a job offer that is listed on the ISL
You are a ‘new entrant’ in the labour market.
You have a job offer for a specific education or health role.
You must be able to demonstrate to the UKVI the necessary knowledge of the English language of at least CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) Level B1 in all four components: understanding, reading, writing, and speaking, as set out under Appendix English Language of the Rules.
If you met the English requirement at the time of your student visa application then the same can be utilised at the time of switching to skilled worker visa.
You must be in the UK when you apply. You must apply before your Tier 4 visa expires. You can apply to switch to a skilled worker visa:
After you have completed your course of study in the UK or within 3 months of your course end date (except in the case you are a PhD student, you may apply earlier), and you have received an eligible job offer from an approved sponsor in the UK, and
Up to 3 months before the due date of the start of your work in the UK. You will get this date listed on your CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship).
You should apply in time. Applying before time could result in a refusal; while leaving it too late may cause your current Tier 4 visa to expire.
To make the switch from a Tier 4 to a Skilled Worker Visa, you need to secure a CoS first. After that, you can submit your application, pay the fee, prove your identity, submit the documents, and wait for a decision. You will need to follow these steps:
Your sponsor must provide you with a valid CoS. A CoS confirms your job offer and provides essential details such as salary, job role, job start date, etc., for your visa application.
Complete the application form on gov.uk to switch to a Skilled Worker Visa. Make sure you submit your application before your current Tier 4 visa expires to avoid overstaying.
You need to pay £769 if your visa is for up to 3 years, and £1,519 if your visa is for more than 3 years. On the other hand, if your job is listed on the ISL, the fee is lower (£590 for up to 3 years, £1,160 for more than 3 years).
You must prove your identity and nationality. You can do this by uploading identity documents on the “UK Immigration: ID Check” app or enrolling your biometric information (fingerprints and facial photograph) at a UKVCAS service point in the UK.
You’ll need to provide supporting documents with your application, such as proof of your qualifications and job offer.
You should usually get a decision within 8 weeks once you’ve submitted all necessary documents and proved your identity. You can get a faster decision by paying for priority or super-priority services.
The Tier 4 visa was once the primary route for international students looking to study in the UK before the new student visa replaced it. This also means that no one can make a new Tier 4 visa application. However, current Tier 4 visa holders can continue to rely on their visas until they expire. While their leave to remain stands valid, these individuals should consider their options, such as switching to a UK skilled worker visa to remain in the UK after their current visa expires.
We help you switch from a Tier 4 or current Student Visa to a Skilled Worker Visa in the UK, as it is an excellent opportunity for you if you have completed your course of study and secured a job offer in the UK.
With updated rules in 2025, we help you prepare the strongest application. We confirm with you if you meet the latest salary thresholds, have received a job offer for an eligible occupation, and are being offered the salary that meets or exceeds the latest thresholds.
We help you through the switch application process to ensure a smooth transition. We help you meet all the requirements and follow the correct steps, making sure you stay and continue your professional journey in the UK.
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