Switching Sponsor on UK Skilled Worker Visa: How to Change Employer

Your UK Skilled Worker visa is tied to a specific employer — the sponsor named on your Certificate of Sponsorship. If you want to change jobs, you cannot simply hand in your notice and start somewhere new. You need to go through a formal process involving a new CoS from your new employer, and you must have valid Skilled Worker leave in place when your new employment begins. Getting this wrong can result in working illegally in the UK or having your current visa curtailed.

Here is how employer switching works.

You Must Have a Valid New CoS Before Leaving Your Current Role

The practical requirement is that your new employer must have an active sponsor licence and must assign you a new Certificate of Sponsorship. You then submit a new permission to stay application and wait for a decision.

The key timing rule: you must not start working for the new employer until your Skilled Worker permission for that new employer has been granted. This means you typically cannot resign, serve your notice period, and then start a new sponsored role immediately afterward without a gap in authorized employment.

The safest approach is:

1. Confirm your new employer holds an active sponsor licence (verify on the Register of Licensed Sponsors)
2. Have them assign a new Undefined CoS before your current permission expires
3. Submit your new permission to stay application
4. Continue in your current role (if notice period allows) until the new permission is granted
5. Start with your new employer only after the decision is issued

The 60-Day Grace Period (If Your Current Employer Withdraws Sponsorship)

If your current employer withdraws your sponsorship — which they can do if they terminate your employment, lose their licence, or cease trading — your visa is curtailed. UKVI issues a new expiry date, typically 60 days from the curtailment notice, to give you time to:

• Find a new sponsor and have them assign a CoS
• Submit a fresh permission to stay application
• Or make arrangements to depart the UK

60 days sounds like a reasonable window, but obtaining a sponsor licence for a new employer who does not yet have one takes approximately 8 weeks alone — which exceeds the grace period. If your new employer already holds a licence, the process is faster: an Undefined CoS can be assigned quickly, and you can submit a new application within days of the curtailment.

Workers in this situation should prioritize finding a licensed sponsor immediately — do not wait to see how the situation with the current employer develops.

Salary at the New Role: Which Threshold Applies?

When you switch to a new employer, your salary for the new role must meet the applicable threshold for the new CoS, not the threshold that applied to your original visa. There are two scenarios:

If your original CoS was assigned before April 4, 2024: You retain transitional salary protection. The new employer must pay £31,300 or the lower transitional going rate for the new SOC code — whichever is higher. This applies even though the employer is different.

If your original CoS was assigned on or after April 4, 2024: No transitional protection applies. The full thresholds operate: £41,700 or 100% of the current going rate for the new SOC code, whichever is higher.

This is important because a salary that was fine for your old role at one going rate may be insufficient for the new role if the SOC code changes. Always check the going rate for the specific SOC code your new employer intends to use.

The SOC Code Must Match the New Role

Your new employer cannot simply assign you the same SOC code your previous employer used if the actual job duties are materially different. Each CoS must accurately reflect the role being offered. UKVI's automated checks match stated duties against ONS occupational definitions, and misaligned codes trigger refusals and compliance audits.

If the new role is in a different occupational category at a higher SOC going rate, you must be paid that higher going rate. The transition does not grandfather you into the previous going rate.

What You Earn During the Gap

If there is any gap between your old employer's sponsorship ending and your new permission to stay being granted, you are not authorized to work. Any income earned during a gap in authorized leave could be treated as unlawful working.

If you are leaving voluntarily (not being let go), the cleanest approach is to stay in your current role throughout the notice period while the new application is processed, then start with the new employer only after the new permission is in place.

Changing Jobs Within the Same Employer (Internal Move)

An internal promotion or department transfer at the same employer does not necessarily require a new application, but it may require a CoS amendment or a new CoS depending on whether the SOC code or salary changes materially. The employer should report any significant changes through the Sponsor Management System. If the new role falls under a different SOC code — even within the same organisation — a fresh CoS and a new permission to stay application are typically required.

Using the Switch to Recalibrate Your ILR Timeline

Changing employers mid-visa does not reset your ILR qualifying residence — time accrued toward continuous residence continues to count. However, if the move changes your SOC code, it can affect which going rate applies at the ILR stage and, under the Earned Settlement model, your income trajectory toward the £50,270 threshold for the 5-year ILR reduction.

If the move comes with a salary increase that takes you above £50,270, it could materially shorten your time to ILR eligibility — making a well-timed employer switch strategically valuable beyond just the career dimension.

For a step-by-step walkthrough of the sponsor switching process — including the CoS assignment sequence, application timeline, and transitional salary calculations — the UK Skilled Worker Visa Guide covers every scenario.