Students in the UK who wish to switch from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa must meet specific eligibility requirements set by the Home Office.
✅ Eligibility Requirements
You must be able to prove that you meet at least one of the following:
You have completed the course you were sponsored to study.
Your job start date is after your course has officially finished.
You have been studying for a PhD for at least 24 months.
📌 Important:
When an employer is assessing your eligibility for a CoS, they must confirm that you meet these criteria.
If the conditions are not met, your visa switch will not be approved.
🩺 Additional Requirement for Health & Care Worker Roles (SOC 6135 / 6136)
If you are switching from a Student visa to a Health & Care Worker visa under SOC codes 6135 or 6136, there is an additional requirement:
You must have been working for your sponsoring employer for at least 3 months before we can:
Assign your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), and
Submit your Skilled Worker visa application.
This 3-month requirement applies specifically to care roles under SOC 6135/6136. If you are switching into a different Skilled Worker role outside of these SOC codes, this requirement does not apply.
💰 Fees
Employers do not need to pay the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) for candidates switching from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa.
This makes the total sponsorship cost cheaper.
See our Visa Fees Calculator for a full cost breakdown.
👨👩👧 Adding Dependents
From 11 March 2024, if you are switching from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa under SOC codes 6135/6136, you cannot add dependents to your application - unless you meet certain exceptions.
Example: If your children were born in the UK, you can add them as dependents.
Please see this support article for further information on this.
🕒 Permission to Work While Your Application Is Pending
Once you submit your Skilled Worker visa application:
You cannot start working under Skilled Worker visa conditions until:
Your application is approved, and
Your new visa is issued.
The start date on your Skilled Worker visa will normally be:
The later of your CoS start date, or
The date your new visa permission takes effect.
Until then, you may continue working under your Student visa conditions - which often include work-hour restrictions (e.g., 20 hours per week during term time).