You do not normally need to leave the country, and you do not have to use the Graduate route first, if you can meet the Skilled Worker requirements while you still hold valid Student permission.
A Student to Skilled Worker visa switch is mainly about three things lining up: your course position, an eligible sponsored job, and a valid application made before your current permission expires. A job offer alone is not enough.
Can You Switch From a Student Visa to a Skilled Worker Visa?
Yes. A person in the UK with Student permission can apply to switch to the Skilled Worker route from inside the UK, provided the Skilled Worker requirements and the special switching conditions for students are met.
At least one of the following must apply: you have completed the course for which your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies was assigned; you are studying a full-time degree-level or higher course with an eligible higher education provider and the start date on your Certificate of Sponsorship is no earlier than your course completion date; or you are studying a full-time PhD and the sponsored job starts no earlier than 24 months after the PhD course began.
This means a Skilled Worker switch can sometimes be prepared before graduation. The key issue is whether the course and job-start conditions are satisfied, not whether you have attended a graduation ceremony.
You Need an Eligible Sponsored Job
Your employer must be approved by the Home Office to sponsor Skilled Workers and must assign you a Certificate of Sponsorship, usually called a CoS. It includes key details about the sponsored role.
Not every graduate job is sponsorable. The role must use an occupation code eligible for the Skilled Worker route. Under the current rules, some medium-skilled occupations qualify only if they are on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List, subject to the relevant conditions. Check the occupation code before applying.
Salary rules for students and recent graduates
For many applications, the standard salary requirement is at least £41,700 a year and at least the going rate for the occupation, whichever requirement is higher. Some applicants can qualify as new entrants and use a lower threshold.
A qualifying new entrant may be paid at least £33,400 a year and 70% of the standard going rate. Student visa holders studying at bachelor’s level or above can fall within the new entrant rules, as can some recent graduates and applicants under 26. The concession is time-limited, and relevant time under the Graduate route can count towards the overall four-year new entrant limit.
Healthcare and education jobs can have different salary rules, so check the requirement for the exact occupation rather than relying on one headline figure. A useful related topic for further reading is Skilled Worker visa salary requirements.
Timing the Application Around Your Course
You do not necessarily have to wait until your university holds graduation. If you have not yet completed the course, an in-country switch may still be possible where the rules allow it, but the sponsored job start date must be no earlier than the course completion date.
For example, suppose your master’s course officially ends on 20 September and your Student permission remains valid until January. You receive an eligible sponsored job offer with a CoS showing a start date of 23 September. If the other requirements are met, the fact that your graduation ceremony is later would not by itself prevent the switch.
Confirm the official course completion date with your university before the employer assigns the CoS. That can prevent a date mismatch.
Documents and Evidence You Will Usually Need
Your application will normally require your CoS reference number, a valid passport or other accepted identity document, your job title and annual salary, the occupation code, and your employer’s sponsor licence number.
You must also meet the English-language requirement. For new Skilled Worker applicants, this is generally level B2. A qualifying UK degree taught in English can usually provide evidence, while some applicants who have already proved English in a previous successful immigration application may not need to prove it again. English language requirements for UK work visas is another useful related topic.
You may need to show maintenance funds of £1,270 unless an exemption applies. Applicants who have already been in the UK with valid permission for at least 12 months are generally exempt from showing these funds, and an employer can sometimes certify maintenance on the CoS.
Costs, Processing and Travel While You Wait
An in-country Skilled Worker switch has an application fee, and most applicants also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. Because charges can change, check the current GOV.UK figures immediately before applying rather than relying on an old guide.
Applications made inside the UK are usually decided within eight weeks, although some applicants may be able to pay for faster processing. After applying, do not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man before a decision. Doing so can cause the application to be treated as withdrawn.
What Happens to Your Dependants?
Your partner or children do not automatically switch immigration categories if your own application succeeds. If they need Skilled Worker dependant permission, they must make the appropriate applications, either with you or before their existing permission expires. Extra restrictions can apply in some care and medium-skilled occupations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Graduate visa before switching to Skilled Worker?
No. If you meet the Student-to-Skilled-Worker switching conditions and all Skilled Worker requirements, you can apply directly from Student permission.
Can I apply before my course has officially finished?
Potentially. For an eligible full-time degree-level course, the rules can allow an application before completion where the CoS job start date is no earlier than the course completion date. PhD students have a separate provision after at least 24 months of study.
Does any sponsored job qualify?
No. The employer must be an approved sponsor, the occupation must be eligible, and the salary must meet the relevant general and occupation-specific rules. Graduate job sponsorship depends on the actual role and occupation code.
How long does the switch usually take?
UKVI says an in-country decision is usually made within eight weeks. Complex cases can take longer, and faster processing may be available for an additional fee.
Plan the Switch Around the Sponsored Role
The safest approach is to work backwards from the job. Confirm the employer’s sponsor status, identify the correct occupation code, check the salary and any new entrant concession, verify your official course-completion position, and make sure the CoS dates fit the Student switching rules. Then submit the application while your current permission remains valid.
A switch from Student visa to Skilled Worker can be straightforward when those details align. Small errors involving the occupation code, salary or job start date can create problems, so checking them before the CoS is assigned gives international graduates a cleaner route from study into sponsored employment.