Yes, but not the way most people assume. Changing jobs on a Skilled Worker visa isn't a simple HR handover. It's a new visa application, and you cannot start the new role until that application is approved. That last part is where people get into trouble.
You Need a New Visa for a New Employer
Your Skilled Worker visa is tied to a specific employer and a specific role. The moment you move to a different company, or a materially different role even within the same company, your existing visa no longer covers you.
The process looks like this:
- The new employer assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship for your role
- You submit a change of employment application using that CoS reference
- You wait for Home Office approval
- You start only once permission shows on the View and Prove service
The CoS cannot be backdated. Step four is non-negotiable.
What Triggers a New Application
Not every internal shift requires one. Recognised career progression within the same SOC code generally doesn't. But these situations all do:
- Moving to a different employer
- Switching to a different SOC code
- Material changes to your duties, even within the same employer
- Moving from an Immigration Salary List role to a non-ISL role
- Any salary reduction below the threshold, unless covered by protected absences like maternity or sick leave
The SOC code issue catches people off guard. Firms like A Y & J Solicitors regularly see cases where a new role doesn't map cleanly to the previous occupation code, and what looks like a natural career move technically requires a full new application.
The New Employer Must Hold a Sponsor Licence
Check this before you accept an offer. If they don't have a valid Skilled Worker sponsor licence, they'll need to apply for one first. That takes around eight to ten weeks. Walking away from your current role while your new employer is still waiting on their licence approval is a risky position to be in.
Salary Thresholds Apply to the New Application
Which figure applies depends on when you were originally sponsored:
| Your status | General salary threshold |
| Visa granted before 4 April 2024 | £31,300 or going rate |
| Visa granted on or after 4 April 2024 | £41,700 or going rate |
| New entrant (under 26 or switching from Graduate visa) | £33,400 |
The going rate for your specific SOC code may push the threshold higher. There's also a £17.13 hourly floor regardless of annual salary.
Timing Your Resignation
Don't resign before the new visa is approved. There's no grace period. Your current employer is required to report the end of your employment to the Home Office, which can trigger curtailment of your existing visa.
Stay in your current role until you have approval in hand. Talk to your new employer about this upfront. Most will accommodate a slightly delayed start date when they understand the reason.
Effect on Your ILR Timeline
Changing employers doesn't reset your five-year ILR qualifying period. Time on the Skilled Worker route counts regardless of how many employers you've had, as long as your permission has been continuous.
What can affect your calculation is any gap in lawful status, or more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period. The job switch itself isn't the problem. A badly timed switch that creates a status gap is.
What Your Dependants Need to Know
Your dependants' visas are linked to yours, not your employer. If your new visa is approved and continues, your status continues too. No separate applications needed.
If your application were refused, that becomes complex for dependants quickly, which is another reason to make sure everything is right before submitting.
Check the SOC Code Before Anything Else
Since July 2025, only RQF Level 6 roles qualify under the standard Skilled Worker route. If your new role sits below this, check whether it appears on the Temporary Shortage List. Be aware that TSL roles don't allow dependent visas, and the list closes entirely at the end of 2026.
Getting the occupation code wrong doesn't just delay your application – it can also result in rejection and the need to start over again.
Changing Jobs and Need to Switch Your Skilled Worker Visa?
A Y & J Solicitors manages change of employment applications across all sectors, checking salary thresholds, SOC codes, and sponsor licence status before anything is submitted. We provide a complimentary HRMS platform for sponsor licence holders. Book a free call with A Y & J Solicitors before you hand in your notice.