If you lose your job on a Skilled Worker visa, you do not have to leave the UK today. Your permission is usually shortened to 60 days once the Home Office takes action. This provides you with time to prepare.
Your visa is tied to your sponsored employment. When that ends, the Home Office can shorten your permission. This is called curtailment, or cancellation of permission. Acting early gives you the most options. Our guide to the visa curtailment letter explains what the notice means.
What happens to your visa when sponsorship ends?
When you lose your job on a Skilled Worker visa, a fixed sequence begins. Understanding it protects your status.
- Your employer must report the change: they notify the Home Office within 10 working days of your employment ending.
- Permission is shortened: the Home Office usually cuts your leave to 60 days or your original expiry if sooner.
- You cannot keep working: once sponsored employment ends, you lose the right to work. This rule includes supplementary work.
- It is not automatic: curtailment happens only when the Home Office issues a decision, not when you finish work.
How the 60-day curtailment period works
The 60-day rule is widely misunderstood, and getting it wrong can cost your lawful status. If you lose your job on a Skilled Worker visa, the countdown does not begin on your last day.
When the clock starts
Your 60 days start from the date the Home Office serves its decision, not your last day of work. The decision letter states the new date your permission expires. That date, not your original visa expiry, is the one that matters.
Service can be by post, email, or "on file" in your UKVI account. The clock can start even if you never read the letter, so keep your details current.
The limbo period
A gap often exists between your last day and the Home Office decision. In 2026, the Home Office is acting faster, so this gap is shrinking. Treat your position as urgent from day one. Find the official guidance on the GOV.UK Skilled Worker page.
Your options within 60 days
You have three realistic paths once the countdown starts, depending on circumstances.
- Find a new sponsor: Secure a role with a licensed employer and a new Certificate of Sponsorship. Apply before your deadline. The salary must meet £41,700 or the going rate, whichever is higher. Reduced floors such as £33,400 apply to some roles.
- Switch to another route: You may qualify for a partner visa, Global Talent, or Innovator Founder. A partner route removes sponsor dependency.
- Leave the UK: If no route fits, leaving before your deadline protects your immigration record.
Our guide to changing your Skilled Worker employer explains the new-sponsor process.
What redundancy does to your ILR clock
If you lose your job on a Skilled Worker visa, it can affect your settlement path, though it rarely ends it. You cannot apply for indefinite leave to remain while unemployed or mid-curtailment.
A short gap between sponsored roles does not automatically break your continuous residence. A new Skilled Worker sponsor generally preserves your qualifying time if you apply in time. Switching to some routes, such as a Student visa, resets the five-year clock.
The government has proposed extending the settlement period from 5 years to 10 years for most work routes. This proposed change is not yet law. Plan around the rules in force today.
Can your dependants stay?
Your dependants are affected because their permission is linked to yours. When your visa is curtailed, their leave usually ends.
- A new application: if you switch routes, your dependants usually need a fresh application under that route.
- De-linking: a dependant who qualifies in their own right can secure independent status.
What to do in the first week
Your first week after you lose your job on a Skilled Worker visa sets up every option that follows. Use it deliberately.
- Check your UKVI account: look for any cancellation decisions and confirm your expiry date.
- Update your contact details: make sure the Home Office can reach you, since service starts the clock.
- Do not work or travel: stop all work and do not leave the UK, or re-entry may be refused.
- Get specialist advice: speak to an immigration solicitor early while your options are widest.
Our Skilled Worker visa team can assess your position and map the fastest route.
Frequently asked questions
Can I work during the 60 days?
No. Once your sponsored employment ends, you lose the right to work, including supplementary work, until a new visa is granted.
Do I have to leave the UK immediately?
No. You usually have 60 days from the Home Office decision to find a new sponsor, switch routes, or leave.
Does my time still count toward ILR?
Often yes. A new Skilled Worker sponsor preserves your qualifying time if you apply in time and avoid gaps.
Can I switch to a partner visa?
Possibly, if you have a qualifying partner and meet the relationship, financial, and English requirements in full.
What happens to my dependants?
Their permission is linked to yours and is usually curtailed at the same time, unless they qualify independently.
Get expert help after you lose your job on a skilled worker visa
Losing a sponsored job quickly becomes an immigration problem. The danger is not the job loss itself. It is waiting until your deadline is close and the visa application must be rushed. Acting early protects your status.
A Y & J Solicitors is Legal 500 ranked and SRA regulated. Our team has been handling new Skilled Worker visas and route-switching cases since 2017. That experience lets us move quickly when your countdown is already running.
If your permission has been curtailed or your deadline is approaching, do not wait. Contact us about your immigration options before your window narrows.