Landing a sponsored job before your Student or Graduate visa runs out is the most common route to long-term UK work. This guide covers the switch itself: who is allowed to do it, what the salary rules look like for someone just out of university, what it costs, and the mistakes that cause avoidable refusals. For the full route explained from scratch, see our Skilled Worker visa guide.
Who can switch from inside the UK
Per gov.uk’s switching page, you can apply from inside the UK if you already hold a different type of permission, apart from a short list of excluded categories (visit visas, short-term study visas, Parent of a Child Student, seasonal worker, domestic worker, immigration bail and permission outside the rules). Those people must leave and apply from abroad.
If you are on a Student visa, you must meet at least one of these:
- You have completed the course you were sponsored to study
- Your job starts after your course ends
- You are a full-time PhD student who has studied for at least 24 months
Holders of the Graduate route are not on the excluded list, so they can switch in-country, and they make up a large share of in-country switchers. The Student-visa conditions above do not apply to Graduate visa holders. Check your own visa conditions before applying.
The new-entrant salary discount
The general rule on gov.uk is that your salary must be at least £41,700 a year or your occupation’s going rate, whichever is higher. Healthcare and education roles follow separate national pay-scale rules.
Recent graduates often qualify for a lower threshold. Per gov.uk’s “when you can be paid less” page, these people can be paid 70% of the going rate, with a minimum of £33,400:
- People under 26 on the date they apply
- Current or recent Student visa holders (bachelor’s level or above)
- Current or recent Graduate visa holders
- People working towards a UK regulated profession or chartered status
Other discounts exist for PhD holders (80% of the going rate for a relevant STEM PhD, with a £33,400 minimum; 90% and at least £37,500 for a relevant non-STEM PhD) and for postdoctoral researchers in specified science and higher-education roles.
Two catches. First, the going rate depends on your exact occupation code, so do the sum for your specific job rather than assuming £33,400. Second, gov.uk says that for young entrants and postdoctoral applicants, your total stay cannot exceed 4 years on that basis, so plan how you will qualify at a full rate later. Roles on the Immigration Salary List have their own rules; see our salary list guide rather than duplicating them here.
The Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)
Your employer must be a Home Office-approved sponsor and must assign you a Certificate of Sponsorship. The job has to be on the eligible occupations list and pay at or above your threshold. Before accepting an offer, check that the employer is on the sponsor register. A CoS is a reference number tied to a specific role and salary, so if your job title, hours or pay change before you apply, ask HR whether a new CoS is needed.
What it costs to switch in 2026
From gov.uk’s costs page:
- Application fee, inside the UK: £943 (up to 3 years) or £1,865 (over 3 years)
- Immigration Salary List roles: £628 (up to 3 years) or £1,235 (over 3 years), the same inside or outside the UK
- Immigration Health Surcharge: usually £1,035 per year, paid upfront (see our IHS guide)
- Savings: at least £1,270 held for 28 consecutive days, with day 28 falling within 31 days of applying, unless your sponsor certifies it will cover your costs
Dependants pay matching fees and have their own maintenance requirements. Gov.uk states that the maintenance test is separate from the salary test, so a good salary does not replace bank statements when your sponsor has not certified maintenance.
Switch in the UK or apply from abroad?
| In the UK | From abroad | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee (up to 3 years) | £943 | £819 |
| Typical decision time on gov.uk | 8 weeks | 3 weeks |
| Travel | Not required | You must leave, then return |
Switching is usually the practical choice: you avoid a move and keep your current status while the application is pending. Applying from abroad is cheaper and faster on paper, but you would need to leave and could not work in the UK during the wait. Faster paid options exist; see our priority and super priority guide for what is on offer.
Graduate visa time and the timing trap
The Graduate visa cannot be extended, so a job offer is the way to stay past it. A Graduate visa holder can switch at any point while the visa is still valid, but do not leave it until the last weeks. Your CoS, English evidence and savings all need to be ready, and a refusal or delay eats into your remaining permission. Ask your sponsor or an adviser how your time on the Graduate visa interacts with the new-entrant salary rules before you decide when to apply.
For Student visa holders, the trap is the opposite: applying too early. If your course is not finished and your job does not start after it ends, you fall outside the conditions above and risk refusal.
Common pitfalls
- Assuming the £33,400 floor applies to everyone; the 70% figure depends on your going rate
- Accepting a job that starts before your course ends when you have not completed it
- Letting the 28-day savings window lapse, or paying for a visa before checking your sponsor covers maintenance
- Not budgeting the IHS upfront for the full grant
- Submitting with an old CoS after your role or pay changed
- Missing the English requirement paperwork; see our English language guide
Sources
- gov.uk Skilled Worker visa
- Switch to this visa
- Your job and salary
- When you can be paid less
- How much it costs
This is general information, not legal advice. Fees, thresholds and rules change, so confirm every figure on gov.uk before you apply. If you want help mapping the switch and gathering documents, join the waitlist.
FAQ
Can I switch from a Student visa to Skilled Worker without leaving the UK? Yes, if you have completed your course, your job starts after it ends, or you are a full-time PhD student with at least 24 months of study. You also need a CoS and a qualifying job.
What salary do I need as a recent graduate? The general minimum is £41,700 or the going rate, whichever is higher. New entrants can qualify at 70% of the going rate, with a floor of £33,400. Check your occupation code on gov.uk.
How much does an in-country Skilled Worker application cost? £943 for up to 3 years or £1,865 for over 3 years, lower for Immigration Salary List roles, plus the IHS (usually £1,035 a year) and £1,270 in savings unless your sponsor certifies maintenance.
Should I switch in the UK or apply from abroad? Switching avoids travel and keeps you in the UK, though it costs more and decisions can take up to 8 weeks. Applying abroad is £819 and about 3 weeks, but you must leave.