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PUNTOS CLAVE
- A UK change of employer is a formal immigration event the worker needs a new CoS and a fresh Skilled Worker visa decision before starting.
- Your company must hold a valid A-rated UK Sponsor Licence and assign an Undefined CoS (not Defined) for in-country switchers.
- The 2026 salary threshold is £41,700 or the SOC going rate, whichever is higher; the role must sit at RQF Level 6.
- Total per-worker cost typically lands between £5,000–£7,000 including CoS, ISC, visa fee, and IHS for a 3-year sponsorship.
- Letting the worker start before Home Office approval is the most common compliance breach and the most expensive fines reach £60,000 per worker.
Managing a UK Skilled Worker "Change of Employer"
A Skilled Worker visa is legally bound to a specific employer, job role, and Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). An employee cannot simply serve a standard notice period and switch companies over a weekend. The transition requires a formal visa update, and bypassing the process puts your company's sponsor licence at risk.
When a New Visa Application IS Required:
- Changing Sponsors: The worker moves to an entirely new company.
- New SOC Code: The core job duties shift significantly, placing the role under a different Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code.
- Intra-Group Transfers: The employee moves between different legal entities or separate sponsor licences within the same corporate group.
- Salary Reductions: A compensation restructure drops their pay below the mandatory Skilled Worker threshold.
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When a New Application is NOT Required:
- Identical Role & Sponsor: The worker remains in the same job with the same employer, and the baseline salary requirement continues to be met.
- Internal Promotions: The career step remains under the exact same SOC code and includes a compliant salary increase.
- Reportable Changes Only: Minor administrative updates that only require a basic notification via the Sponsor Management System (SMS) (e.g., a change of address).
⚠️ The Compliance Trap: Do not treat internal team shakeups as routine corporate restructures. If a reorganization changes a sponsored employee's underlying SOC code, a full "Change of Employment" visa application must be approved before they can legally take on their new responsibilities.
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Target Eligibility: What the new role must meet
To pass a change-of-employer evaluation, the proposed role must hit the exact same criteria as a brand-new sponsorship application:
- Sponsor Licence: Your business must hold an active, A-rated UK Sponsor Licence for the Skilled Worker route.
- Skill Level: The position must meet RQF Level 6 (degree-equivalent) or higher.
- Salary Threshold: You must pay at least £41,700 or the job's specific SOC "going rate"—whichever is higher. (Transitional rates apply if their first CoS was issued before July 22, 2025).
- English Proficiency: The worker must prove a minimum B2 level (CEFR) standard.
- Genuine Vacancy: The listed job description must accurately reflect the worker's day-to-day duties.
⚠️ The Cost Trap: If any single element fails to clear the bar, the visa is rejected. The Home Office does not refund processing fees, forcing you to pay again and restart from scratch.
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Step-by-Step Transition Process
- Verify the Metrics: Run a pre-filing audit on the job’s SOC code, required working hours, and target salary.
- Confirm CoS Allocation: Check your Sponsor Management System (SMS) balance. You must use an Undefined CoS for in-country switchers (Defined CoS is strictly for overseas hires). Read our UK Certificate of Sponsorship guide if you need a refresher.
- Assign the CoS: Issue the Undefined Certificate of Sponsorship to the candidate via the SMS portal.
- Worker Submits Filing: The employee applies for the change of employment on GOV.UK and pays the visa fees, biometric costs, and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).
- Run Right-to-Work Checks: Once approved, complete a digital right-to-work check using the applicant’s new eVisa share code.
- Previous Employer Offboarding: The applicant's former sponsor has 10 working days to report the end of employment via the SMS.
🚫 Critical Compliance Rule: While the application is pending, the employee can legally continue working for their old boss but they cannot log a single hour of work for your company until the Home Office formally grants their new visa.
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Costs and timeline
UK change of employer cost breakdown 2026 (per worker)
Standard processing for an in-country Skilled Worker change application is up to 8 weeks but commonly returns in 3. Priority service is 5 working days for an extra £500. For tight start dates, build priority into your offer.
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Top UK Sponsor Compliance Risks
- Premature Onboarding: Allowing a new hire to start before their visa update is formally approved. Even a single day of unauthorized work constitutes illegal employment, carrying civil penalties of up to £60,000 per worker.
- Incorrect CoS Selection: Assigning a Defined CoS (overseas applicants only) instead of an Undefined CoS to an in-country switcher. This error triggers an automatic refusal with no right to appeal.
- Losing Sponsor Lapses: The previous employer failing to report the end of employment via the SMS within 10 working days. While it's their breach, the resulting Home Office visa curtailment can severely disrupt your new hire's start date.
📋 The Compliance Reality: With Home Office enforcement audits stepping up sharply, most sponsor licence suspensions stem from poor tracking and record-keeping rather than intentional rule-breaking. Always verify the right-to-work eVisa share code before day one. For a deeper view of what triggers action, see our UK Sponsor Licence compliance guide.
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Special UK Visa Scenarios to Watch
- The 60-Day Clock (Curtailed Leave): If a worker leaves their previous job before your new CoS is ready, the Home Office typically cuts their remaining stay to 60 days. The new application must be submitted within this tight window.
- TUPE & Corporate Restructures: Changing the legal employing entity—even for the exact same job and pay within the same parent company—legally counts as a change of employer. Coordinate your immigration filings closely with corporate legal changes.
- Promotions & Raises: If a career progression keeps the exact same SOC code and includes a pay raise, a new visa isn't required. Simply log the update on the SMS portal within 10 working days.
- Switching Visa Routes: Moving a candidate from a Graduate, Student, or Dependant visa to a Skilled Worker visa is processed as a brand-new application, not a change of employer. This requires a completely different fee structure and evidence set.
- Approaching ILR (Permanent Residency): Switching companies mid-route does not reset the employee's 5-year clock for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), provided they maintain continuous, lawful visa status during the gap. See our UK visa renewals service for managing the run-in to settlement.
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How Jobbatical handles UK change of employer cases
Jobbatical team runs the full change of employment process end to end:
Our platform tracks every permit expiry across your workforce, so the next change does not catch your team off guard. See the UK Change of Employment service page for what is included and how do we cover it.
Aviso legal: Las normas de inmigración cambian con bastante frecuencia; por favor, consulte fuentes oficiales o póngase en contacto con nosotros para obtener la información más reciente antes de tomar cualquier decisión.
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Frequently Asked Questions: UK Change of Employer
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