UK Work Permit Expiry and Renewal Deadline Calculator
Enter your visa expiry date to see days remaining, your renewal application deadline, Section 3C leave window, and your ILR qualifying milestone.
Based on 2024 UK immigration rules. This tool does not access UKVI records. Verify your expiry date in your UKVI online account or on your BRP. Not immigration advice.
Select your current visa route. This affects the ILR pathway calculation.
Date your current visa began. Shown on your BRP card or UKVI online account. Used to calculate qualifying time toward ILR.
Exact date shown on your BRP or eVisa. If you have an eVisa, sign into your UKVI account to confirm the exact date.
Renewal Mistakes That Put Nigerian Workers at Risk
Waiting until the visa expires to apply for the renewal
Section 3C leave protects you only if you submit the renewal application before expiry. A single day after expiry and Section 3C does not apply. You lose the right to work and may have to leave the UK. Set a calendar reminder 3 months before your expiry and another 28 days before.
Travelling outside the UK while a renewal is pending on Section 3C
Leaving the UK while on Section 3C leave ends the Section 3C protection immediately. You may not be able to re-enter, and the pending application may be withdrawn. Do not book international travel during a pending renewal without first getting advice from a registered OISC adviser.
Not checking if your salary still meets the current going rate at renewal
Going rates and the general threshold have increased since April 2024. If your salary has not kept pace, the renewal may be refused even though your original visa was granted at a lower salary. Confirm your salary against the current going rate for your SOC code before submitting the renewal.
Confusing BRP expiry with visa expiry after the eVisa transition
Many BRP cards issued after late 2024 show a document expiry date of 31 December 2024 even when the actual visa leave runs longer. The leave end date, not the BRP card date, is what matters. Check your actual leave expiry in your UKVI online account, not on the physical BRP card, to get the correct expiry date.
How the Work Permit Expiry and Renewal Calculator Works
The calculator takes your visa start date, expiry date, and visa type, and computes all the key countdown milestones. The core formula is straightforward date arithmetic:
Renewal Timeline at a Glance
| Milestone | When | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Earliest application date | 91 days (3 months) before expiry | Begin gathering documents, get new COS from employer |
| Recommended application deadline | 28 days before expiry | Submit the online renewal application and pay fees |
| Latest in-time submission | Day before expiry | Absolute last chance for Section 3C protection |
| Visa expiry date | Date shown on BRP or eVisa | If no application in, right to work and stay ends |
| Section 3C leave | After expiry (if applied in-time) | Continue working under existing conditions |
| UKVI decision (standard) | 3 to 8 weeks from biometric | Await decision; do not travel outside the UK |
Which Visa Routes Count Toward ILR?
| Route | Counts toward ILR? | Standard ILR qualifying period |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | Yes | 5 years continuous qualifying leave |
| Health and Care Worker | Yes | 5 years continuous qualifying leave |
| Global Talent | Yes | 3 or 5 years depending on endorsement |
| Graduate Route (PSW) | No | Does not count. Must switch to qualifying route. |
| Student visa | No | Does not count |
| Spouse / Family visa | Yes | 5 years |
Realistic Renewal Scenarios
Scenario 1: Tunde, software developer, renewing on time
Tunde’s Skilled Worker visa expires in August 2025. He sets a reminder for May 2025 (3 months before) and asks his employer HR to issue a new COS in June. He submits the renewal application in July 2025, 6 weeks before expiry. Section 3C leave covers him while UKVI processes. The renewal is approved 4 weeks later. No gap in right to work. His ILR date is August 2028 (5 years from his original Skilled Worker start in August 2023).
Scenario 2: Amaka, nurse, salary issue at renewal
Amaka’s Health and Care Worker visa expires in October 2025. Her salary was £28,000 when originally granted. The going rate for her SOC code has increased. When her employer tries to issue a new COS at the same £28,000 salary, the going rate check fails. She needs a salary increase to proceed with the renewal. She renegotiates her salary to £32,000 and the renewal proceeds successfully. Checking the current going rate before the renewal window opens avoids last-minute stress.
Scenario 3: Emeka, accountant, travelling during pending renewal
Emeka submits his Skilled Worker renewal 5 weeks before expiry. While waiting for the decision, he books a trip to Nigeria for his cousin’s wedding. He travels before the decision arrives. His Section 3C leave ends on departure. He cannot re-enter on Section 3C and must wait for the visa decision abroad. This delays his return by 3 weeks and disrupts his work. He could have avoided this by waiting for the decision before travelling.
