Student to Skilled Worker Switch Eligibility Checker
Check if you can switch from your UK Student or Graduate Route visa to a Skilled Worker visa. See your points score, salary check, and what is still missing.
Based on April 2024 Skilled Worker rules. This tool does not access UKVI records and does not constitute immigration advice. Verify at gov.uk before applying.
Both Student visa and Graduate Route (Post-Study Work) holders can switch to Skilled Worker from inside the UK. Your current visa must be valid when you submit the application.
Your employer must appear on the Register of Licensed Sponsors on gov.uk as a Skilled Worker sponsor. Check before accepting a job offer. An employer can apply for a licence if they do not have one yet, but this takes 8 to 12 weeks. The licence check is free and takes 2 minutes at gov.uk.
A COS is a unique digital reference number your employer generates through the Home Office Sponsor Management System. You enter this number in your visa application. The employer must assign the COS before you submit the application. It is not a paper document. Once assigned, a COS expires if unused after 3 months.
Not all jobs qualify for Skilled Worker sponsorship. The role must have a SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code that appears on the Home Office list of eligible occupations. Your employer should confirm the SOC code they are using to sponsor you. Common eligible roles include software developers, nurses, accountants, engineers, teachers, and many others. Unskilled or low-skilled roles typically do not qualify.
The general salary threshold from April 2024 is £38,700/year. New entrants may qualify at a lower rate (70% of the going rate for the role). Health and Care workers have a separate threshold. Enter your full gross salary as stated in the offer letter.
The Skilled Worker visa requires English at B1 level on the CEFR scale. Most Nigerian applicants meet this through one of the following: a degree that was taught in English at an approved institution, a GCSE/A-level equivalent in an English-speaking country, or a UKVI-approved IELTS with minimum 4.0 in all components. Importantly: if you studied your last qualification in English at a UK university, you very likely already meet this requirement.
The visa duration is usually tied to the length of your employment contract plus a buffer. Most initial switches are for 3 years, then extended. Choosing up to 3 years vs over 3 years affects the application fee significantly.
Some UK employers cover the Skilled Worker visa fee and IHS as part of a relocation package. Others do not. It is worth asking specifically before signing the contract. If the employer pays, your out-of-pocket cost for the switch can drop to near zero (apart from legal fees if you use an adviser).
Switch Mistakes That Trap Nigerian Graduates
Accepting a job offer without checking if the employer has a sponsor licence
Many employers say they can sponsor you without having checked if they are actually on the register. Some have lapsed licences. Some have never applied. Check the gov.uk register before signing anything. If the employer is not on the register, the switch is not possible until they apply and get approved, which takes months.
Letting the Graduate Route expire before applying for Skilled Worker
You can only switch in-country if your current visa is valid. Letting the Graduate Route expire before the Skilled Worker application is submitted means you are in overstay. You may then be required to leave the UK and apply from Nigeria. Start the switch process at least 3 months before your Graduate Route expires.
Not confirming whether your salary meets the going rate, not just the threshold
Many Nigerians check that their salary is above £38,700 and assume they are fine. But the Skilled Worker rules require you to meet both the general threshold AND the published going rate for the specific SOC code. Some roles have going rates higher than £38,700. Check your specific SOC code’s going rate on gov.uk before assuming the salary qualifies.
Starting work before the visa is granted
While your Skilled Worker application is in progress, you are on 3C leave and your Graduate Route conditions technically still apply. You cannot start the new full-time role until the Skilled Worker visa is granted, unless the COS was assigned for a start date that is after your switch is approved. Confirm the exact permitted start date with your employer’s HR and an immigration adviser.
How the Student to Skilled Worker Switch Works
The Skilled Worker visa is a points-based route that requires 70 points. Each requirement earns a set number of points. The core requirements (sponsored job, eligible SOC code, salary meeting threshold, English language) together add up to 70 points when all are met. Missing any single mandatory requirement means the total falls short of 70 and the application fails.
Costs: What to Expect for the Switch
| Cost item | Up to 3 years | Over 3 years |
|---|---|---|
| Visa application fee | £827 | £1,636 |
| IHS (£1,035/year) | £3,105 (3 years) | £5,175 (5 years) |
| Total (main applicant) | ~£3,932 | ~£6,811 |
| At ₦2,100/£1 (illustrative) | ~₦8,257,200 | ~₦14,303,100 |
| If employer pays visa costs | £0 to you | £0 to you |
Dependants pay separate fees. Immigration Adviser legal fees (optional) typically add £500 to £2,000. Priority processing adds £500 to £800.
The Switch Timeline: What Takes How Long
| Stage | Who does it | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Employer applies for sponsor licence (if needed) | Employer | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Employer issues Certificate of Sponsorship | Employer | 1 to 5 days (once licence held) |
| Pay IHS and submit online application | You | 1 day |
| UKVI processing (standard) | Home Office | 3 to 8 weeks |
| UKVI processing (priority) | Home Office | 5 to 10 working days |
| UKVI processing (super priority) | Home Office | 1 working day |
| Visa granted and confirmed | UKVI | Immediately on approval |
Realistic Scenarios
Scenario 1: Tunde, software developer, employer already licensed
Tunde is on Graduate Route, expiring in July 2026. He accepts a software developer role at £45,000/year at a tech company that already holds a Skilled Worker sponsor licence. His employer issues a COS within 3 days. Tunde pays IHS (£3,105 for 3 years) and the application fee (£827), submits the application in April 2026, and receives his Skilled Worker visa within 4 weeks. His total out-of-pocket cost is approximately £3,932. The switch succeeds cleanly with 2 months before his Graduate Route expiry.
Scenario 2: Amaka, nurse, employer not yet licensed
Amaka is on Graduate Route, expiring in September 2026. She receives a job offer from a private care home that does not yet have a Skilled Worker sponsor licence. The care home applies for the licence in January 2026. The licence takes 10 weeks to be approved (March 2026). A COS is issued in March. Amaka submits her application in April 2026 and receives her visa in May 2026. The timeline is tight but workable because she started the process early. If she had waited until July, the timeline would not have worked.
Scenario 3: Emeka, accountant, salary below new threshold
Emeka accepts an accounting role at £32,000/year while on Graduate Route. The general Skilled Worker threshold is £38,700 and the going rate for his SOC code (accounting technician) is £35,000. His salary of £32,000 falls below both the threshold and the going rate. The application would be refused because he does not score 20 points for salary. He needs to renegotiate his salary to at least £38,700 or find an alternative role before the switch can proceed.
