UK Skilled Worker Visa Sponsorship Explained

The Skilled Worker visa is the UK’s main route for overseas nationals coming to work for a UK employer, and it’s tightened significantly over the past couple of years. This guide covers how sponsorship actually works, what the current requirements are, and what happens if things go wrong — such as losing your job partway through.

Do I need a job offer?

Yes. Sponsorship is mandatory on this route. You cannot apply for a Skilled Worker visa speculatively or without an offer already in place. To qualify you need:

• A genuine job offer from a UK employer holding a valid Home Office sponsor licence

• A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) issued by that employer, containing your job details, salary, and occupation code

• A role at or above the required skill level (generally RQF Level 6 — degree level)

• A salary meeting the relevant threshold — currently £41,700 a year or the job’s “going rate,” whichever is higher (a lower threshold of £33,400 applies to roles on the Temporary Shortage List)

• English language ability — the requirement rose to CEFR Level B2 across all four components from January 2026

If you don’t have a job offer, this isn’t the right route for you — routes like the Global Talent visa exist for people without a sponsoring employer, but they carry their own, often demanding, endorsement criteria.

How the points work

Applicants need to score 70 points, made up of:

• 20 points for a genuine job offer from a licensed sponsor

• 20 points for a job at the required skill level

• 10 points for meeting the English language requirement

• 20 points (“tradeable”) based on salary — met either by the salary threshold itself, or in combination with factors like a shortage occupation or a relevant PhD

What happens if you lose your job?

This is one of the most common — and most urgent — situations we’re asked about, because a Skilled Worker visa is tied directly to your sponsoring employer.

If your employment ends, for any reason (redundancy, dismissal, or resignation), your employer must report this to the Home Office. The Home Office will then typically curtail (shorten) your visa, giving you 60 days — or until your original visa expiry date if sooner — to act.

During that 60-day window you can:

• Find a new licensed sponsor and switch jobs without leaving the UK, provided the new role meets current requirements

• Switch to a different visa route — such as Global Talent, Scale-Up, Innovator Founder, or a personal route like a spouse visa, if you qualify

• Leave the UK before the deadline, to depart in good standing rather than as an overstayer

The 60-day clock starts from the date of the Home Office’s decision letter, not your last day of work — so it’s worth checking exactly when that notice was served.

Does this affect settlement (ILR)?

Skilled Worker visa holders can currently apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after five years of continuous residence, provided the absence rules are met (broadly, no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period). If you change sponsor or route partway through, it’s worth getting advice on how that affects your qualifying period — a job loss in year four, for example, can put years of progress at risk if not handled correctly. It’s also worth being aware the government has been consulting on reforms that could extend qualifying periods for some routes going forward.

For employers

If you’re a UK business considering sponsoring an overseas worker, you’ll need a sponsor licence before you can issue any Certificates of Sponsorship, and ongoing compliance duties once you hold one — including reporting changes like job loss or role changes promptly. Getting the licence application and compliance systems right the first time avoids costly delays and enforcement risk later.

How we can help

Whether you’re an employer setting up sponsorship for the first time, an employee facing a sudden job loss, or someone weighing up whether Skilled Worker is even the right route for you, the details matter — and the rules have changed substantially in the last two years.

This page provides general information about UK immigration rules as of 2026 and is not legal advice on any individual case or business. Salary thresholds and eligibility rules change — always confirm current figures before relying on them.