International students finishing a degree in the UK have an obvious question: can I stay and work? For most, the answer is yes, but the switch from a Student visa to the Skilled Worker route has specific requirements that are easy to miss, and the salary thresholds changed on 22 July 2025.
Here is the current process, the figures that apply now, and the timing you need to get right.
Can you switch from a Student visa to the Skilled Worker route?
Yes, but only once you have finished your course, and only into an eligible job with a licensed sponsor. You can apply from inside the UK. The role must be with an employer that holds a sponsor licence, and your employer assigns you a Certificate of Sponsorship before you apply.
The main timing conditions are:
- You must have completed your course before your Certificate of Sponsorship start date.
- On a full-time degree with a compliant higher education provider, the CoS start date cannot be earlier than your course completion date.
- On a full-time PhD, the CoS start date can be up to 24 months after your course start date.
Employers can recruit you before you finish, as long as the employment start date on the Certificate of Sponsorship falls after you have completed your studies. Since 22 July 2025 the Skilled Worker route is limited to graduate-level (RQF6) jobs, so the role must sit at degree level or above on the Home Office list of eligible occupations.
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The two salary tests
The job must meet two salary tests, and the higher of the two applies. The first is the general Skilled Worker minimum of £41,700 a year, which rose from £38,700 on 22 July 2025. The second is the going rate for the specific occupation code. There is also an absolute salary floor of £25,000 a year, which no discount can go below.
The new entrant discount
If you qualify as a new entrant, you may be able to meet a reduced minimum of £33,400 instead of £41,700. You usually qualify if you are under 26, switching from a Student or Graduate visa, or switching within five years of a relevant PhD. The going rate still applies, so if it is higher than £33,400, that higher figure is your floor. Ask your employer to confirm whether your Certificate of Sponsorship will be assigned on new entrant rates before you apply, as it cannot be changed once assigned.
The Graduate route as a stepping stone
Many students switch to the Graduate route first. It gives up to two years of work rights, three years for PhD graduates, with no salary requirement and no employer sponsorship needed. That makes it a useful bridge if your salary does not yet meet the Skilled Worker threshold. For applications made on or after 1 January 2027, the standard Graduate visa will last 18 months, while PhD graduates keep three years.
You cannot switch straight from a Student visa to the Skilled Worker route in every case. If you are unsure about timing, get your Certificate of Sponsorship assigned while your current visa is still valid and apply well before it expires. If you would rather not handle the paperwork yourself, our team can run the visa application end to end, with immigration advisers checking the detail.
What about dependants?
The rules on dependants tightened from 1 January 2024. Most students can no longer bring dependant family members unless they are on a PhD, doctorate or research-based postgraduate programme. Dependants already in the UK may be able to extend, and may be able to switch with you onto the Skilled Worker route when you do, subject to the usual requirements. Check the current position on gov.uk before you rely on it, as dependant rules have changed several times.
If you are an employer hiring graduates from UK universities, particularly in technology and other degree-level fields, Borderless can take the switch off your plate.
