UK Visa Switching Guide 2026: Student → Graduate → Skilled Worker (Fees, IHS & Requirements)

UK visa switching is how most international students build a long-term future in Britain: finish your degree, switch to the Graduate visa, then switch to a Skilled Worker visa. Each step has its own eligibility rules, salary thresholds, fees, and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) bill — and getting the order or the timing wrong is one of the most common reasons applications fail. This guide walks through the full student to graduate visa UK journey and the graduate visa to skilled worker visa switch, with the 2026 fees and rules checked against GOV.UK.

The UK Switching Journey at a Glance

Think of UK visa switching as three stages, each with a different purpose. The Student visa gets you the degree. The Graduate visa buys you unsponsored time to work, try roles, and find an employer willing to sponsor you. The Skilled Worker visa is the sponsored, long-term route that can lead to settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain), usually after five years. You can also skip the middle step: students can switch directly from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa if they have a qualifying job offer and sponsor.

To test a job offer against the Skilled Worker rules, try the free UK Skilled Worker points calculator, and budget the health surcharge with the IHS estimator.

One timing fact shapes every plan in 2026. GOV.UK confirms that a Graduate visa lasts 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026 and 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027. PhD and other doctoral graduates keep 3 years either way. The date you apply decides your cohort — not the date you graduate. If your university has reported your course completion and your Student visa is still valid, applying before the deadline banks you six extra months of unsponsored work time.

The practical lesson: use the Graduate visa as a runway, not a destination. From day one, your goal should be a sponsored role that meets the Skilled Worker salary and occupation rules, because the Graduate visa cannot be extended.

Step 1: Switching to a Graduate Visa UK (From a Student Visa)

Switching to a Graduate visa UK is the first and simplest switch. There is no job offer to find, no sponsor to persuade, and no salary threshold to meet. What you need is a completed UK qualification and a valid Student visa.

Who can switch to a Graduate visa

According to GOV.UK, you can apply for a Graduate visa if all of the following are true:

• You are in the UK when you apply (you cannot apply from outside the UK).
• Your current visa is a Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa.
• You studied a UK bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree, or other eligible course for the minimum required period with your Student or Tier 4 visa. For courses of 12 months or less, that means the full course; for longer courses, at least 12 months of study in the UK is generally required.
• Your education provider has told the Home Office you have successfully completed your course. You do not need to wait for the graduation ceremony or the certificate — once your provider reports completion, you can apply.

What the Graduate visa lets you do

The Graduate visa is deliberately flexible. You can work in most jobs at any salary, be self-employed, look for work, and study on courses permitted under the route. There is no set savings figure to show, and no Certificate of Sponsorship is required. Partners and children who already hold permission as dependants on your Student visa can usually apply to continue as dependants on the Graduate visa; new dependants generally cannot be added at this stage. Each dependant pays their own application fee and their own IHS at the applicable rate.

What it does not let you do

The limits matter as much as the freedoms. You cannot extend a Graduate visa, you cannot apply from outside the UK, you cannot claim most public funds, you cannot work as a professional sportsperson in restricted roles, and time on the Graduate visa does not count towards the settlement qualifying period. The visa starts from the day your application is approved, and a decision usually takes up to 8 weeks after you apply online and confirm your identity.

Graduate visa cost

The application fee is £937 per person, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge at £1,035 per year. For a two-year Graduate visa that means £937 + £2,070 = £3,007 in total. For a three-year PhD Graduate visa, the total is £937 + £3,105 = £4,042. Optional priority services can shorten the wait for an extra fee — check current priority fees on GOV.UK before you apply. As with every figure in this guide, confirm the live fee on GOV.UK, because Home Office fees change.

Step 2: Graduate Visa to Skilled Worker Visa

The graduate visa to skilled worker visa switch is the move that turns a temporary stay into a long-term career in the UK. It is also the switch with the most moving parts: a sponsor, a Certificate of Sponsorship, an eligible occupation, a salary test, an English requirement, and a maintenance rule. Miss one, and the application fails.

1. A licensed sponsor and a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)

Your employer must hold a Home Office sponsor licence and assign you a Certificate of Sponsorship for the specific role. The CoS fee is £525 per assignment, paid by the employer — a sponsor that asks the worker to pay the CoS fee risks losing its licence. Never pay anyone for a Certificate of Sponsorship: a CoS comes from a genuine eligible job, not from a seller. If an employer offers to “sell” you sponsorship, walk away; it is a scam, and it can destroy your immigration record.

2. An eligible occupation at degree level

Since 22 July 2025, the Skilled Worker job must generally be at degree level (RQF level 6) or above, with exceptions for occupations on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List. Each occupation has a SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code, and the code on your CoS must match the job you will actually do. A mismatch between the SOC code, the job description, and your qualifications is a classic refusal reason, so check the code carefully before the CoS is assigned.

3. The salary test — threshold and going rate

Your salary must meet both tests: the general threshold and the going rate for your occupation, whichever is higher. The general threshold is £41,700 per year for most roles. Many recent graduates qualify as new entrants, which lowers the floor to £33,400 per year or 70% of the going rate, whichever is higher. Time spent on a Graduate visa counts towards the four-year new entrant limit, so work out how much of that limit you have left. Only basic gross salary counts — overtime, allowances, bonuses, and benefits do not — and salary is counted for a maximum of 48 hours per week. Occupations on the Immigration Salary List also use the £33,400 floor, so check the current list on GOV.UK before relying on it.

4. English language: B2

Skilled Worker applicants need English at B2 level (upper intermediate), a requirement raised from B1 on 8 January 2026 for applicants on the work routes. If you are switching from a Student visa, you will usually already have evidenced this level for your student application — but do not assume it carries over automatically. Check that your evidence meets the current Skilled Worker requirement.

5. Maintenance funds

You must show £1,270 held for 28 days, unless your sponsor certifies maintenance on your Certificate of Sponsorship. If your sponsor certifies it, you do not need to show the funds yourself — confirm with your employer that the certification is on the CoS before you apply.

How the switch works in practice

Apply online from inside the UK before your Graduate visa expires. Pay the application fee and the IHS, prove your identity (biometrics or the UK Immigration: ID Check app), and upload your documents. A decision usually takes up to 8 weeks from inside the UK. If you applied in time, you can usually remain in the UK while the decision is pending. Do not travel outside the UK while a switch application is pending — travel usually withdraws the application. Do not start a new sponsored role until the switch is approved.

UK Visa Switching Fees & IHS Costs 2026

Budget for the full cost, not just the application fee. The Immigration Health Surcharge is usually the larger half of the bill, and it is paid upfront for the whole grant. The table below shows the main-applicant cost of switching from inside the UK, using the figures verified for this guide. Dependants pay their own application fee and their own IHS. Confirm all figures on GOV.UK before paying, because fees change.

The IHS fee UK applicants actually pay

The IHS fee UK rate is £1,035 per year for most adult applicants, and £776 per year for students, their dependants, Youth Mobility Scheme applicants, and applicants who are under 18 at the date of application. The surcharge gives access to the NHS on broadly the same basis as a permanent UK resident for the length of the visa, but it does not cover standard NHS patient charges that also apply to residents, such as prescription charges in England or dental treatment.

Part-year rules catch people out. If you apply from inside the UK for 6 months or less, you pay half the yearly rate (£517.50 standard, £388 reduced). More than 6 months but less than a year is charged as a full year. More than a year up to 18 months is charged at the yearly rate plus half; more than 18 months but less than 2 years is charged as two full years. The amount requested inside the application is the binding figure — use the official GOV.UK IHS calculator before budgeting. If your application is refused or withdrawn, the surcharge is refunded; the application fee is not.

Employer-side costs (not paid by you)

Your sponsor pays the Certificate of Sponsorship fee (£525 per assignment) and usually the Immigration Skills Charge: £480 per year for small sponsors and charities, £1,320 per year for medium and large sponsors. These charges cannot be passed on to you. On a Graduate-to-Skilled-Worker switch, the Immigration Skills Charge is generally payable by the employer. If an employer tries to recover these costs from your wages, that is a compliance problem for the sponsor, not a cost you should accept.

Health and Care Visa Fees: The Lower-Cost Route

If your sponsored job is in an eligible health or care occupation, the Health and Care Worker visa is a Skilled Worker route at a discount. Health and care visa fees are £324 for permission of up to three years and £628 for longer, per person, and neither you nor your dependants pay the Immigration Health Surcharge at all. The salary floor is £25,000 or the going rate / national pay scale for the role, whichever is higher, English is required at B1, and the maintenance rule (£1,270 for 28 days unless the sponsor certifies it) still applies.

One warning for care roles specifically: new overseas recruitment for care workers and senior care workers ended on 22 July 2025. People already in the UK can still switch into care sponsorship until 22 July 2028, provided they have been legally employed by their sponsor for at least three months. Registered professions — nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, doctors — are unaffected and remain fully sponsorable on the Health and Care Worker visa. Much older content still presents overseas care-worker sponsorship as an open pathway; in 2026 it is not. Verify any care-role offer against the current rules on GOV.UK before relying on it.

Common Refusal Reasons When Switching

Most switching refusals come from avoidable errors, not from bad luck. Check each of these before you submit:

• Applying after your visa expires. The single most damaging mistake. Apply while your current permission is still valid.
• Graduate visa: provider has not reported completion. Your application cannot succeed until your education provider has told the Home Office you completed your course.
• Salary below the threshold or going rate. Remember the test is the higher of the two, and only basic gross salary counts.
• Wrong SOC code. The code on the CoS must match the job you will actually do and your qualifications.
• CoS details that do not match your documents. Names, salary, job title, and start date must agree across every document.
• Missing or insufficient English evidence at the required level (B2 for Skilled Worker).
• Maintenance not shown — £1,270 for 28 days — where the sponsor has not certified it on the CoS.
• Bought sponsorship or a fake job offer. A CoS is not a product. Sponsors that sell CoS placements risk losing their licence, and applicants caught in such arrangements risk refusal and long-term damage to their immigration record.

FAQs: UK Visa Switching

Can I switch from a Graduate visa to a Skilled Worker visa?

Yes. Graduate visa holders can switch to a Skilled Worker visa from inside the UK at any point before their Graduate permission ends. You need a job offer from a licensed sponsor, a Certificate of Sponsorship, an eligible occupation, and a salary that meets the threshold or going rate. Apply online before your current visa expires.

What is the minimum salary to switch from a Graduate visa to a Skilled Worker visa?

The standard threshold is £41,700 per year or the going rate for your occupation, whichever is higher. Many recent graduates qualify as new entrants, which lowers the floor to £33,400 or 70% of the going rate, whichever is higher. Time spent on a Graduate visa counts towards the four-year new entrant limit, so check your remaining eligibility.

How much is the IHS fee when switching UK visas?

Most adults pay the Immigration Health Surcharge at £1,035 per year of permission, paid upfront for the whole grant. Students, their dependants, Youth Mobility Scheme applicants, and applicants under 18 at application pay £776 per year. Health and Care Worker applicants and their dependants are exempt entirely. Use the official GOV.UK calculator before budgeting.

Can I switch from a Student visa straight to a Skilled Worker visa?

Yes. You do not have to take the Graduate route first. Students can switch directly from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa if they have a job offer, a licensed sponsor, and a Certificate of Sponsorship. The direct switch can save Graduate visa fees and surcharge, but you must meet the Skilled Worker salary and English requirements.

How long does a UK visa switch take?

A Graduate visa decision usually takes up to 8 weeks after you apply online and confirm your identity. A Skilled Worker switch from inside the UK also usually takes up to 8 weeks. Optional priority services can shorten the wait for an extra fee. Timelines vary with checks and demand, so apply early and confirm current processing times on GOV.UK.

Can I switch to a Health and Care Worker visa from a Graduate visa?

Yes, if your job is an eligible health or care occupation and your employer holds a Health and Care sponsor licence. Fees are £324 for up to three years and £628 for longer, and neither you nor your dependants pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. Note: overseas recruitment for care worker roles closed in July 2025.

Can my dependants switch with me?

Partners and children who already hold permission as dependants on your current visa can usually apply to continue as dependants when you switch. Each dependant pays their own application fee and their own Immigration Health Surcharge at the applicable rate. New dependants generally cannot be added when switching to the Graduate route, so check the dependant rules for your switch.

What happens if my visa expires before I switch?

Applying after your visa expires usually leads to refusal, and overstaying can damage future applications. Always apply before your current permission ends. If you applied in time, you can usually remain in the UK while the decision is pending. If your permission has already ended, get regulated immigration advice before taking any step, because your options narrow sharply.

Sources

• GOV.UK — Graduate visa: overview, eligibility, and how long you can stay
• GOV.UK — Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application (IHS rates and part-year rules)
• GOV.UK — Monthly entry clearance visa applications, September 2026 (22 July 2025 rule changes: salary thresholds, RQF 6, care worker recruitment, B2 English)
• For Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker routes, search “Skilled Worker visa” and “Health and Care Worker visa” on GOV.UK for the current eligibility, fees, and occupation lists.
• More than 100 free visa tools & calculators: Visaora

General information only, not legal or immigration advice. Fees, thresholds, and rules change — always confirm the current figures on GOV.UK before you apply. Figures in this guide were checked in October 2026.