Skilled Worker visa extension

Work

An extension is assessed from scratch. The old Certificate of Sponsorship cannot be reused.

This page is general information about UK immigration routes. It is not advice on your case. Rules and fees change. Confirm the current position before you pay a Home Office fee.

Who this is for

• You already hold a Skilled Worker visa and need more time with the same employer.
• You are changing employer from inside the UK.

What this route is

There is no separate extension form. You use the Skilled Worker application and say you are applying from inside the UK. The Home Office reassesses salary, occupation code, sponsor compliance, and suitability. The last grant does not carry over.

The new Certificate of Sponsorship is normally assigned no more than three months before you apply. Apply before your visa expires. If settlement is the aim, the salary used now has to be able to meet the settlement test later.

Requirements we check

• A new CoS assigned for this extension or change of employer.
• Salary at the level required for the code on the date of application.
• A sponsor that still holds a licence.
• An application made in time.

Evidence that usually matters

• The new CoS and a contract that matches it.
• Recent payslips if you are extending with the same sponsor.
• Your current permission and absence history if ILR is close.

How we work

1. Read the position. We diary expiry and the three-month CoS window.
2. List the gaps. We compare salary with both the extension rule and the later ILR rule.
3. Prepare the application. We prepare the in-country application.
4. Check before filing. We file before expiry so section 3C can protect your status.

Where applications go wrong

• Reusing the original CoS.
• Waiting until the visa has days left and the sponsor is slow.
• A pay cut that still “feels” sponsored but fails the points.