Finished your studies and found a sponsored job? Here is how to switch to a Skilled Worker visa from inside the UK - and when you need to act.
Many Nepalis come to the UK to study and then go on to build careers here. Once you complete your course and find a job with a licensed sponsor, switching to a Skilled Worker visa is the most direct route to long-term work permission in the UK. This guide explains how the switch works - but immigration rules change regularly, so always check the current requirements on GOV.UK before you apply.
You can apply to switch from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa from inside the UK. In most cases you do not need to wait until you have formally graduated - you can apply once you have completed your course (i.e., finished all assessments and study requirements), even if the graduation ceremony has not yet taken place. However, the exact timing rules can be nuanced. If you are still attending classes or sitting exams, you may not yet be eligible. Check the current guidance at gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/switch-to-this-visa for the precise conditions that apply to your situation.
Unlike the Student visa, where your university is your sponsor, a Skilled Worker visa requires your employer to hold a Home Office sponsor licence and to issue you a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). Without a CoS from a licensed employer, you cannot apply. Not all employers hold a sponsor licence - it is worth checking the Home Office register of licensed sponsors early in your job search so you focus on employers who can actually sponsor you.
Your job must meet both a minimum skill level (broadly, degree-level or equivalent) and a minimum salary. These thresholds are set by the Home Office and are reviewed and updated periodically - as a guide, minimum salary requirements increased significantly in 2024, but the current figures depend on your specific occupation code and may have changed again. Do not rely on figures from university career services handouts or community groups. Look up the current requirement for your exact occupation code at gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa before accepting a job offer or making financial plans.
As a Student visa holder you are able to apply to switch to a Skilled Worker visa from within the UK rather than having to leave and apply from Nepal. This is a significant advantage - it means you can start the application process while you are already here. You will apply online through the UKVI system, pay the application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge, and provide biometric information at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS) centre.
This is critical: you must apply to switch before your Student visa expires. If your visa expires before your Skilled Worker application is submitted, you will lose your right to remain in the UK and may face significant immigration consequences, including being unable to apply from inside the UK at all. Start securing your job offer and CoS well before your visa expiry date. Processing times vary - check current expected timescales on GOV.UK when you are planning.
If you are not yet ready to switch directly to a Skilled Worker visa - for example, if you need more time to find a sponsored role - consider the Graduate Route. This allows most international graduates to remain in the UK for two years (three years for doctoral graduates) to work or look for work, without needing a sponsor. You can read more in our Graduate Route guide. The Graduate Route can give you extra time to secure a sponsored position before switching to a Skilled Worker visa.
UK immigration rules are updated regularly, and salary thresholds, eligible occupations, and switching conditions can all change. The official guidance is the only reliable source. For complex situations - course completion uncertainty, gaps in leave, or previous immigration issues - consider consulting an OISC-regulated immigration adviser or solicitor before you apply.
Official guidance: gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa and gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/switch-to-this-visa.