Graduate to Skilled Worker Visa (2025–2026)
What has changed — and a one-page decision tool to check if you can switch
If you are on a Graduate visa and want to move into a Skilled Worker visa, the rules and refusal risks have tightened significantly since July 2025. Sponsorship has become more restricted in practice, with much closer scrutiny of whether a role is genuinely degree-level, properly coded, and correctly paid.
This page explains:
- what has changed since July 2025
- who can still switch successfully
- the most common refusal risks
- when to apply
- a one-page decision guide you can use in five minutes
What changed after July 2025?
In practice, sponsorship is increasingly limited to degree-level roles (commonly described as RQF Level 6 / graduate-level). The Home Office now scrutinises:
- whether the role genuinely requires graduate-level skills (not just the job title)
- whether the chosen occupation code matches the real duties
- salary compliance (including whether pay has been artificially structured)
- sponsor compliance and whether the role makes sense in the business
Bottom line: many employers can sponsor in theory, but many roles will not withstand scrutiny.
Who can still switch from Graduate to Skilled Worker?
You are usually in a stronger position if all of the following are true:
Immigration status
- You currently hold a valid Graduate visa
- You will apply before it expires
- You have complied with your visa conditions
The role
- The job is genuinely degree-level
- It fits an eligible occupation code
- The day-to-day duties align with the code and with graduate-level responsibility
Salary
- You meet the higher of:
- the general Skilled Worker threshold, or
- the occupation-specific “going rate”
- Your pay is clear, contractual, and defensible (not reliant on temporary allowances or bonuses to meet the rules)
The sponsor
- The employer holds a valid sponsor licence
- The sponsor is organised and compliant
- The role fits the organisation’s structure and commercial reality
If any one of these elements is weak, the risk of refusal increases sharply.
The most common refusal risks (2025–2026)
These are the issues most likely to trigger refusal or further scrutiny:
The role is not accepted as degree-level
This is the most common refusal ground. The Home Office looks at:
- real duties (not the title)
- seniority, autonomy, decision-making
- whether the role would ordinarily require a degree in the UK labour market
The occupation code doesn’t fit the duties
If the code looks like it has been selected to make sponsorship possible, rather than because it genuinely matches the role, refusals become far more likely.
Salary structure doesn’t meet the rules
Problems include:
- misunderstanding “going rate” calculations
- relying on non-guaranteed pay elements
- using allowances or bonuses to paper over a shortfall
Sponsor or role credibility concerns
The Home Office assesses whether the role makes sense for the business and whether the sponsor is likely to meet its compliance duties.
Applying too late
Late applications create practical danger: if anything is wrong (role, code, salary, sponsor paperwork), there may be no time to fix it.
When should you apply?
A sensible planning window is several months before your Graduate visa expires. This allows time for:
- confirming the correct occupation code
- tightening the job description so it matches the genuine role
- aligning salary to the rules
- checking sponsor readiness and documentation
- contingency planning if issues are identified
Applications made in the final weeks of a Graduate visa are materially higher risk because there is little room to correct problems.
One-page decision guide
Should you switch from Graduate to Skilled Worker now?
Use this as a quick self-check. If you hit a “pause” point, do not apply without proper review.
Step 1 — Are you currently on a valid Graduate visa?
If yes, go to Step 2.
If no, or if you have overstayed or breached conditions, pause and take urgent advice.
Step 2 — Is the job genuinely degree-level?
Ask whether the role:
- requires graduate-level skills in the UK labour market
- involves independent judgment and responsibility
- is not primarily routine or junior work re-labelled to meet sponsorship requirements
If yes, go to Step 3.
If unclear, pause. This is the most common refusal ground.
Step 3 — Does the role fit an eligible occupation code?
Check that:
- the code matches your real day-to-day duties
- the job title and description are consistent with the code
- the fit is not forced
If yes, go to Step 4.
If no, pause. Code mismatch is a frequent refusal trigger.
Step 4 — Do you meet the salary requirement?
You must meet the higher of:
- the general Skilled Worker threshold, or
- the occupation-specific going rate
Your salary should be remembered as:
- contractual
- guaranteed
- transparently calculated
If yes, go to Step 5.
If no, pause. Do not apply until this is resolved.
Step 5 — Is the employer a credible sponsor?
Confirm that the employer:
- holds a valid sponsor licence
- can issue a correct Certificate of Sponsorship
- understands compliance duties and can evidence the role’s genuineness
If yes, go to Step 6.
If unknown, pause and verify.
Step 6 — Timing check
If you are applying with enough time left on your Graduate visa to fix issues if they arise, go to Step 7.
If you are applying very close to expiry, pause. A refusal may leave you with limited options.
Step 7 — Final sense-check
Consider whether:
- the role is a genuine position in the organisation, not a paper exercise
- the job description reflects reality and would withstand scrutiny
- you can tolerate the consequences of refusal (financial and immigration status risk)
If you are confident on all points, switching may be appropriate.
If there is doubt, pause and take advice first.
How we can help
We do not “box-tick” Skilled Worker applications. We focus on refusal risk and role credibility:
- assess whether the role is genuinely degree-level and properly coded
- identify problems before you submit
- advise on timing and safer sequencing
- support employers to understand what the Home Office is looking for
Sometimes the best advice is to delay and restructure, rather than submit a weak application.
Next step
If you want a realistic viability view before you apply, book a consultation and send:
- your job title and job description
- salary details (base + any allowances/bonuses)
- sponsor name and whether they already hold a licence
- your Graduate visa expiry date
We will tell you plainly whether this is viable, and what needs fixing first.