Graduate visa to Skilled Worker.
To switch you need a job offer from a licensed sponsor, a Certificate of Sponsorship, and a salary clearing £41,700 or the going rate (new entrants, including recent graduates, can use a lower £33,400 / 70% rate). You must apply from inside the UK before your Graduate visa expires. Last verified 28 June 2026.
The switch, step by step
Find a role with a licensed sponsor
SourceThe employer must hold a Skilled Worker sponsor licence on the Home Office register. That register is the first filter, and most employers are not on it, so this is where wasted applications usually happen.
Confirm they will sponsor at your level
SourceA licence is necessary but not sufficient. A licensed employer can still decline to sponsor your role, and many only sponsor senior posts, so confirm early that they will sponsor this specific job.
Check the salary clears your threshold
SourceYou must be paid the higher of the cash floor and your route's share of the going rate. As a recent graduate you can usually use the new entrant rate of £33,400 or 70% of the going rate, instead of the general £41,700 / 100%.
Make sure the role is skilled enough
SourceThe job must be at RQF level 6 or above (broadly graduate-level). Below-degree roles are no longer eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route.
Get your Certificate of Sponsorship
SourceThe employer assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). If the sponsor needs to request additional CoS allocation first, that can take up to 18 weeks, so start the conversation early.
Apply in-country before your Graduate visa expires
SourceSwitch from inside the UK before your Graduate visa ends. Your permission is then extended automatically (under section 3C) until a decision, and standard processing is around 8 weeks from your biometrics appointment.
Questions, answered
Can I switch from a Graduate visa to a Skilled Worker visa inside the UK?+
Yes. You can apply to switch while your Graduate visa is still valid, from inside the UK, without returning home. Once submitted in time, your permission is automatically extended under section 3C until the Home Office decides.
What salary do I need?+
The higher of the cash floor and your route's share of the going rate for the occupation. The general threshold is £41,700 (100% of the going rate). As a recent graduate you can usually use the new entrant rate: £33,400, or 70% of the going rate, whichever is higher.
How long can I use the new entrant rate?+
The new entrant rate can be used for a maximum of 4 years, and time spent on the Graduate visa counts toward that. In practice that often leaves around 2 years on the new entrant rate after switching, before you must meet the experienced (general) rate.
What happens if my Graduate visa expires while I'm waiting for a decision?+
If you applied to switch before your Graduate visa expired, section 3C leave keeps your status lawful while the application is pending. The critical thing is to submit before the expiry date, which means your real deadline is earlier than the date on your visa.
How long does the Certificate of Sponsorship take?+
The employer assigns the CoS, and if they first need to request additional allocation that step can take up to 18 weeks. Factor this into your timeline and raise sponsorship with the employer as early as possible.
Plain-English summary, not legal advice. Rules, figures and processing times change; confirm the current position on gov.uk and with UKVI or a qualified adviser before you rely on them. Last verified 28 June 2026.
Sources
Related: the Graduate Route is shrinking to 18 months · the salary rules in plain English · your switch deadline
Only apply where a visa is actually possible
The expensive mistake is applying to roles that can never sponsor you. Prometrix checks every match against the sponsor register and tells you whether the salary clears your threshold, so you spend your short window only where it counts.