Renewing your permission to work is about more than a form. The Skilled Worker visa UK extension 2025 asks you to re-prove that your role, salary, sponsorship and personal factors still satisfy the skilled worker visa uk requirements 2025. This guide explains, step by step, how to prepare a strong extension: from the Skilled Worker visa UK salary threshold 2025 and Skilled Worker visa UK Minimum Salary 2025, to aligning your duties with the skilled worker visa uk job list 2025, managing skilled worker visa uk fees 2025, and including family under the skilled worker visa uk dependant visa 2025 rules.

1) Who needs a Skilled Worker extension in 2025?

You’ll usually apply for a Skilled Worker visa UK extension 2025 if:

  • Your initial Skilled Worker grant is expiring and you will continue in the same job and SOC code with the same sponsor.
  • You have been promoted or your duties evolved, but the role remains within the same SOC and still meets the Skilled Worker visa UK Minimum Salary 2025.
  • You need more time to reach Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) eligibility (typically 5 years of qualifying residence), or you prefer to extend before switching employer.

You do not use an “extension” if you’re changing employer or moving to a different SOC code—that requires a new application under the Skilled Worker route. However, many of the skilled worker visa uk requirements 2025 are similar across both scenarios.

2) The four pillars of a successful extension

Every Skilled Worker visa UK extension 2025 decision turns on four pillars:

  1. The job remains eligible — Your duties still map to an eligible code on the skilled worker visa uk job list 2025, and your sponsor genuinely needs the role.
  2. The pay still qualifies — Your base salary meets the higher of the Skilled Worker visa UK salary threshold 2025 and the occupation’s going rate, correctly pro-rated for hours. That higher figure is what we call the Skilled Worker visa UK Minimum Salary 2025.
  3. Sponsorship is valid and compliant — Your sponsor holds a valid licence, issues an accurate CoS, and maintains HR compliance.
  4. Personal criteria are met — English, maintenance (if needed), TB/criminality where applicable, and continuity of residence.

Keep these pillars front-and-centre as you plan your skilled worker visa uk Application 2025 for an extension.

3) Timelines: when to start and how to sequence your steps

  • Start 3–4 months before expiry. This gives time to verify the Skilled Worker visa UK Minimum Salary 2025, align your job description with the skilled worker visa uk job list 2025, and update HR files.
  • CoS first, then application. Your sponsor must assign an Undefined CoS for your extension before you submit the Skilled Worker visa UK extension 2025 form.
  • Avoid gaps. Don’t let your permission lapse. If you apply in time, your conditions are typically protected while a decision is pending.
  • Travel planning. Avoid non-urgent travel after filing until a decision is made—particularly if your identity evidence needs in-country checks.

Pro tip: If your salary will be uplifted soon (for example, annual review), agree the new figure before the CoS is assigned so that the skilled worker visa uk Application 2025 reflects a compliant rate from day one.

4) Salary rules in plain English

4.1 The two-number test

For any Skilled Worker visa UK extension 2025, the salary must satisfy both:

  • The general threshold for the route (the “headline” minimum for 2025), and
  • The going rate for your occupation code (based on a 37.5-hour week), pro-rated for your contracted hours.

You must meet the higher of these two figures. That’s your Skilled Worker visa UK Minimum Salary 2025.

4.2 Hours and pro-rating

  • If you work 40 hours, the published going rate (based on 37.5) increases proportionally.
  • If you work 35 hours, it decreases proportionally.
  • Guaranteed basic pay is what normally counts—unpredictable bonuses or allowances usually don’t.

4.3 Exceptions you might qualify for

  • Early-career “new entrant” use at extension is limited and strictly conditioned. If you used a concession at first grant, plan to transition to the full going rate in time for your Skilled Worker visa UK extension 2025.
  • National pay scales may apply for certain education/health roles—your salary must align with the correct spine point or banding.
  • PhD relevance can interact with thresholds for certain occupations, but the PhD must be directly relevant to the role.

If you’re unsure, ask us to benchmark your salary against the Skilled Worker visa UK salary threshold 2025 and the going rate table for your code.

5) Job eligibility and the SOC code

Caseworkers look for consistency between your CoS, job description, and day-to-day duties. For a smooth Skilled Worker visa UK extension 2025:

  • Keep the job title realistic. Inflated titles raise “genuineness” questions if duties appear junior.
  • Ensure the duties still align to your SOC in the skilled worker visa uk job list 2025. If your duties changed significantly (e.g., technical to managerial), confirm whether a new SOC is needed.
  • Be honest about work locations. Hybrid patterns should match your contract and HR records.

Sponsors: update your internal job description and HR file to match the CoS. This protects both your audit trail and the worker’s extension.

6) Sponsorship and HR compliance

The Home Office expects sponsors to maintain high standards. For an unproblematic Skilled Worker visa UK extension 2025:

  • CoS accuracy: hours, salary, SOC code, work location(s), start date, and job description should all match reality.
  • Right-to-work checks: conduct a new check on or before the day permission is granted/extended (using the online share code system where applicable).
  • Reporting duties: salary changes, duty changes, location updates, and delayed starts are reportable events—usually within strict timeframes.
  • Record-keeping: contracts, payslips, timesheets, addresses, absences, and contact details must be on file and up to date.

A well-run sponsor file makes the skilled worker visa uk Application 2025 easier to defend if questioned.

7) Personal criteria at extension

While most Skilled Workers satisfied English at the first grant, you must still meet skilled worker visa uk requirements 2025 at the extension stage:

  • English language (B1 CEFR) already evidenced—no need to re-test unless your original proof is invalid for the route.
  • Maintenance evidence if your sponsor does not certify maintenance.
  • TB and criminality documents only where required for your nationality, role, or residence history.
  • Continuity of residence for those targeting ILR later—keep travel and absence records well organised from day one.

8) Documents checklist (worker)

  • Passport (valid; check expiry and the details tied to your eVisa).
  • Assigned CoS (extension) from your sponsor.
  • Contract & job description (matching the CoS content and SOC duties).
  • Salary evidence (recent payslips and, where useful, a salary confirmation letter).
  • Proof of English (only if needed for the route at this stage).
  • Maintenance evidence if not certified by sponsor.
  • TB/criminal record certificates if your situation requires them.
  • Travel/absence record (especially if considering ILR soon).

9) Documents checklist (sponsor)

  • Updated job description mapping to the SOC code on the skilled worker visa uk job list 2025.
  • Salary benchmarking showing the role meets the Skilled Worker visa UK salary threshold 2025 and going rate after pro-rating—i.e., the Skilled Worker visa UK Minimum Salary 2025.
  • Clean HR file: contract, payslips, RTW, attendance, addresses, reporting logs.
  • CoS assignment note with rationale for SOC and salary calculation.
  • Right-to-work process prepared for the post-decision check.

10) Filing the skilled worker visa uk Application 2025 (extension)

  1. CoS assigned by your sponsor.
  2. Online form completed accurately, with attention to dates, addresses, and job details.
  3. Fees paid (see skilled worker visa uk fees 2025 below) and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).
  4. Identity verified—biometrics appointment or ID app if eligible.
  5. Decision—keep travel minimal if your case is pending and your physical document is needed for checks.

Priority services may be available; discuss with your sponsor if timing is tight.

11) Fees and budgeting

Under skilled worker visa uk fees 2025, your total cost depends on:

  • Application fee (varies by length of stay and whether applying in or outside the UK; extensions are typically in-country).
  • IHS (per person, per year).
  • Priority or super-priority service (optional).
  • Dependants (each dependant pays their own fee and IHS).
  • Ancillary costs (e.g., translations, appointments, courier).

Employers: decide what you’ll cover—CoS fee, ISC, application and/or IHS contributions—and communicate this clearly in policy documents and offer letters. Applicants: spreadsheet your full family cost, especially for multi-year extensions.

12) Promotions, pay rises, and role changes

Promotions are positive—but they can create compliance issues if they change the core duties or push the role into a different SOC. For a Skilled Worker visa UK extension 2025:

  • If your SOC stays the same, ensure the salary now meets the higher of the route threshold and new going rate.
  • If your SOC changes, you’ll likely need a new application (not a simple extension).
  • Pay rises are helpful—but ensure the base salary meets the Skilled Worker visa UK Minimum Salary 2025 without relying on non-guaranteed elements.
     

13) Hybrid work, relocations, and travel

  • Hybrid patterns are allowed if your contract and HR policies reflect reality. Keep the CoS work location accurate.
  • Relocations (to another city or site) are often reportable; check sponsor reporting rules.
  • International travel during a pending application can complicate logistics—time trips carefully. Also, track absences if ILR is on your roadmap.
     

14) Dependants at extension

The skilled worker visa uk dependant visa 2025 provisions allow most Skilled Workers to include:

  • Partner (spouse/civil partner/unmarried partner, subject to evidence).
  • Children (under 18; some over-18s may continue as dependants if already in route).

At extension:

  • Dependants can extend with you or separately, but their permission usually ends when yours does.
  • Each dependant pays application fees and IHS.
  • Evidence: relationship documents, cohabitation history (for durable partners), and for children, proof of dependency and residence.
     

15) The 2025 landscape: what changed?

The term Skilled Worker visa UK chages 2025 captures a policy direction emphasising:

  • A stronger focus on higher-skill (often RQF 6) roles for new grants.
  • Tightened eligibility within the skilled worker visa uk job list 2025.
  • Greater scrutiny of salary compliance under the Skilled Worker visa UK salary threshold 2025 and going rates, reinforcing the Skilled Worker visa UK Minimum Salary 2025 principle.
  • Ongoing sponsor compliance expectations with little tolerance for mismatch between job titles and duties.

If your initial grant pre-dated some of the Skilled Worker visa UK chages 2025, check whether transitional rules apply to your Skilled Worker visa UK extension 2025.

16) Educational worked examples (illustrative only)

Example A: Software developer on 40 hours/week

  • The going rate table lists a figure based on 37.5 hours.
  • Multiply by 40/37.5 to get the pro-rated going rate.
  • Compare your base salary to both the pro-rated going rate and the general threshold for 2025; your salary must meet the higher of the two (your Skilled Worker visa UK Minimum Salary 2025).

Example B: Lecturer using national pay scales

  • Compliance is judged against the applicable scale.
  • Ensure the contract spine point meets (or exceeds) the relevant minimum.
  • Keep the CoS and contract consistent with the scale position.

Example C: New entrant at first grant

  • If you used a new entrant concession, plan a salary step-up before your Skilled Worker visa UK extension 2025 so you meet the full going rate/general threshold as required.

Example D: Duty evolution but same SOC

  • If you progress within the same SOC (e.g., more responsibility but same occupation family), confirm that the duties still fit the code examples and the salary matches the correct benchmark for 2025.
     

17) Top 20 pitfalls (and how to avoid them)

  1. Assuming an “extension” is automatic—it’s a fresh assessment of eligibility.
  2. Letting salary sit just below the Skilled Worker visa UK salary threshold 2025 or going rate.
  3. Forgetting to pro-rate the going rate for non-37.5-hour contracts.
  4. Counting uncertain allowances/bonuses toward salary.
  5. Using a mis-matched SOC code because it “sounds right.”
  6. Inflated job titles hiding junior duties—triggers genuineness concerns.
  7. CoS errors: wrong hours, dates, locations, or salary.
  8. Inconsistent documents: contract vs CoS vs HR file vs payslips.
  9. Missing sponsor reporting windows for changes.
  10. Travel during processing that complicates verification.
  11. Overlooking dependant timelines or evidence.
  12. Ignoring IHS budgeting for multi-year family grants.
  13. Insufficient English or using a proof not valid for this route.
  14. Assuming national pay scales apply when they don’t (or vice-versa).
  15. No plan for salary progression after a new-entrant first grant.
  16. Failing to track absences if ILR is the goal.
  17. Not aligning hybrid work reality with the CoS location.
  18. Delayed right-to-work checks or wrong method (e.g., not using share code).
  19. Neglecting maintenance evidence if sponsor won’t certify.
  20. Relying on out-of-date online articles—always check current rules when filing.
     

18) FAQs

Q: What is the “Skilled Worker visa UK Minimum Salary 2025”?
A: It’s the higher of the Skilled Worker visa UK salary threshold 2025 (general threshold) and your occupation’s going rate, pro-rated for your hours.

Q: Can I extend if my employer changes my duties?
A: Yes if the SOC remains appropriate and salary meets the correct benchmark. If the SOC changes, you usually need a new application, not a simple extension.

Q: Do dependants have to extend when I do?
A: Not necessarily at the same time, but their permission ends with yours. Many families extend together to keep dates aligned under the skilled worker visa uk dependant visa 2025 rules.

Q: What are the main costs under skilled worker visa uk fees 2025?
A: Application fee + IHS per person per year + optional priority fees + any ancillary costs (translations, appointments). Sponsors may cover some items; confirm early.

Q: My hours are 40/week—how do I know my going rate?
A: Take the published 37.5-hour going rate and multiply by 40/37.5. Your base salary must meet that figure and the general threshold; comply with the higher one.

Q: Will the 2025 policy direction affect my extension?
A: The Skilled Worker visa UK chages 2025 emphasise higher-skill roles and genuine vacancies. If your job is correctly coded and paid, an extension remains viable.

19) Step-by-step action plan (worker)

  1. Verify SOC & duties remain aligned to the skilled worker visa uk job list 2025.
  2. Calculate salary against the Skilled Worker visa UK Minimum Salary 2025 (general threshold vs going rate).
  3. Update documents—contract, job description, payslips.
  4. Request CoS—ensure all details are accurate.
  5. Prepare application—form, supporting evidence, and skilled worker visa uk fees 2025.
  6. Submit & verify identity—ID app or biometrics.
  7. Right-to-work—ensure your employer updates the check post-decision.
  8. Track absences—if ILR is next, your records will matter.
     

20) Step-by-step action plan (sponsor)

  1. Re-confirm need for the role and update the job description.
  2. Map SOC carefully to the 2025 occupation list.
  3. Benchmark salary to the higher of threshold vs going rate; pro-rate for hours.
  4. Assign CoS with precise data (hours, location, duties, start date).
  5. Audit HR file—contract, payslips, attendance, addresses, RTW evidence.
  6. Prepare reporting for any changes post-grant.
  7. Train managers—what to flag and when (duty changes, location shifts).
  8. Review ILR pipeline—support employees approaching settlement.
     

21) Bringing it together: a compliant, confident extension

A strong Skilled Worker visa UK extension 2025 brings clarity to the essentials:

  • The job still fits the skilled worker visa uk job list 2025 and your real duties.
  • The salary meets the Skilled Worker visa UK Minimum Salary 2025 (pro-rated, guaranteed pay).
  • The sponsor maintains clean HR files, timely reporting, and assigns an accurate CoS.
  • The applicant has the right documents, tracks absences, and plans finances under skilled worker visa uk fees 2025.
  • Family plans align with skilled worker visa uk dependant visa 2025 rules.

Get these right, and your extension should be a formality—positioning you for Skilled Worker continuity, ILR, and, in time, British citizenship.

Need expert help?

Whether you’re an employer preparing multiple Skilled Worker visa UK extension 2025 filings, or an individual verifying your salary against the Skilled Worker visa UK salary threshold 2025, we can help. We also advise on skilled worker visa uk Application 2025 timing, skilled worker visa uk fees 2025 budgeting, job coding for the skilled worker visa uk job list 2025, and family strategies under the skilled worker visa uk dependant visa 2025 provisions.

Worldwide Immigration Ltd
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Call: 020 3488 2308 • WhatsApp: +44 7360 271841 • Email: inquiry@worldwideimmigration.co.uk
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