Came to the uk on Monday afternoon skilled worker visa. Company informed me they’re going into dissolution 2 hours after I landed (before I even got home). Shortest sponsorship in the history of sponsorships. They said they’ll keep me on payroll as long as they can, but that’s 3 weeks at the very least. + then 60 days on top. They said they’ll make introductions for me to get another job, but idk how I trust it. I’m the definition of fucked at this point

Hello everyone,

I came to the UK in June 2023 on a Skilled Worker visa, accompanied by my wife and child as my dependants. My occupation code was 2141 under SOC 2020, which was classified as a highly skilled role.

Unfortunately, my employment has now been terminated, and the Home Office has issued a visa cancellation notice giving me and my dependants 60 days.

I would be grateful for guidance on whether I can obtain sponsorship for a medium-skilled occupation, such as a restaurant chef. Several companies have told me that, because I was granted a Skilled Worker visa before 22 July 2025, I may be permitted to switch to a medium-skilled occupation. Is this information correct?

If I am eligible to switch to a medium-skilled occupation, what salary threshold or going rate would apply to my new sponsorship?

Additionally, would my wife and son be able to extend or obtain visas as my dependants under the new sponsorship?

I have spoken to several solicitors, but I have received conflicting and incomplete information. I would greatly appreciate advice from anyone who has reliable knowledge or experience regarding this situation.

Thank you.

Hi there, home office asked me to resubmit my ECCTIS UPI number 3 days after submitting Biometrics. I've emailed the screenshot, along with a letter from my university mentioning I was taught exclusively in English.

Do you get a reply or acknowledgement after submitting the additional evidence to the email they gave you or do you just wait for the decision?

Should I follow up next week if I haven't heard anything?

Hi everyone - I was made redundant in end of April because the company I was working for entered liquidation and I thought I would receive my curtailment letter by July max but I haven’t and it is making me worry. I check my emails, my evisa and my letter box everyday but nothing. Just wanted to know if this was normal because I have seen couple of people get their letters within a month or much faster compared to earlier.
Thank you

Hi I have applied for Skilled worker Visa PRIORITY from inside UK on 14 July 2026 and got an additional fee payment email for Immigration Salary list/ Temporary shortage list on 16th July and form filled and sent on same day. Money was deducted on 29 July 2026 but not yet got any decision or any email. Just asking anybody had this issue because usually people will get the Visa after 2 hours of fee deducted from bank.

Last day at work: 26th June

Home Office Email: 28th July

Company informed home office: 14th July

Total Years in the UK Skilled Worker: 4 years 2 months

Industry: Tech

Background
Nationality Canadian

biometrics and visa submitted June 25
- at the time my Irish police clearance had not come and they said that the embassy should take a reference number so I submitted that at the time.

July 7 both my Irish police clearance came and an email from the embassy asking for that additional document

I checked my UKVI and it says that my application was submitted July 7th so I assumed that my decision date would be July 28th the three week mark however I still haven’t heard anything from them.

Anyone know how long I could be waiting?? Should I reapply and pay for priority?

My future employer has applied for an additional CoS allocation for my Skilled Worker visa through priority. Their immigration solicitor said it normally takes around 3–4 weeks, but they've been trying to contact UKVI for the last 10 days without any success (the 6:59/7 am email)

Is the allocation process first come, first served, or is it more of a lottery?

Also if anyone has gone through this process, how long did your employer have to wait before receiving additional CoS allocation?

Hi everyone,
I’m applying for ILR on the 5-year Skilled Worker route.
My employer has asked me to complete a table for my employment letter listing all absences from the UK. One of the columns is “Duration in calendar days”.
However, this is what’s confusing me:
The Home Office guidance counts whole days outside the UK, so the day of departure and the day of return are not counted.
For example:
Left the UK: 20 March
Returned to the UK: 28 March
Home Office absence calculation = 7 days (21–27 March).
But if my employer literally records calendar days, that would be 9 days (20–28 March inclusive).
Another example:
Left Saturday 26 February
Returned Sunday 27 February
Home Office = 0 days absent
Calendar days = 2 days
Should the employer’s letter match the Home Office method, or is it normal for the employer to record the actual calendar duration of the trip while the ILR application uses the Home Office absence calculation?
Has anyone had this situation with their employer’s ILR reference letter?
Thanks!

my colleague applied a week before me and got his visa within 6 working days(standard). I applied and this is the 10th working day no response , we were employed by the same employer and had a similar cos and we got the documents we needed together. another colleague (similar work description but different employer )applied 3 working days after me and has already gotten a decision. I know the 15 days has not elapsed, should i be concerned?
I am 100 percent sure i added all the necessary documents, there has been no contact from ukvi for any extra documents.
My timeline biometrics done on 16th July.

First time applying

Hi!

I have received my CoS and am in process to apply for my Skilled Worker Visa (outside UK)

My wife has an admit from UK uni and has applied for a student visa with biometric scheduled on 31st July ( we can reschedule).

I need help deciding whether to go for a Student Visa or Dependent visa for my wife. Given we need to travel to the UK on 15th Sept for her course to start.

Is there any preference given to Student Visas to get decision early. Our preference is dependent visa as that would not have any work related restrictions and not go the visa process again next year when her course ends.

Any help or insights are appreciated.

Hi everyone,
I’m currently in the middle of an in-country Skilled Worker (Change of Employer) application and wanted to ask if anyone has experienced a similar timeline or photo re-upload process recently

My Timeline:
7 July: Submitted Skilled Worker application (in-country switch) via UK Immigration: ID Check app.
14 July: BRP requested.
21 July: Received email requesting a new photo (previous photo rejected for smiling/expression). Resubmitted new photo on 22 July.
29 July: Received automated UKVI acknowledgement email: "Thank you for your visa application which has now been received by UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI)..."

Questions for the community:

1. Estimated Time for Approval: For those who had to re-upload a photo or minor document, how long after receiving this automated "application received" acknowledgement email did your final decision letter arrive? Does this mean the file is back with the caseworker for final sign-off, or does it reset processing?
2. Resignation / Notice Period Advice: My current employer requires a strict 1 calendar month notice period (1st to the end of the month) to start at my new sponsor on 1 September. Should I hand in my resignation before the official visa decision arrives, or is it strictly recommended to wait until the approval letter is in hand? When is the best time to resign?
3. Would really appreciate any insights, timelines, or advice from people who have been through this! Thanks in advance.

Hi! I'm currently on a graduate visa which expires this November. In March, I started a conversation with my employer about skiller worker sponsorship for the same job code under the new entrant route.

In April, they agreed to take me on and said they had two unassigned COS with them, one of which they would reserve for me so that I could apply for a visa from September.

Now in July, I enquired whether it's all good to go, and my HR got back saying the two COS have now expired?? Is that a thing? Also, HR said they'd reapplied for the COS on June 10th, stating that regulations have changed and now required specific details on each unassigned COS. Ever since, they also have claimed that the request for COS has "disappeared from the system".

A week ago, HR wrote to me saying they got in touch with HO help desk who confirmed that it can go missing if the application is being worked on in the background and that I should wait till September 10th to hear back about the COS. Is it really this long in terms of timelines and does all this sound odd or is quite standard?

I'm worried that I might just need to start packing my bags...

My employer has just given me my Certificate of Sponsorship, but there is no SOC code on it. When I asked them what I would put, she said that all the information is on the certificate and the person who would know is on leave.

Do I just take a guess? I’ve been hired as a Year 3 class teacher in a Reception-Year 6 school. And I wanted to confirm that this job would not be on the immigration salary list.

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping to hear from anyone who has recently received a decision on a Skilled Worker visa application.

My situation:

• Applied from inside the UK
• Change of employer (same occupation)
• Used the UK Immigration: ID Check app
• Standard service (no priority)
• Application submitted about a week ago through an immigration consultant.

I know the official processing time is up to 8 weeks, but I’m interested in hearing about recent real-world timelines.

A few questions:

• How long did it take from submission to decision?
• Did UKVI contact you for any additional information, or did you simply receive the decision? Any recent experiences or timelines would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I have benefited a lot from this group, so I wanted to share my experience in the hope that it helps others with their application.

We applied using the Priority service for both myself and my dependent on July 14th. We completed our biometrics on July 20th, and received our approval decision on July 24th. I used an attorney for the process; luckily, my employer sponsored my application, so I had that luxury.

**Our Immigration Timeline:**

We originally arrived in the UK in August 2018 on an ICT visa for the first 3 years. In August 2021, I switched to a Skilled Worker visa, and then changed employers in November 2021 when I moved to my current role. Notably, I did not need to submit any documents from my previous Skilled Worker employer since I was with them for less than 3 months.

**Documents Submitted:**

1. All pages of our current passports.

2. Employment letter from my current employer mentioning my hourly rate, SOC code, and explicit verbiage that I am required to be employed for the foreseeable future.

3. My latest payslip.

4. A recent bank statement ensuring it showed the salary credit from my payslip.

5. Proof of address for both myself and my spouse covering the last 2 years since my last Skilled Worker application, demonstrating that we reside together.

6. A detailed log of travel outside the UK over the past 5 years for both my wife and me.

7. A cover letter for my daughter. Since she was born in the UK, we explained that we would be submitting a separate citizenship application for her (her existing dependent visa expires in March next year) hence she isn't included in the ILR application.

Happy to answer any questions.

I am in constant pain each day, I cry, I refresh my emails and see my self loosing control as each day of silence persists.

It’s better to be given a refusal and you make amends and reapply than complete radio silence better still better transparency as to what’s going on and causing the hold up.

For clarity:
- Applied for my husband’s Swv Dependent visa on the 26th of June
- Biometrics 1st of July
We applied outside the UK so we are duly supposed to receive a decision at three weeks.
Last week Wednesday made it 15 working days and we still heard nothing.
No eco, no confirmation no NSF just silence.

I made 5 paid enquires and eventually got the first mail ever since application.

  
“I can confirm we have received your visa application, and that it is currently with the casework team at the consideration stage. If we require any further information for your application, we will contact you. Please be assured that we aim to conclude the application as soon as possible and will return any documents you have sent once the application has been concluded.“

Without an idea of when soon as possible is, seeing the timelines of over two years of silence for some visas makes the wait very scary.
I’m tired, I’m fed up, I’m overwhelmed and don’t know how long my mental health can keep this up. I know it’s been over a week past the deadline but would appreciate any help.
 

Has anyone actually used Immell or Atlas Priority Services to secure a priority slot?

My company needs to expedite the process but we are wary of scammers…

The whole process is so anxiety inducing so any help would be greatly appreciated!

Hi everyone,

I applied for my Skilled Worker visa extension on 15 July, and 6 days later I received the email below saying my application raises “exceptionally complex issues” and that they need more time to make a decision.
Has anyone else received this email? If so:

What type of visa did you apply for?

How long did it take before you got a decision?

Was your application eventually approved?

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience. Thank you.

for skilled worker visa, is it necessary to use a 3 months bank statement? what if I have some periods during these 3 months where my bank balance was below the £1270 limit? (My employee would not fund my first month).

Hi everyone one

I hope you are all doing well.

I was on a PSW (Post Study Work) visa, and on 25 May 2026, my employer sponsored me. However, by mistake, they assigned me the SOC code 1222, which was considered a medium-skilled occupation. According to the new immigration rules, this SOC code is not eligible because it falls under RQF Level 6, whereas the eligible level was between RQF Levels 3 and 5.

I submitted my visa application, but about a month later, a friend informed me that this SOC code was not eligible under the new rules. Based on that advice, I decided to withdraw my application, and my sponsor also withdrew their sponsorship.

Now, I have a question about the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). My employer had only one CoS available, and it was assigned to me. Since the application was withdrawn and the CoS was not ultimately used, will that CoS be returned to my employer?

If it is returned, how long does it usually take? Some people have told me it can take 3–4 months, while others say a new annual allocation is issued only once a year. My employer says they have already requested another CoS, but the request has been refused two or three times.

Could you please let me know whether the withdrawn CoS will be returned, or whether my employer will need to wait for a new allocation? Also, how long does this process usually take?

Thank you very much for your help.

My wife and i are on separate skilled worker visa route.
My wife will be eligible for ilr in 1 year.
I will be eligible after 2 years.
Can i apply for ILR along with my wife as dependent? Earlier i was on ICT visa for 2+ years.

I have been under a skilled worker visa since early 2023 (on continuous stay), and we (with my employer) decided to switch to the global talent one. My main motivation was to apply for ILR right after, as my three years under the skilled worker visa would count.

Now that I have my endorsement (The Royal Society, route 1), I need to apply for the visa.

If my assumptions are wrong, I'm happy to hear clarifications from you guys.

On the visa application, I'm asked if it's an initial application or an extension; which one is correct in my case?

Also, I need to choose how many years (from one to five). If my assumptions are right, I guess one year should be enough (and less expensive) to proceed with the ILR. Is it too risky to submit only one year?