Skilled Worker Visa Extension
If you are in the UK on a skilled worker visa and your job is continuing past the expiry date of your visa, you may be able to apply for a skilled worker visa extension. It is also possible to extend a Tier 2 (General) work visa.
A skilled worker visa can be extended more than once if necessary. If you have been in the UK continuously for five years or more, you may be eligible for indefinite leave to remain.
At Halliday Reeves, our solicitors specialise in immigration, meaning we have a high level of experience in this area of law. As well as legal expertise, we are very familiar with the way the visa application system works. We know how to make the strongest possible application and we will make sure that the right documents are included by way of evidence of your eligibility.
To talk to us about how to extend a skilled worker visa UK, please feel free to ring us on 0330 133 7777, email us at enquiries@hallidayreeves.com or fill in our Contact Form and we will do all we can to help.
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Eligibility for a skilled worker visa extension UK
Eligibility criteria for a skilled worker visa extension include:
- You are still in the original job that you were offered when you first applied for a skilled worker visa
- The job still has the same government occupation code as it did when you secured your original visa
- You are still working for the employer who provided your existing certificate of sponsorship
- Your employer continues to hold a UK sponsorship licence and they have issued you with a new certificate of sponsorship
- Your salary is a minimum of £25,600 per annum or is the ‘going rate’ for the job you do
Applying for a skilled worker visa extension UK
You should apply to extend your skilled worker visa before it expires. You can do this up to 60 days before the expiry date.
Your employer should provide you with a new certificate of sponsorship.
If you would like help making sure your visa extension application is complete and accurate, we will be happy to do this for you. We will make sure that we include all of the documents needed as evidence that you are eligible for a skilled worker visa extension.
You will need to resubmit your biometric information by having your fingerprints and photograph taken or by using the UK Immigration: ID Check app.
The application fee to extend a skilled worker visa is £719 for up to three years or £1,423 for more than three years. You will also need to pay the healthcare surcharge of £624 for each year of your stay.
There may be an option to pay extra for a faster decision, otherwise it is likely to take up to eight weeks to hear from UK Visas and Immigration with a result.
Once your visa renewal application has been submitted, you are entitled to stay in the UK until you receive a decision, even if your visa expires in the meantime. You should not leave the UK until you have a decision as your application could be withdrawn if you do so.
You may be asked to attend an interview before the decision is made.
Contact our skilled worker visa UK solicitors
At Halliday Reeves, our immigration solicitors offer a full range of personal immigration services. If you need to apply for a skilled worker visa extension or a Tier 2 (General) work visa extension, we will be happy to help.
We have offices in Gateshead, Middlesbrough, Wakefield and Nottingham. To speak to one of our expert UK immigration lawyers, ring us on 0330 133 7777, email us at enquiries@hallidayreeves.com or fill in our Contact Form.
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