Changing employer on a work visa: what to check and keep

A new job means checking more than the contract

You may be moving for better pay, better hours or a role that suits your skills. If your permission to work is linked to an employer, check the visa step as well as the job offer. Keep the important records together so you can see what is agreed and what still needs to happen.

This article explains how to organise those records. The official guidance was checked on 13 October 2026. It does not announce a new rule. Use the GOV.UK links below for the full requirements, and ask a regulated immigration professional if you need advice about your own case.

Check whether you need to update your visa

GOV.UK says that moving to a different employer requires an application to update a Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa. The new job must meet the requirements, and you need a new certificate of sponsorship. This is often called a CoS. It is a sponsorship record supplied by your employer.

A change to the type of job can also matter. The occupation code is the number used to identify that type of work. Check the code as well as the job title. The Skilled Worker guidance includes conditions for some jobs and people with earlier sponsorship dates. Do not assume that another worker’s situation is the same as yours.

For care workers and senior care workers moving employer in England, GOV.UK says the new employer must be registered with the Care Quality Commission. This is the body that regulates health and social care services in England.

Keep the offer and job details together

Save the written offer. Record the employer’s legal name, job title, pay, hours and planned start date. When the sponsorship details arrive, save the reference and the employer’s sponsor licence details with them.

If two documents show different information, ask for it to be explained or corrected. For example, the pay in the offer may differ from the pay in the sponsorship record. Keep the written answer so you do not have to remember a phone call later.

Work, study & support helps you keep the employer’s details together. Evidence Library keeps the documents. Label each file so you can tell whether it is the offer, sponsorship information or a later update.

Keep the planned start date separate from permission

The official guidance says you can apply up to three months before the new job’s start date. It also says you should wait for confirmation of your new permission before starting the new job. A date agreed with an employer is not that confirmation.

Write down the date you submitted the application and keep its reference and receipt. When the decision arrives, save it separately and check what it says. Then confirm the start arrangements with the employer.

Keep the old version if a start date changes. Add the new document with a short note explaining the change. This gives you a clear history instead of several files that appear to disagree.

Made-up example: an offer arrives before the decision

Rudo is a fictional nurse with a sponsored job. She receives a new offer with a planned start date of 2 November. She saves the offer, then adds the sponsorship information and application receipt as she receives them.

She marks the start date as planned while waiting for the permission decision. Once confirmation arrives, she checks it and agrees the arrangements with her new employer. She keeps that confirmation with her records.

This example shows how to keep the stages clear. It does not mean that every nurse, job or start date meets the visa requirements.

Check family dates and travel plans too

Updating your own visa does not automatically update your family’s records or applications. Check the official guidance for partners and children, and review each person’s current visa end date. In Family, keep their dates separate from yours.

GOV.UK also warns against travelling outside the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands or Isle of Man while waiting for the decision. It says the application will be withdrawn if you do. Review any booked trips before applying.

If you are unsure about the timing, ask for help before making a decision. Save the question and the reply. Do not treat a family member’s date or another person’s travel experience as the answer for your case.

Keep a clear record of the old job and the new one

Keep the old employer’s final letters, relevant pay records and actual end date with that job. Record the new employer and actual start date separately. This helps you explain the move when reviewing your history later.

Before asking a professional for help, write a short timeline and list the questions you still have. Prepare & share can help put the useful documents together. You do not need to send every file you own.

The GOV.UK links below explain visa updates and the job information used in applications. Check them again when you are ready to act. REKODHA helps you organise records and understand what needs attention; it does not replace immigration advice.

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