To switch you need a job offer from a licensed sponsor meeting the £38,700 general salary threshold. Most graduates use the Graduate Route first to find that job. Crucially, time on the Graduate Route does not count toward the 5-year Skilled Worker settlement clock — the clock starts when you switch. This is the step that turns a UK degree into a UK career, and the one most Nepali students plan for least.
Switching from Student to Skilled Worker Visa in the UK — A Nepali Graduate Guide
This is the step that turns a UK degree into a UK career, and the one most Nepali students plan for least. The salary threshold does most of the deciding.
By Rahul Chhetri, Director, House of Admissions · Updated 11 Sep 2026
To switch you need a job offer from a licensed sponsor meeting the £38,700 general salary threshold. Most graduates use the Graduate Route first to find that job. Crucially, time on the Graduate Route does not count toward the 5-year Skilled Worker settlement clock — the clock starts when you switch.
This page covers the switch itself. For the Graduate Route you use to get there see the Graduate Route guide; for the alternative settlement route see 10-year long residence.
- You need
- A job offer from a UKVI-licensed sponsor
- General salary threshold
- £38,700 per year
- Usual sequence
- Student → Graduate Route → Skilled Worker
- Graduate Route length
- 2 years if filed on/before 31 Dec 2026; 18 months from 1 Jan 2027
- PhD graduates
- 3 years on the Graduate Route
- Settlement
- 5 qualifying years on Skilled Worker, starting at the switch
- Graduate Route time
- Does NOT count toward that 5-year clock
What Is the Usual Path from Student to Skilled Worker?
- Complete your course and receive confirmation from your university.
- Apply for the Graduate Route before your Student visa expires. Two years if the application is filed on or before 31 December 2026; 18 months for bachelor’s and master’s graduates from 1 January 2027. PhD graduates get three years.
- Find a role with a licensed sponsor meeting the salary threshold. This is the hard part, and the Graduate Route exists to give you time for it.
- Switch to Skilled Worker from inside the UK once you hold the offer and Certificate of Sponsorship.
- Accrue five qualifying years on that route toward settlement.
This is the most expensive misunderstanding in the whole route. Time on the Graduate Route does not count toward the five-year Skilled Worker qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain. The clock starts when you switch. It does count toward the separate 10-year long residence route. How that route works →
What Salary Do You Need?
The general threshold is £38,700 per year, with lower thresholds applying to some occupations and to some new entrants. GOV.UK — Skilled Worker salary requirements
This is where subject choice made two years earlier shows its effect. Graduate salaries in computing, cyber security and finance commonly reach or approach the threshold; hospitality and general business roles commonly do not.
Which Subjects Realistically Reach the Threshold?
| Field | Typical entry salary | Reaches threshold? |
|---|---|---|
| Cyber security | £30,000–£40,000 | Often, and early |
| Software and data | £30,000–£40,000 | Often |
| Accounting and finance | £26,000–£34,000 | After qualification, typically |
| Engineering and project management | £27,000–£35,000 | Within a few years |
| Nursing and healthcare | NHS banded | Different thresholds apply to some health roles |
| Hospitality and general business | £22,000–£28,000 | Usually requires progression into management |
Thinking about staying after your course?Tell us your subject and target sector and we will give you an honest read on whether the £38,700 threshold is reachable — free, and better decided before you enrol.
Free WhatsApp checkFrequently Asked Questions
You need a job offer from a UKVI-licensed sponsor that meets the salary threshold, and a Certificate of Sponsorship from that employer. Most graduates use the Graduate Route first to find the role, then switch from inside the UK.
The general threshold is £38,700 per year, with lower thresholds for some occupations and some new entrants. Your subject choice has a large effect on whether you reach it within the Graduate Route window.
No — not toward the five-year Skilled Worker qualifying period. The clock starts when you switch to Skilled Worker. Graduate Route time does count toward the separate 10-year long residence route.
Two years for applications filed on or before 31 December 2026, and 18 months for bachelor’s and master’s graduates from 1 January 2027. PhD graduates get three years. The trigger is the date you file, not your graduation date.
Yes, if you already have a qualifying job offer. Many graduates do not, which is what the Graduate Route is for. If you do have the offer, switching directly starts your settlement clock sooner.
Yes. The Skilled Worker route permits dependants, unlike the Student route for taught master’s students since January 2024. Dependant rules.
You leave the UK when the Graduate Route expires, or switch to another route you qualify for. This is why subject choice and early job searching matter — the Graduate Route window is shorter from January 2027 than it was.
Get this checked before you submit — free
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Where Does This Information Come From?
- GOV.UK — Skilled Worker visa salary requirements
- GOV.UK — Graduate visa
- House of Admissions casework, 2016–2026 (self-reported)
Last updated 11 Sep 2026. Nepali foreign-exchange rules and MoEST procedure change by circular and are not always announced in English — confirm current figures with your bank or at noc.moest.gov.np before you rely on them. Nothing here is immigration or financial advice; for a decision on your own case, consult a regulated adviser.