Skilled Worker sponsorship is specific to the role being undertaken and the job code which it falls under. As a result, changes to any of the details below must be reported to the Home Office.
The employing department/ faculty/ college must submit a Changes & Leavers form to SIT reporting any changes in the details below within 5 working days after they take effect, but these types of changes should normally also have be discussed in advance.
This could be as a result of a promotion, additional responsibilities, or the award of a fellowship or other title, for example.
Proposed changes in duties should always be discussed with SIT as early as possible. SIT will review the proposed changes and amended or new job description to check that the nature of the role has not changed and it still fits under the same job code. If a Skilled Worker visa holder in a research role wishes to undertake teaching this will have to be reported to SIT who must report this to the Home Office as an additional duty before any teaching can commence.
- Salary and/ or allowances
One-off payments, overtime, and changes due to annual increments and national pay awards do not need to be reported. All other changes in salary or allowances, including increases in salary due to retention, market pay, additional duties, and reward and recognition awards must be reported.
Decreases in salary are only permitted if the proposed new salary still meets the Skilled Worker salary thresholds. Reductions in salary below the thresholds are, however, permitted where this is due to maternity, paternity, shared parental, adoption,sick leave, humanitarian crisis or industrial action (see below);
Marie Skłodowska Curie Fellows and Early Stage Researchers
If a Skilled Worker visa holder is a Marie Skłodowska Curie Fellow or Early Stage Researcher, their funding covers the employer's contributions to their pension. If they chose to opt out of the pension, the funds which would have covered the employer's contributions revert to them as part of their salary and this increase in salary must be reported to the Home Office.
The employing department/ faculty/ college must inform the Staff Immigration Team (SIT) and check the salary calculations with them before submitting a Changes & Leavers form to report the change in salary.
Occasional overtime or additional hours do not need to be reported, but if there is a pattern of longer working this could be seen as a change in hours and should be discussed with SIT.
As any reduction in hours would normally be accompanied by a reduction in salary, this should be discussed with SIT as early as possible so that they can check the proposed new working hours still meets the Skilled Worker salary thresholds.
Any change in regular work location, or additional regular work locations, in the UK must be reported to the Home Office. One-off or occasional short periods of work in other locations do not need to be reported.
Work locations outside the UK do not need to be reported, but if an employee is based outside the UK there may be other personnel, finance (particularly tax), and visa issues to consider. Any proposed working outside the UK should be discussed with SIT, and the personnel and finance teams in the employing department/ faculty/ college as early as possible.
