Redundancy on a Skilled Worker Visa: Your Options and Next Steps

What Happens When You Are Made Redundant

When your employment ends on a Skilled Worker visa, your employer must report this to the Home Office through the Sponsor Management System. The Home Office then typically curtails your visa, giving you 60 days from the date of curtailment or until your visa expiry, whichever comes first.

This is sometimes called the 60-day rule. It applies whether you were made redundant, dismissed, or resigned. The key factor is that your sponsorship has ended.

Your Employment Rights

As a worker in the UK, you have full redundancy rights:

• Statutory redundancy pay if you have 2+ years of continuous service
• Your contractual notice period (or pay in lieu of notice)
• Payment for accrued but untaken holiday
• Any enhanced redundancy terms in your contract

Ensure your employer pays everything owed to you. If they do not, seek advice from ACAS or an employment solicitor.

Finding a New Sponsor

Your priority should be finding a new employer with a sponsor licence. Here is how:

• Check the register of licensed sponsors on GOV.UK to confirm potential employers hold a valid licence.
• Focus your job search on roles that match eligible occupation codes.
• Be upfront with potential employers about your visa situation and timeline.
• Consider recruitment agencies that specialise in sponsored roles.

When you find a new employer, they will need to assign you a new Certificate of Sponsorship and you will need to submit a new visa application before starting work.

Changing Jobs and the New Application

The process for changing jobs on a Skilled Worker visa requires a fresh application. You submit this from within the UK and, once submitted, you are protected by Section 3C leave (provided you applied before your current leave expired).

You must not start working for the new employer until you have submitted your application. Some employers may allow you to start on the date of submission, but check the rules carefully.