How to report a change of job title of your sponsored employees

As a sponsor, you have several compliance responsibilities to fulfil, including reporting changes to the nature of the job of your sponsored employees to the Home Office and tracking their immigration status.

One of the changes you might have to deal with is your sponsored employees changing jobs or getting promotions, thus altering their job titles. It’s your responsibility as a sponsor to report these changes to the Home Office in a pre-described manner.

The employee also needs to update their Skilled Worker visa if the circumstances of the change meet the requirements of state-approved guidelines.

Here’s an in-depth look at what a change of job title of your sponsored employees entails for both you and the employee.

How do you report the change of job title to the Home Office?

As a sponsor, you are required to report any changes to your sponsored employees’ job status within 10 days of the change occurring. This period applies to both temporary and permanent changes to the status of the job.

You can report the changes via the Home Office Sponsorship Management System (SMS).

Here are a few examples of circumstances involving your sponsored employees that need to be reported to the Home Office:

They’re promoted or demoted to a new position
They switch to a job that has a different shortage occupation code (SOC)
They’re terminated or leave your company to join a different employer

If your sponsored employees switch to a job with a different SOC, you need to issue a new Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) and they need to update their Skilled Worker visa.

What are the current immigration rules to update a Skilled Worker visa?

In addition to a change in SOC, several other circumstances may necessitate an update to the Skilled Worker visa. These include:

Termination of employment
Leaving the company
Taking on a job that is on the shortage occupation list for a job that’s not on the list

If the employee is still working under your company but under a different job title, updating their Skilled Worker visa is only required if the new job is in a different occupation code.

If the employee is accompanied by their partner/spouse or children, they will have to update their visa separately during the same time as your sponsored employee or before their current visa expires.

When can an employee update their Skilled Worker visa?

An employee’s Skilled Worker visa can be updated within 3 months before the start date of their new job/role. They’re allowed to work at their current job while their application to update their Skilled Worker visa is being processed.

The sponsored employee won’t be allowed to start working under their new job title until they’re granted permission.

What are the mandatory requirements when sponsored employees apply for a visa update?

A change to an employee’s job title can only be confirmed once their Skilled Worker visa is updated. The following are required for the application:

Submitting biometric information at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point
Using the UK Immigration: ID Check app
Creating or signing in to the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account

The applicant will also need a valid CoS when they’re applying to update their Skilled Worker visa.

How long is the approval period for a change in the job title?

A decision is usually made within 8 weeks of the application being submitted. If the process takes longer, it might be due to:

A delay in verifying the supporting documentation
A delay in interviewing the applicant
The applicant has a prior criminal conviction

What should you expect after submitting the application?

If your employee has to update any of their information after the Change of Employment application is submitted, the UKVI will have to be contacted to make any amendments.

Applications can be cancelled after submission and fees will only be refunded if the UKVI hasn’t commenced the application process.

An email or letter from the relevant authorities will state the decision of the application and what the next steps will be.

Work with experts to meet your reporting requirements and support your sponsored employees with their visa applications

Reporting a change of job title to the Home Office and supporting your sponsored employees with their Skilled Worker visa update application can be quite daunting.

That’s why here at Nation.better, we provide expert guidance when it comes to reporting a change in an employee’s job title and the process that has to be followed to officially make these changes.

Feel free to get in touch if you need our support.

How to report a change of job title of your sponsored employees