Skilled Worker Visa Role Change (Senior Carer to Nurse) – Will This Affect My ILR?
Hi everyone,
I'm hoping to hear from anyone who has been in a similar situation regarding a Skilled Worker visa and ILR eligibility.
My spouse and I came to the UK on a student visa in 2021. In April 2022, I started working as a Senior Carer, and my employer sponsored my Skilled Worker visa.
In April 2023, I obtained my NMC registration and started working as a Registered Nurse within the same care home and for the same employer. When we asked the company whether my visa needed updating due to the role change, we were told that they had completed all necessary procedures and informed the Home Office.
However, in August 2023, someone from the head office HR department contacted us and said that I actually needed to apply for a new visa because of the change in role. The company then issued a new CoS, and I applied for a new Skilled Worker visa, which was granted.
When we raised concerns about how this might affect our future ILR application, the company reassured us that there was nothing to worry about. They also advised us to state my nursing start date according to the new CoS documentation.
We expect to become eligible for ILR in February 2027. We have also spoken with an immigration lawyer, who said that because I remained with the same employer, it should not be a problem.
However, the guidance on GOV.UK states that if your occupation code changes, you must apply to update your Skilled Worker visa. This has made us concerned about whether the period between April 2023 and August 2023 could affect our continuous residence or ILR eligibility.
Has anyone experienced something similar? How was it resolved, and did it have any impact on your ILR application?
Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance.