u/Ok-Wallaby-3661

Hi everyone, looking for some advice or experiences from anyone who's been in a similar situation.

I've been on a Skilled Worker (Tier 2) visa with my current employer for about 5 years. My ILR eligibility date is 21st August, so roughly 2 months away. I was planning to request the employer support letter from my current company and apply for ILR as soon as I'm eligible.

Here's where it gets complicated - I've received a new job offer. The new employer wants me to start immediately and is happy to do a Skilled Worker visa transfer (Change of Employment). They've also said they'll support my ILR application with the employer letter.

My main questions:

1. Does the employer support letter carry the same weight whether it comes from an employer of 5 years vs one where I've only been for a couple of months? I understand the letter needs to confirm ongoing employment, salary, SOC code, CoS reference, and that I'm "still required for the foreseeable future." But I'm wondering if a caseworker would view a letter from a brand new employer differently in practice, even if it technically ticks all the boxes.
2. If I do switch, would I also need evidence from my previous (current) employer covering the earlier part of my 5-year qualifying period? I've read that when you change sponsors mid-qualifying period, the previous employer should ideally provide a letter, payslips, and P45 for their portion. Has anyone dealt with getting this from an employer after you've already resigned?
3. Is it worth waiting the 2 months, getting the ILR support letter from my current employer first, and then switching jobs? My instinct says this is the safer route, but I'm not sure whether I'm overcomplicating things and there's genuinely no practical difference.

I know the standard advice is "speak to an immigration solicitor" — and I plan to — but I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who changed employers close to their ILR date or applied with a relatively new sponsor. How did it go?

Thanks in advance.