Sponsored workers changing their role

A sponsored worker’s role change should be assessed before duties, occupation classification or other material terms are altered. Some changes require reporting or a new application, so an internal promotion approval is not the complete immigration process.

Compare the old and proposed duties, salary, hours and location. Keep a written assessment and tell managers which changes cannot be implemented until further action is complete.

Compare the proposed duties with the sponsored role

Before promoting or redeploying a sponsored worker, set out what will actually change. Compare the current and proposed duties, occupation code, salary, hours, reporting line and work location. A change in title alone may be different from a substantial change in the work. The immigration assessment should follow the substance of the new role rather than the label used by HR or the manager. ^[1]

Ask the business to approve a factual new job description before the assessment. An informal arrangement in which the employee gradually takes over a different function can be harder to evaluate than a planned change with a clear effective date. Do not wait until the annual review to discover that a sponsored specialist has spent several months performing unrelated duties.

Distinguish reporting from a new application

A move to a different occupation code generally requires a new CoS and change-of-employment application, subject to the specific exceptions in the guidance. Changes within the same code can sometimes proceed without a new application if the relevant conditions are met, but reporting may still be required. The sponsor guidance also addresses moves involving the Immigration Salary List and other specific circumstances. ^{[1] [2]}

Avoid the shorthand “same employer, so no visa action”. The same sponsor can offer a role requiring new permission, while an apparently small change can affect the salary option previously relied on. Ask the adviser to identify the applicable provision and the action needed before implementation. Keep any exception's factual conditions with the decision so the business can recognise if the plan later changes.

Recalculate salary using the new terms

Confirm the new contractual pay and weekly hours, including any allowance or deduction changes. A promotion with higher annual pay does not automatically satisfy the going rate for a different occupation. A reduction in hours can also affect the general threshold and going-rate calculations differently. Our guide to Salary evidence for a sponsored role explains the evidence needed for a consistent salary assessment.

Where the worker relies on a transitional or lower salary option, check whether the proposed role still supports it and whether any time limit is approaching. Do not assume the option continues indefinitely because the initial application was approved. The sponsor should understand both the current eligibility and any future increase or application that the plan depends on. Record the approved calculation alongside the revised role description.

Set the effective date after the required permission step

Where a change-of-employment application is required, the guidance states that it must be approved before the worker begins the new job, including where the sponsor remains the same. The relevant right-to-work check must also be completed. Assigning a CoS or submitting an application is not enough to authorise the new duties. Keep the employee in work permitted by their existing conditions while the change is assessed and decided. ^[2]

Tell managers and payroll the approved effective date and any interim limits. Do not backdate the new role in a contract or appraisal to make the promotion appear complete before permission. If the business need changes while the application is pending, obtain advice on whether the sponsorship record or application needs correction. The final role must remain consistent with the evidence on which the decision is sought.

Keep the compliance record connected to career development

A sponsored employee should receive a clear explanation of the proposed change and what the employer needs to verify. Immigration review should be integrated into promotion planning rather than used as an unexplained barrier. Apply employment and discrimination obligations appropriately, and give the employee a realistic timetable without guaranteeing an immigration outcome. Their family or travel plans may also need consideration where a new application is required.

For support through Sponsored worker application review enquiry, provide the current CoS details, permission, old and new duties, pay and hours. Case-specific immigration advice must be given by an appropriately regulated or otherwise legally authorised adviser. Ask for the required application or reporting action and the conditions for the new role to begin. Keep responsibility for implementation with a named sponsor contact so the advice becomes an actual completed process.

Once the change is implemented, reconcile the sponsorship record, contract, payroll and manager's instruction. Retain the report or application evidence and any new check. This makes later monitoring possible and prevents the organisation from holding several inconsistent descriptions of the employee's work across different systems.

Illustrative scenario

A sponsored employee moves from a technical role to a different management function. HR obtains advice on the code and application implications before confirming the revised duties.

Preparation checklist

• Compare old and new duties
• Review pay and hours
• Check reporting or application needs
• Control the implementation date