For many people applying for a Skilled Worker Visa, getting their own visa is only half the story. The next question is usually:
“Can my husband, wife or children come with me?”
For many Skilled Workers, the answer is still yes. But the dependant rules have changed quite significantly over the last few years, and this is one area where old information online can cause a lot of confusion.
You may have read that all Skilled Workers can bring their family. You may also have read that Skilled Workers can no longer bring dependants at all.
Neither statement is quite right.
The position depends on the type of job you are being sponsored for, when your Skilled Worker permission began, and the circumstances of the family member applying.
So in this guide, I will explain how the Skilled Worker dependant visa works, who can apply, the restrictions affecting care workers and certain medium-skilled occupations, the financial requirements, work rights, settlement and some of the mistakes we regularly see.
Who Can Apply as a Skilled Worker Dependant?
A Skilled Worker can potentially be joined by a:
- husband or wife;
- civil partner;
- unmarried partner;
- child under 18;
- child over 18 who already holds permission in the UK as their dependant.
Each dependant normally makes their own application, although the applications can be linked together. If the dependant application is successful, their visa will normally expire on the same date as the Skilled Worker’s visa.
That sounds straightforward enough. Unfortunately, this is immigration law, so we cannot possibly leave it there. There are now important restrictions depending on the job the Skilled Worker is doing.
Can All Skilled Workers Still Bring Dependants?
No. Most Skilled Workers in eligible higher-skilled roles can still bring eligible partners and children. However, there are now specific restrictions for:
- care workers and senior care workers;
- certain jobs classed as medium skilled.
This is one of the most important things to check before making a dependant application. It is not simply a case of asking whether the main applicant has a Skilled Worker Visa. We also need to know what job they are sponsored to do and when they first came onto the relevant route.
Dependants of Care Workers and Senior Care Workers
Care workers and senior care workers have been subject to dependant restrictions since March 2024. If you are sponsored as a care worker or senior care worker, your partner and children can generally only apply as your dependants in limited circumstances.
One important exception applies where you have been continuously employed in the UK as a care worker or senior care worker and held Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker permission since before 11 March 2024.
In other words, workers who were already on the route before the restriction came into force can potentially retain dependant rights, provided the continuity requirements are met. There are also some specific exceptions involving children, including certain children born in the UK.
This is an area where dates matter enormously. Someone sponsored as a care worker before 11 March 2024 may be in a very different position from someone who entered the route afterwards. So if you are reading an online answer that simply says:
“Care workers cannot bring dependants.”
That is incomplete.
Equally, an old article saying:
“Care workers can bring their spouse and children.”
… may now be equally misleading. Immigration law does enjoy keeping the internet on its toes.
New Restrictions for Medium-Skilled Skilled Worker Jobs
There was another major change from 22 July 2025. The Skilled Worker skill threshold was raised, and additional restrictions were introduced for jobs classified as medium skilled.
If the main Skilled Worker is sponsored in one of these medium-skilled occupations, their partner and children may only qualify as dependants in certain circumstances. One of the main transitional protections applies where the worker has been continuously employed in the UK on a Skilled Worker Visa in a medium-skilled job since before 22 July 2025.
Again, this means the date the worker entered the route can completely change the answer.
Two people could now be doing very similar jobs with the same salary and the same employer, but their dependant rights may differ because one was already on the route before the change and the other arrived afterwards.
That is why dependant eligibility should be checked against the worker’s actual immigration history, rather than simply looking at their current job title.
Is There a Salary Requirement for Bringing Dependants?
There is not a general rule saying a Skilled Worker must earn £38,700, or any other single salary figure, before they are allowed to bring dependants. The worker must, of course, satisfy the salary requirements for their own Skilled Worker Visa.
As things currently stand, the usual standard Skilled Worker salary requirement is at least £41,700 per year or the applicable going rate for the job, whichever is higher.
But there are numerous exceptions and different salary options, including lower thresholds for some new entrants, PhD holders, jobs on the Immigration Salary List and workers covered by transitional provisions.
The dependant question is different. The restrictions are primarily linked to the type of occupation and relevant dates, particularly for care workers and medium-skilled jobs. So do not assume that earning £41,700 automatically gives somebody dependant rights.
And do not assume earning less than £41,700 automatically means they cannot have dependants. Those are separate questions.
Who Qualifies as a Partner?
A dependant partner can be a:
- husband or wife;
- civil partner;
- unmarried partner.
For married couples and civil partners, the relationship must be legally recognised. For unmarried partners, there is an important rule that people still regularly misunderstand. You do not necessarily have to have lived together for two years, but remember this has to be managed properly.
You can qualify where you have been in a relationship for at least two years but have been unable to live together, for example because you were working or studying in different locations or because living together before marriage was not culturally acceptable.
Where a couple has not lived together, they need to show that the relationship is genuine and continuing. That could involve evidence of regular communication, visits, financial support, time spent together and wider evidence showing that the relationship is real and ongoing.
This is particularly important for couples from cultures where living together before marriage may simply not happen. The Home Office rules recognise that reality.
What About Dependant Children?
A child under 18 can generally apply as a dependant where the requirements are met. Children over 18 can also continue on the dependant route in some circumstances, but normally only where they already have permission as the Skilled Worker’s dependant.
Older dependant children must also continue to meet requirements around their family circumstances and independence. For example, the rules look at whether they are living with the family, unless they are away for full-time education, and whether they are married or in a civil partnership.
A 22-year-old who has never previously been a dependant cannot normally just be added to a parent’s Skilled Worker application for the first time because they still live at home.
That distinction catches people out.
What Financial Maintenance Is Required for Dependants?
There is a separate maintenance requirement for dependants. The amounts are currently:
- £285 for a partner
- £315 for the first child
- £200 for each additional child
So, for example, if a Skilled Worker is bringing a partner and two children, the dependant maintenance amount would be:
£285 + £315 + £200 = £800.
The Skilled Worker may also need £1,270 for their own maintenance requirement if they are required to evidence maintenance. Where the funds have to be evidenced, they normally need to have been held for at least 28 consecutive days, with the final day falling within the required period before the application.
There are exceptions.
For example, evidence may not be required where the applicant has already been in the UK with valid permission for at least 12 months. The sponsor can also sometimes certify maintenance on the Certificate of Sponsorship.
So before transferring money between accounts and creating a financial paper trail worthy of a forensic accountant, check whether you actually need to provide the evidence.
What Documents Does a Skilled Worker Dependant Need?
There is no single document list that works perfectly for every dependant application. The evidence depends on whether the applicant is a spouse, unmarried partner or child, and whether there are any unusual circumstances.
Typical documents can include:
- passport;
- evidence of the main Skilled Worker’s immigration status;
- marriage or civil partnership certificate;
- evidence of the relationship;
- birth certificates for children;
- maintenance evidence where required;
- evidence relating to previous immigration history;
- certified translations where documents are not in English or Welsh.
For unmarried partners, the relationship evidence can become particularly important. If the couple has lived together, documents showing a shared address may help. If they have not lived together, then the application should explain why and provide appropriate evidence showing the relationship has existed for at least two years and remains genuine.
A pile of 800 WhatsApp screenshots is not necessarily better evidence than a carefully selected, properly organised relationship history. More documents do not automatically equal a stronger application.
Sometimes they simply equal a larger PDF.
Do Dependants Have to Apply After the Skilled Worker Is Approved?
No. The dependant does not always have to wait until the main Skilled Worker has already received a visa decision. Family members can sometimes apply at the same time, and applications can be linked.
Where they apply separately, they will normally need details from the main applicant’s application, such as their GWF or UAN application number.
This is another point where old guides regularly give unnecessarily rigid advice. The correct timing depends on how the applications are being made.
Applying for a Skilled Worker Dependant Visa From Outside the UK
A partner or child applying from outside the UK normally submits an online application before travelling. They will also need to prove their identity.
Depending on their circumstances, this may be done through the UK Immigration: ID Check app or through a visa application centre for biometrics.
The current standard processing time stated by GOV.UK is usually around 3 weeks once the application has been submitted, identity proved and documents provided. Faster services may sometimes be available. Do not assume priority service will always be available.
Availability can vary by application and location.
Can Someone Switch to a Skilled Worker Dependant Visa Inside the UK?
Often, yes. But not everyone can switch. A person cannot normally switch inside the UK to become a Skilled Worker dependant if they are currently here as a:
- Visitor;
- Short-term Student;
- Parent of a Child Student;
- Seasonal Worker;
- Domestic Worker in a Private Household;
- person on immigration bail;
- person granted permission outside the Immigration Rules in certain circumstances.
There are also additional restrictions for some people currently holding Student permission. So if your husband or wife is already in the UK, do not automatically assume they can simply change onto your dependant visa.
Check their current immigration category first.
Can Skilled Worker Dependants Work in the UK?
Yes, in most cases. A Skilled Worker dependant partner can normally work in the UK without being tied to the sponsoring employer. That gives dependants considerably more flexibility than the main Skilled Worker. They can generally:
- work;
- study;
- travel abroad and return to the UK;
- eventually apply for settlement if they qualify.
There is an important restriction on employment as a professional sportsperson or sports coach. The old wording suggesting dependants cannot work as trainee doctors or dentists is outdated. That restriction is not the general rule for Skilled Worker dependants today.
Can Skilled Worker Dependants Use the NHS?
Generally, yes, once they have valid immigration permission and have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge where the surcharge applies. For most Skilled Worker dependant applications, the standard IHS rate is currently £1,035 per year.
Children are charged the reduced rate of £776 per year.
Health and Care Worker applicants and their eligible dependants are generally exempt from the IHS, which can make a very substantial difference to the overall cost of a family application. For a family applying for several years, the IHS can easily become the biggest part of the application cost.
How Much Does a Skilled Worker Dependant Visa Cost?
The visa fee depends on the length of the visa and whether the application is being made inside or outside the UK. As of the latest Home Office fee increase from 8 April 2026, the standard Skilled Worker dependant fees are:
Applying from outside the UK
For a standard Skilled Worker application:
- up to 3 years: £819 per person
- more than 3 years: £1,618 per person
Applying from inside the UK
For a standard Skilled Worker application:
- up to 3 years: £943 per person
- more than 3 years: £1,865 per person
Lower fees apply in some cases, including eligible jobs on the Immigration Salary List and Health and Care Worker applications. The dependant generally pays the same relevant application fee category as the main applicant.
The IHS is then added separately where applicable. For a family of four, this can become a very expensive exercise very quickly. There is no prize for discovering the final figure after you have already started the application.
Work out the total cost first.
What Happens If a Child Is Born in the UK?
A child born in the UK to Skilled Worker parents does not automatically become British just because they were born here. If the child needs to travel outside the UK and return, they will normally need dependant immigration permission.
A full UK birth certificate showing both parents will usually be required.
The Home Office also states that the child should apply for dependant permission before turning 18 if they are going to remain on that route. Whether a UK-born child may later qualify for British citizenship is a separate question and depends on the parents’ immigration position and the child’s circumstances.
Can Skilled Worker Dependants Get ILR?
Potentially, yes. A dependant partner can normally qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain after five years on the dependant route, provided the relevant settlement requirements are met.
This is an important distinction.
The partner’s five-year qualifying period is their own. They do not automatically qualify for ILR simply because the main Skilled Worker reaches settlement first.
In fact, a dependant can continue extending their Skilled Worker dependant permission even after the main applicant obtains ILR, where the rules allow it.
This regularly surprises people. They assume the whole family must settle on exactly the same day. Not necessarily. If the main applicant qualifies for ILR but the partner has only been a dependant for four years, the partner may need another period of dependant permission before reaching their own five-year qualifying period.
What About the 180-Day Absence Rule?
For settlement, continuous residence can be important. The general continuous residence rule is that an applicant must not normally have spent more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period, subject to the applicable exceptions.
This needs to be considered carefully for dependant partners approaching ILR. Do not simply count the number of days away in each calendar year. The rule looks at any relevant 12-month period.
Those are not necessarily the same thing.
Does the Main Skilled Worker Have to Get ILR at the Same Time?
No. Family members do not necessarily have to apply for settlement together. A dependant partner who has not yet completed their own qualifying period can potentially continue extending as a Skilled Worker dependant after the main worker becomes settled.
This is useful in cases where the dependant joined the main applicant later.
For example:
The Skilled Worker has been in the UK for five years. Their partner joined them two years later.
The Skilled Worker may now qualify for ILR. The partner may only have three years on the dependant route. The partner does not magically gain the missing two years because their spouse has qualified for settlement.
They may need to extend first.
Common Skilled Worker Dependant Visa Mistakes
A lot of dependant refusals come down to misunderstanding the rules rather than anything particularly dramatic.
Common problems include:
- assuming every Skilled Worker can still bring dependants;
- overlooking the care worker restrictions;
- overlooking the 22 July 2025 medium-skilled occupation restrictions;
- assuming unmarried partners must always have lived together for two years;
- failing to evidence a relationship properly;
- misunderstanding the maintenance requirement;
- applying from inside the UK when switching is prohibited;
- assuming the dependant must wait for the main applicant’s visa to be approved;
- incorrectly calculating settlement eligibility;
- relying on old salary information.
That final one is becoming increasingly common. Immigration thresholds have changed so frequently that someone can find three completely different salary figures online in ten minutes.
All of them may once have been correct. That does not make any of them correct for your application.
Do Skilled Worker Dependants Need a Certificate of Sponsorship?
No.
The dependant does not receive their own Certificate of Sponsorship simply because they are joining a Skilled Worker. The CoS belongs to the sponsored worker. The dependant application is based on the family relationship to the main Skilled Worker and their immigration status.
You may need information connected to the main applicant’s sponsorship or immigration application, but the spouse or child is not separately sponsored by the employer.
That distinction is important, particularly where an employer is unfamiliar with the dependant process.
What If the Skilled Worker Changes Employer?
If the main Skilled Worker changes employer and makes a new Skilled Worker application, the dependant’s existing permission does not automatically end on the day the main applicant changes jobs.
The dependant’s current visa normally remains valid until its existing expiry date. They will then need to extend their dependant permission when required.
This also means the family does not necessarily need to make new applications every time the main worker updates their visa, although in some cases applying together may be the most convenient approach. GOV.UK confirms that where the main applicant extends or switches, the partner or child’s existing visa remains valid until its original end date.
What If the Relationship Ends?
A dependant partner’s immigration status is based on the relationship with the main Skilled Worker. If that relationship permanently breaks down, there can be immigration consequences. This is not something I would recommend ignoring until the visa expiry date.
Depending on the circumstances, the dependant may need to consider whether another immigration route is available. The main applicant or dependant may also have reporting obligations depending on the situation.
If a relationship has ended, get advice based on the actual circumstances rather than assuming the existing dependant visa will simply continue unaffected.
Skilled Worker Dependant Applications Are Still Possible, But Check the Details
The dependant route is still very much available. That has changed is that you can no longer safely answer the question:
“Can a Skilled Worker bring their family?”
with a simple yes or no.
For many Skilled Workers, the answer remains yes. For care workers, senior care workers and people working in certain medium-skilled occupations, the date the worker entered the route can be critical. For unmarried couples, the modern relationship rules are more flexible than the old two-year cohabitation requirement many people still quote.
And for families planning settlement, the dependant’s own immigration history matters just as much as the main worker’s. The starting point should therefore be simple:
check the main worker’s occupation, immigration history and dates before submitting the dependant application.
That small exercise can save an enormous amount of confusion later.
How AHJ Immigration Can Help With a Skilled Worker Dependant Visa
At AHJ Immigration, we regularly deal with both sides of Skilled Worker sponsorship. We act for sponsoring businesses as well as workers and their family members. That means when we look at a dependant application, we are not just looking at the spouse’s documents.
We can also understand the underlying sponsorship, occupation code, immigration history and any restrictions that may affect the family.
We can help with:
- checking whether the dependant route is available;
- assessing care worker and medium-skilled occupation restrictions;
- reviewing relationship evidence;
- checking maintenance requirements;
- preparing dependant applications;
- dealing with switching applications inside the UK;
- dependant extensions;
- settlement planning for partners and children.
If you are unsure whether your partner or children can join you, it is much better to check before submitting an application. AHJ Immigration offers a limited number of free 15-minute initial consultations for suitable enquiries.
These appointments are heavily subscribed and cannot be guaranteed. We review each enquiry first, and where your question can be dealt with more quickly through another appropriate method, we may use that instead. The idea is not to make you jump through hoops.
It is to get you the right answer as quickly as we reasonably can.