Applicants will need a new CoS for the purpose of renewing their visa. After living on a skilled worker visa for 5 years, applicants may also become eligible to apply for ILR.

A Skilled Worker visa will permit a migrant to work in an eligible occupation in the UK with a licensed sponsor for a maximum period of five years before being required to apply for an extension. However, irrespective of the duration of the migrant worker's initial grant of leave, the worker will need to apply to extend the Skilled Worker visa or Tier 2 (General) before the expiry of the existing leave.

How to Apply for a Skilled Worker Visa UK Extension?

Applicants are permitted to submit their extension application for a skilled worker visa up to 60 days before the expiration date of their existing visa. The application must be made within 3 months of the issue of the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) or before the expiration of the current visa, whichever is the earliest. 

To apply for a UK Skilled Worker visa renewal, the migrant worker will submit an application online from within the UK along with their supporting documentation. They will also need to prove their identity during the application process depending on what passport they are holding and where they are from. Depending on what type of passport the applicants hold and which country they are applying from, they may need to visit a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) location to give their fingerprints and photo or they may create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account and complete the 'UK Immigration: ID Check' service without attending a UKVCAS appointment.

Will a Skilled Worker be Eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain? 

The future of a successful skilled worker visa application doesn't stop at only visa extension but extends up to ILR. This route opens up an avenue for those eligible visa holders to settle in the UK. This means that a migrant worker and their dependents, who have had permission under this route for a qualifying period of 5 years, can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

The successful migrant will be able to live and work in the UK without any limitations. Further, the 5-year qualifying period can be made up of any time that the worker was in the UK, provided their last permission was under the Skilled Worker route or as a Tier 2(General) migrant. The applicant must also satisfy the requirements for continuous residence, knowledge of Life in the UK (KOL), as well as certain sponsorship and the salary requirement for a Skilled Worker Visa. 

Conclusion 

Applicants can not travel outside the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or Ireland until their application for extension or ILR is approved. Make sure you are still on a sponsored job when applying for ILR. Hiring an immigration solicitor is recommended as they will help you with the application process.