UK Visa Compliance for Salary Changes and Unpaid Leave

Sponsors must ensure that any pay decrease does not breach the minimum salary thresholds established in July 2025. Most professionals now require a base pay of £41,700 to remain compliant with the visa. If your salary falls below this level, the Home Office may trigger a 60-day curtailment period. Employers must assign a new Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) before implementing any prohibited pay cuts. This process ensures the worker still earns enough points to qualify for the route.

Health-related adjustments offer a rare exception to the standard salary requirements for sponsored professionals in the UK. You can legally reduce your working hours and pay for documented medical reasons. These phased returns to work require formal occupational health assessments to justify the lower income. The Home Office does not usually require a new visa application for these temporary health-based changes. Always retain medical fit notes to prove the necessity of these specific arrangements.

The Home Office strictly limits unpaid leave to four weeks per calendar year for most workers. Exceeding this limit usually forces the employer to terminate sponsorship immediately. However, statutory absences like maternity or paternity leave do not count toward this four-week cap. Many professionals find success when they UK employer sponsorship that understand these complex statutory exemptions. Our database of 108,000+ verified firms helps you identify employers with robust HR compliance systems.

Jury service and legally organized industrial action also fall under protected categories for unpaid absences. You must provide evidence of these activities to your employer for their internal records. The sponsor then reports the period of zero pay through the SMS portal. This reporting must happen within ten days of the absence starting to ensure full compliance. Maintaining a clear paper trail prevents future issues during your permanent settlement application.

Employers must use the Sponsorship Management System (SMS) to log every significant salary change. This includes increases, decreases, or changes to the underlying hourly rate of pay. The Home Office calculates these thresholds based on a standard 37.5-hour working week. If your hours change, the pro-rated salary must still meet the relevant SOC code requirements. Accurate reporting protects the sponsor license and your right to work in the UK.

Digital eVisas now serve as the primary method for proving your immigration status during salary audits. The Home Office cross-references your digital record with HMRC payroll data every month. Discrepancies often lead to formal requests for information from the employer's HR department. You should check your own digital status regularly to ensure all details remain accurate. Consistent data across all platforms is vital for a smooth visa extension process.

Excessive unpaid leave can reset your five-year clock for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). You must not spend more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period. This rule applies even if the unpaid leave was authorized by your employer. Consulting a UK visa sponsorship guide can help you plan long absences without risking your residency. Always calculate your total days away before agreeing to extended periods of unpaid time.

Salary reductions also impact the financial requirements for settlement applications in the future. You must demonstrate that you earned the required threshold throughout your five-year qualifying period. Any gaps in pay must be justified by statutory exemptions or medical evidence. The Home Office reviews five years of P60 documents during the ILR assessment. Keeping detailed records of every salary adjustment ensures you can meet these strict evidentiary standards.

The £38,700 threshold defines most salary compliance applications for those who applied before the 2025 increases. New applicants in 2026 must generally meet the higher £41,700 minimum for the Skilled Worker visa. Processing for salary-related CoS updates takes approximately three to eight weeks. These UK-specific requirements demand proactive reporting to avoid the risk of visa cancellation. Maintaining a salary above the threshold is the most critical factor for compliance.

Three actions improve your compliance outcomes significantly. First, confirm your specific occupation code against the current salary scales to ensure your pay remains legal. Second, document every day of unpaid leave to ensure you stay under the four-week limit. Third, monitor your payroll records against your SMS notifications every quarter. The immigration landscape shifts frequently; staying informed is your best defense against status issues.