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Skilled Worker Dependants
A dependant’s permission follows the main applicant’s. That makes it simpler to obtain and more exposed to decisions the main applicant takes.
Partners and children of Skilled Worker visa holders can normally apply as dependants, either alongside the main application or afterwards. The requirements concern the relationship, the finances and the evidence for both.
The complication is dependence itself. A dependant’s permission is derived from the main applicant’s, so a change in the main applicant’s employment, route or status reaches the whole family.
Where a family intends to settle, each person’s qualifying period needs tracking from the start rather than reconstructing years later.
Who this is for
- Partners applying with or after a Skilled Worker
- Children joining a sponsored parent
- Families where the main applicant is changing employer or route
- Dependants approaching their own settlement eligibility
- Relationships that began after the main applicant arrived
Common questions
Can my partner work in the UK as my dependant?
Dependant partners generally have permission to work, with limited exceptions. This is one of the practical advantages of the route and is worth confirming before either of you makes employment commitments.
Can my children study here?
Yes. Dependant children can attend school. Questions usually arise later about fee status for higher education, which depends on residence rather than immigration status alone.
What happens to my dependants if I lose my job?
Their permission is linked to yours. If your permission is curtailed, theirs is normally curtailed too. This is why a sponsorship problem is a family matter rather than an employment one.
Can a partner apply later, after I am already here?
Yes, and it is common. The evidence needed to show the relationship is genuine and subsisting differs from an application made together, so it is worth knowing what to keep from the outset.
Do dependants settle at the same time as the main applicant?
Not necessarily. Each person’s qualifying period depends on their own residence and permission. Families often assume a single date and find otherwise.
This page is general information and is not advice on your circumstances. Immigration Rules and Home Office guidance change; where a specific requirement, fee or threshold affects a decision you are taking, check the position in force at that date or ask us. Information on this page last reviewed August 2026.
Your family’s position depends on decisions about yours.
Book a consultation for advice on your own position, or send an enquiry if you would rather speak to us first.