ILR form only asks about my current sponsor — is that right?
If your SET(O) ILR form only asks about your current sponsor and job, you are almost certainly doing it right. For five-year Skilled Worker settlement, the online form is built around your current sponsor and employment — it does not ask you to re-declare every past sponsor you held during the qualifying period. Changing employers is allowed, as long as you kept continuous lawful Skilled Worker permission throughout. So a single-sponsor form is the norm, not a mistake.
- The SET(O) form generally asks about your current sponsor, not every past one.
- Changing employers during your 5 years is permitted with continuous lawful permission.
- Each job move needed a new Certificate of Sponsorship and visa grant at the time.
- Your current sponsor must confirm they still need you and that you meet the salary requirement.
- Keep payslips across the whole period as evidence of continuous employment.
Why the form only asks about your current sponsor
The Home Office already approved each of your Skilled Worker grants when you applied for them. When you moved from your old job to your new one, you needed a fresh Certificate of Sponsorship and a successful application before you could start the new role. That earlier sponsor was assessed at that point — it does not need re-checking at settlement.
What ILR assesses instead is whether you qualify now. GOV.UK lists the core requirements as having lived and worked in the UK for five years, meeting the salary requirements, and your current sponsor confirming you'll continue to be needed. There is no requirement on the overview to list historic sponsors, which is why the form behaves the way you're seeing.
What actually matters: continuous lawful residence
The decision turns on your continuous residence, not on how many employers you had. GOV.UK is clear: "You must have lived in the UK for 5 years" and "must have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months."
Moving between sponsors does not break this, provided you never had a gap in your lawful Skilled Worker permission. The risk is not the change itself — it's a break in leave between the two jobs.
The main pitfall is a gap in lawful permission between sponsors. If your old permission ended before your new grant began — for example you started a new role before the new visa was confirmed — that can affect your continuous residence. GOV.UK warns you should not start a new job until you have confirmation of your new permission. The second pitfall is your current sponsor: you need a document from them confirming they still need you and that you meet the salary requirement. Without that, the application can fail even though the form only references your current role.
Evidence to keep, even though the form is short
A short form does not mean you should travel light on documents. Because the Home Office is testing continuous lawful employment and the salary requirement, it helps to keep:
- Payslips spanning the whole period, covering both your old and current employers, so there is an unbroken record.
- Your previous and current eVisa or BRP records, showing each grant of Skilled Worker permission lined up without a gap.
- The confirmation letter from your current sponsor stating they still need you for the foreseeable future.
These sit in your file as backup. The form may only reference your current sponsor, but the underlying eligibility rests on the full five years.
When to double-check with an adviser
Most two-sponsor journeys are straightforward. Consider getting tailored advice if there was any gap between your jobs, if your salary dipped during a transition, or if your occupation code changed in a way that affected your grant. The salary rules in particular catch people out — see the link below if you're unsure which threshold applies to you.
If you're still preparing the other parts of your application, the Life in the UK Test is a separate requirement for most applicants aged 18 to 64. You can practise free at britpass.app.
For more on the paperwork side of settlement, see which ILR form you need for a Skilled Worker visa and the salary threshold for Skilled Worker ILR.
This is general information, not legal advice. Always check your specific circumstances against the current GOV.UK guidance or consult a qualified immigration adviser.