Tier renewal with switching the sponsor

[jmcg13]

My question is about being a Canadian couple currently living in the UK. My husband is working as a post doc at a university. He earns £37.5k. His contract was extended for another year so he and I need to apply for a tier 2 visa extension (we have been living in the UK since June 2019 when we were granted a three year tier 2 visa). I have a permanent job in a pharmaceutical company as a research chemist and am paid £31k and my visa is a dependant visa. Question 1 is can we extend our tier 2 visa with my husband as the main applicant and me as the dependant or do we have to re-apply under the new employer-sponsored visa scheme? Question 2 is should I become the main applicant with my husband as the dependant since my job is a permanent position and he has received only a year extension to his contract? Question 3 is there a minimal salary required to be the main applicant for a tier 2 visa? Question 4 would swapping to me as the main applicant reset our residency year count or would the years we've spent in the UK with me as the dependant still count towards our indefinite leave to remain? Any advice is highly appreciated!

[vinny]

1. Extend under Skilled worker and dependant.

2. Possible for both to switch/swap, subject to SW 1.5 and SW 26.4, etc.

3. Yes.

4. Unfortunately, SW 21.2. excludes permission as dependants, so reset.