Following the government’s White Paper earlier this year setting out proposed changes to the immigration system in the UK, a surprise statement of changes was published on 1 July 2025, setting out sweeping changes to the Immigration Rules that will take effect on 22 July 2025.
Main Changes
- The minimum salary threshold is increasing from £38,700 to £41,700 (as well as increases to the reduced salary thresholds for individuals that qualify for discounts – for example by virtue of qualification or being a New Entrant).
- Increasing the skill threshold for eligible roles to Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 6 or above, effectively expecting to remove around 180 roles from being eligible for sponsorship.
- Sponsorship as a care worker as a new entrant to that route will not be possible after 22 July 2025 – with transitional arrangements in place until 2028 for those already in the UK sponsored under that route.
- The Immigration Salary List will be temporarily expanded until the end of this year as a transition measure, and will be replaced by a Temporary Shortage List for those roles where there are labour shortages and therefore it is sensible to offer a discounted salary to sponsor individuals in those roles.
Minimum Salary Increases
The increased minimum salaries that must be met have increased across all routes. The main changes are:
| Route | Explanation of route | Old discounted salary threshold | New discounted salary threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | The applicant’s salary equals or exceeds both: | £38,000 and the going rate | £41,700 and the going rate |
| B | The applicant has a PhD in STEM subject relevant to the job | £34,830 and 90 % of the going rate | £37,500 and 90% of the going rate |
| C | The applicant has a PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job | £30,960 and 80% of the going rate | £33,400 and 80% of the going rate |
| D | The applicant is being sponsored for a job on the Shortage Occupation List | £30,960 and the going rate | £33,400 and the going rate |
| E | The applicant is a new entrant at the start of their career | £30,960 and 70% of the going rate | £33,400 per year and 70% of the going rate |
Increasing the skill threshold for eligible roles to Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 6 or above and transitional arrangements
This change is expected to remove around 180 roles from being eligible for sponsorship (with the full new list of eligible SOC Codes yet to be published). Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 6 or above is a degree level role. Previously the roles eligible for sponsorship were Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 3 or above (A level roles)
Applicants can continue to be sponsored in occupations lower than Level 6 or above if they are already sponsored in that route or apply for a role in that route prior to the changes on 22 July. This will enable existing Skilled Worker visa holders to continue to renew their visas, change employment and take supplementary employment in occupations below RQF 6. However, it has been made clear that this transitional arrangement will not continue indefinitely, but no details have been provided as to when the transitional arrangements will end. In addition, some of those roles at level 3 or above will appear on the new interim Temporary Shortage List.
Sponsorship as a care worker
From 22 July 2025 it will no longer be possible to sponsor individuals as new entrants to the UK under as carers and senior carers. This is a huge change for the health and social care industry that relies on recruitment from abroad.
However, as a transitional arrangement, these roles will remain on the temporary shortage list, and sponsorship for these codes will be possible for those individuals who:
- Are already in the UK; and
- Have been working for a sponsor for at least 3 months prior to their new Certificate of Sponsorship being issued.
In other words – extensions of sponsorship, and in-country switching of employment within the sponsorship system will be permitted. This transitional arrangement will continue for 3-year period until July 2028, after which it is anticipated no sponsorship for these roles will be possib
The Immigration Salary List will be replaced by a Temporary Shortage List
The Immigration Salary List contains occupations eligible for Skilled Worker visas which the Migration Advisory Committee have identified as having labour shortages and where it is sensible to offer a discounted salary. Any occupations below RQF level 6 must be on the new Temporary Shortage List to continue to be eligible for sponsorship.
Roles under the new TSL will not be eligible for dependants to be brought with sponsored workers. The TSL has been produced in conjunction with the MAC, and is a lot longer than the ISL, because its purpose is to bring within the scope of sponsorship a range of occupations which are RQF 3-5. Missing are several RQF6+ roles previously considered shortage occupations, which are still capable of sponsorship, but now under mainstream rules and salaries. Crucially, TSL occupations will no longer attract salary discounts.
Future Changes
The accompanying Ministerial Statement to the Statement of Changes confirms that the government will not hesitate to restrict immigration access further, should there be clear signs of abuse and exploitation in sectors and that further measures from the White Paper will be introduced by the end of this year, including (but not limited to):
- Increasing the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) by 32%.
- Uplifting language requirements across the immigration system (according to the White Paper, this will involve increasing the English language requirements across immigration routes, including being introduced for adult dependent relatives for the first time).
- Unveiling a new family policy framework.
It remains unclear when other measures set out in the White Paper, some of which will first be subject to consultation, will be introduced. Hopefully not in another unexpected overnight Statement of Changes!