An update for employers: Home Office confirms major skilled worker visa reforms from 22 July 2025

4 Jul 2025 | 6 minute read

On 1 July 2025, the Home Office issued a new Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules, making significant changes to the Skilled Worker route.

Importantly, these changes come into effect for persons issued with a Certificate of Sponsorship on or after from 22 July 2025 – giving employers and sponsors only three weeks to review their pipeline and make any key recruitment decisions.

There is a clear shift in focus from the Labour government on having less overseas recruitment and more training available for UK workers and the below are the first of the reform's employers should have been anticipating (though perhaps not quite as imminently).

This article sets out the main concepts, but the provisions are complex, so please do contact us if you have specific questions around hiring new skilled workers or those already with permission in this route.

Skilled Worker visas

1. Skill level increase

The skill level requirement is reverting to pre-December 2020 levels. Instead of the skill level being Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Level 3 or above (A level), the skill level will increase to RQF Level 6+ (degree level).

This change will result in a dramatic reduction of around 180 eligible occupations for new skilled workers. The exact number of roles being removed is unclear, as the numbers differ throughout the Statement of Changes and Explanatory Memorandum but based on the official announcement it will certainly be reduced by "more than 100".

In good news, transitional arrangements will apply so that:

Existing Skilled Workers (or those sponsored for an application which is later successful) will be able to renew or change employment in occupations below RQF Level 6 – though it is stated that this will not be in place indefinitely and will be reviewed but further timings are not clear at this stage; and
New Skilled Workers can utilise the occupations on the current Immigration Salary List (ISL) and the newly launched Temporary Shortage List (TSL) (see below for further details) to make applications below RQF Level 6, to soften the impact of the rise in the skill level, until the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) completes its full review.

2. Salary thresholds rise

Unlike the changes to the skill level above, the updates to the general salary and going rates will apply to all Skilled Worker applications from 22 July 2025, meaning that they will impact not only those applying for this visa route for the first time but also those people extending their visas.

The general threshold for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route will increase from £38,700 to £41,700 per annum. Tradeable points will still be available for skilled workers to reduce the general threshold where the applicant has a PhD in a subject relevant to the job or a STEM subject, for those sponsored on the ISL/TSL and for new entrants. The most common category is a "new entrant" and for those applications made on or after 22 July 2025 the general salary threshold will be £33,400. Updated general salary thresholds will also be implemented for those who entered the skilled worker visa route prior to 4 April 2024 and those applying under a Health & Care Worker visa.

3. Expansion of the Immigration Salary List (ISL) and launch of the Temporary Shortage List (TSL)

The government will be expanding the current ISL, containing the existing entries plus occupations at RQF Level 3-5 which the MAC identified as being in shortage in its 2023 and 2024 rapid review. As an interim measure, the TSL will be launched alongside the ISL, containing occupations at RQF Level 3-5 which the Department for Business and Trade and His Majesty's Treasury have identified as being important for the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy. The government's plan is to phase out the ISL altogether so that we are left with entries on TSL which are under regular review.

The expanded ISL and the new TSL have the new addition of each occupation having a set removal date. This has been set as 31 December 2026 for all occupations, with the exception of the adult social care occupations where separate arrangements apply (see below). The government have pointed out that there is the ability for the removal date to be brought forward if abuse or exploitation of the route is identified. Sponsors need to be aware that removals under the ISL and TSL could therefore occur at any time.

The MAC will complete a thorough review of the TSL, and their recommendations will be published and considered ahead of 31 December 2026. Occupations on the TSL will only be included or retained on the list where the MAC has advised it is justified, where there is a workforce strategy in place, and where employers seeking to recruit from abroad are committed to playing their part in increasing recruitment from the domestic workforce.

It is important to note that workers sponsored in occupations on either the ISL or TSL at RQF Levels 3-5 will not be able to bring dependants, unless they are children born in the UK or where the individual has sole parental responsibility for them. Please note that this new provision will not apply to workers who are already in the skilled worker route before the changes take effect.

4. Adult Social care workers

The new rules will close applications made from abroad, to be a care worker or senior care worker from 22 July 2025, due to the well-publicised abuse and exploitation concerns.

Those already in the UK as a care worker or senior care worker under the Skilled Worker route or those working for their sponsor for at least 3 months prior to their Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) being issued will be able to extend, or switch from other visa routes into the skilled worker route, up until 22 July 2028. After this date, occupations under SOC 6135 (care workers) and SOC 6136 (senior care workers) will be removed from the ISL and TSL.

The requirements for sponsors to first try to recruit from the pool of skilled workers seeking sponsorship is also being removed from 22nd July 2025. In addition, to prevent any misuse of occupation code 6131 'Nursing auxiliaries and assistants', a clarification is being added to confirm this occupation code only applies to roles in environments where registered nurse roles also exist.

Global Mobility visas

1. Salary threshold rise

The general threshold for sponsorship under the Global Business Mobility ("GBM") route will increase as follows:

Senior or Specialist Workers will increase from £48,500 to £52,500 per annum; and
Graduate Trainees will increase from £25,410 to £27,300.

The going rates under the GBM routes will also be updated in line with the latest (2024) Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings data, published by the Office for National Statistics.

What's next and employer action to be taken

The next steps, to be implemented by the end of this year, also include:

Raising the immigration skills charge by 32%.
Uplifting English language requirements.
Unveiling a new family policy framework to Parliament

Interestingly, there have been no updates on the implementation timings for extending the settlement provisions for skilled workers from five to 10 years – so we will continue to monitor that development.

Employers should review the new thresholds from 22 July 2025 and consider if this could impact both upcoming recruitment but also current sponsored employees who may not be able to extend their visas. Applications for CoS may need to be made in advance of 22 July 2025 to ensure continuity of employment.