Changes to immigration rules

9 July 2025 5 min read

At a glance

On 1 July 2025 the government published a Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules (Statement), impacting the Skilled Worker and other UK work visa routes.
From 22 July 2025, salary requirements for Skilled Worker and other visa categories will rise significantly, with the general threshold for Skilled Workers increasing to GBP41,700 and similar hikes across other routes.
The minimum skill level for Skilled Worker visas is being raised from RQF Level 3 to Level 6, reducing the number of eligible roles by around 180. Transitional measures will allow current lower-skilled workers to extend or switch roles temporarily.
The Social Care Worker route is closing, and new applicants under shortage occupation routes will not be allowed to bring dependants.
A new time-limited Temporary Shortage List will replace the Immigration Salary List, with occupations only retained if justified by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) and supported by workforce strategies.
Employers must review sponsorship plans and budgets immediately to meet new salary and skill thresholds, especially for roles assigned after 22 July 2025, as no transitional measures are in place.

On 1 July 2025 the government published the Statement impacting the Skilled Worker and other UK work visa routes. The Statement implements the initial tranche of reforms set out in the government’s White Paper published on 12 May 2025.

The changes will take effect from 22 July 2025.

Overview

The Statement implements the following key changes:

Increase in general annual salary threshold for Skilled Workers to GBP41,700.
Increase in discounted ‘new entrant’ annual salary threshold to GBP33,400.
Increase in Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist Worker general annual salary threshold to GBP52, 500.
Increase in minimum going rate salary for individual eligible occupation codes to increase with updated data.
Increase in minimum required skill level for Skilled Workers to degree level (RQF Level 6).
Time-limited access to roles below RQF Level 6 through Temporary Shortage List.
Closure of Social Care Worker route.
Migration Authority Committee review of Temporary Shortage List commissioned.

Further analysis on these changes and their impact on employers reliant on migrant workers is detailed below.

Increased salary thresholds

The Statement increases the salary threshold for applicants under the Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility and Scale-Up worker routes, in line with the latest (2024) Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings data.

Key changes:

Visa Category	Previous salary threshold prior to 22 July 2025	New salary threshold from 22 July 2025	Increase required to meet new threshold
Skilled Worker general threshold for new applicants	GBP38,700	GBP41,700	GBP3,000
Skilled Worker discounted ‘New Entrant’ general threshold	GBP30,960	GBP33,400	GBP2,440
Skilled Worker discounted ‘Relevant PhD’ general threshold	STEM: GBP30,960 Non-STEM: GBP34,830	STEM: GBP33,400 Non-STEM: GBP37,500	STEM: GBP2,440 Non-STEM: GBP2,670
Skilled Worker on Immigration Salary List general threshold	GBP30,960	GBP33,400	GBP2,440
Skilled Worker extension general threshold (for pre-April 2024 visa holders)	GBP29,000	GBP31,300	GBP2,300
Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist Worker general threshold	GBP48,500	GBP52,500	GBP4,000
Global Business Mobility: Graduate Trainee general threshold	GBP25,410	GBP27,300	GBP1,890
Scale-Up general threshold	GBP36,300	GBP39,100	GBP2,800

In addition to the general threshold changes, the going rates for individual eligible occupation codes have also been revised. To be eligible for sponsorship, workers must be paid the higher of the general threshold and the going rate for the occupation code.

The salary changes will impact all Certificates of Sponsorship assigned on or after 22 July 2025. Employers will therefore need to urgently review any pending or proposed new sponsorships to ensure they will meet the increased threshold going forward. Where possible, applications should be brought forward and Certificates assigned prior to 22 July 2025. This may firstly require a priority increase in Certificate of Sponsorship allocations if current allocations have been utilised and will not be renewed in time.

As there are no transitional measures for these routine salary increases, employers will also need to ensure existing workers can meet the requisite salary level when extending or changing employment. This may require a significant review of budgets for new hires or international assignments.

Increase in skills threshold

Effective from 22 July 2025, the skills threshold for Skilled Worker applicants, lowered to Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 3 in 2020, is being returned to RQF level 6. The UK government estimates that this would reduce approximately 180 eligible roles from the Appendix Skilled Occupations list.

Individuals in RQF Level 3-5 roles that have Certificates of Sponsorship Certificates of Sponsorship assigned before 22 July 2025 can continue to extend and switch roles. The Government have, however, noted that this transitional measure will not be in place indefinitely so we can expect a review in future.

Skilled Worker applicants may still be sponsored if the occupation they are applying for is on the expanded Immigration Salary List or the new interim Temporary Shortage List. The interim Temporary Shortage List will be added to Appendix Skilled Worker on 22 July 2025, with approximately 50 occupations identified as being important for the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy.

New applicants applying for roles on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List will not be permitted to bring dependants. UK based roles at lower levels will therefore become less desirable to applicants seeking to relocate with family.

In future changes, it is expected that the Immigration Salary List will be phased out and replaced by the Temporary Shortage list. Entries on the Temporary Shortage List are time-limited, with all aside from ‘adult social care’ occupations, set to end in December 2026. Occupations will only be added or retained where the MAC has advised it justified, where there is a workforce strategy in place and where employers are committed to participation in increasing domestic recruitment.

What is next?

Sponsors should conduct an urgent evaluation of any roles which may require sponsorship and bring forward any sponsorship plans. The assessment should also check if any future applicants may be impacted by the increase in salary thresholds, and in particular ‘extension’ applicants, or ‘new entrants’.

This is the first phase of changes to the immigration rules, with several of the proposed changes outlined in the White Paper remaining unconfirmed. This includes the proposed increase in Immigration Skills Charge fees and an increase in the English language skill level for Skilled Workers and their dependants. Employers should continue to monitor for further updates on this to ensure they are prepared for further changes.

DLA Piper has well recognised expertise in assisting businesses navigate complex immigration challenges. We are well placed to advise on short-term next steps to avoid the fallout from the changes as well as a broader long-term strategy to ensure your business remains effective and competitive.

Please speak to your usual contact in the DLA Piper immigration team to discuss any questions you may have.