New Immigration changes announced

On 12 May 2025, the UK government published a new Immigration White Paper, outlining significant changes that will impact applicants across a broad spectrum of immigration categories. 

Major changes include:

• The required skill level for skilled workers will be raised to RQF 6 (degree level) or above. Salary thresholds will rise accordingly. This change will  result in approximately 180 occupations being removed from the list of eligible occupations.
• The Immigration Salary List (used called “shortage occupations” ) which gives individuals “discounts” from salary thresholds will be abolished.
• New Temporary shortage list will be introduced, allowing workers with below degree skill level to come to the UK, but only on a time – limited basis. There will also be restrictions on these workers bringing dependants.
• Overseas recruitment for social care workers will be closed. The government wants to encourage employers to invest in training domestic workers and recruit from local labour market. During a transition period until 2028, visa extensions for existing care workers and in-country switching to the sector will be permitted.
• The Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) applicable to skilled workers and others will increase by 32%.
• Expansion of opportunities to the talented. Measures include: increasing places for research intern, doubling the number of workers allowed under business expansion worker route, doubling the number of qualifying institutions under High Potential Individual (HPI), etc. 
• The validity of Graduate visa will be reduced to 18 months, down from current 2 or 3 years. 
• Higher English language requirements
• Skilled Workers, including health and care workers, will need to meet the Common European Framework for Reference for Languages (CEFR) B2 level, up from current B1.
• New requirement for all adult dependants of workers and students: they will have to meet CEFR level A1 on initial applications; and level A2 for any visa extension, and B2 for settlement.
• Existing English language requirements for settlement across the majority of immigration routes will be raised from B1 to B2.
• Qualifying residence period for settlement under the Point-Based System, including skilled worker route, will increase from 5 years to 10 years. The qualifying period for settlement under family route as dependants of a British citizen will remain unchanged at 5 years.

These are the major reforms to the current immigration rules that the government aims to implement. We will wait to see how the changes to be set out in details. There will be some time before these changes to be put into force after they are approved by Parliament. Based on previous precedents, new rules should only apply to new applicants, and should not affect existing visa holders, even for their future applications, such as extensions or settlements.