The 1 July 2025 Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules announces the first changes to the Skilled Worker route since the publication of the White Paper on reform of UK immigration in May this year.
There are no changes for workers who are already on the sponsored work route except that their next visa extension will may require a slightly higher salary.
The changes will come into effect on 22 July 2025 and workers sponsored before this date or who make a visa application based on a Certificate of Sponsorship issued before 22 July will be covered by the current rules.
From 22 July the general minimum salary threshold will rise to £41,700 and the occupation specific salary thresholds will also increase by about 10%.
The changes can be summarised as follows:
- Minimum skills requirements raised to RQF level 6 for new applicants
- Introduction of the Temporary Shortage List until 31 December 2026 for occupations with RQF levels 3-5
- No dependants for skilled workers sponsored under the Temporary Shortage List
- Increase in salary thresholds
The promised 30% increase in the Immigration Skills Charge which the sponsor pays when assigning CoS (with the exemption for spondees switching from the student route) is not part of the immigration rules and has not yet been introduced. A separate legal instrument can put it into effect any time and it is likely to coincide with changes in the immigration rules.
Graduate skills level (RQF 6) for sponsored workers
More than 170 occupations considered to be RQF level 3-5 have been removed from the eligible occupation codes for the skilled worker route.
The occupations excluded from the eligible list are managers in a variety of enterprises, all types of administrative positions, technicians and services.
Some examples of the occupations no longer eligible for sponsored employment:
- Managers and directors in retail and wholesale
- Hotel and accommodation managers
- Travel agency managers
- Health care practice managers
- Garage managers and proprietors
- Hairdressing and beauty salon managers and proprietors
- Engineering technicians
- Electrical and electronics technicians
- IT operations technicians
- CAD, drawing and architectural technicians
- Dispensing opticians
- Pharmaceutical technicians
- Veterinary nurses
- Actors, entertainers and presenters
- Fitness and wellbeing instructors
- Cost lawyers
- Financial and accounting technicians
Employers may still sponsor Skilled Workers in these jobs but ONLY if the worker was previous granted permission under the rules in place before 22 July 2025 and had continuous skilled worker visa since then.
This doesn't mean that the worker has to continue working for the same sponsor or be sponsored in the same occupation as previously.
Temporary Shortage List
Temporary Shortage List contains some 50 occupations at RQF levels 3 -5 which remain eligible for the new applicants under the skilled worker route after 22 July 2025.
This is an interim measure which will be removed by the end of 2026 or earlier. A certificate of sponsorship has to be issued before 31 December 2026.
Some examples of the occupations on the Temporary Shortage List
- 1243 Managers in logistics
- 1258 Directors in consultancy services
- 3111 Laboratory technicians
- 3112 Electrical and electronics technicians
- 3113 Engineering technicians
- 3114 Building and civil engineering technicians
- 3115 Quality assurance technicians
- 3116 Planning, process and production technicians
- 3120 Cad, drawing and architectural technicians
- 3131 IT operations technicians
- 3132 IT user support technicians
- 3133 Database administrators and web content technicians
- 3412 Authors, writers and translators
- 3414 Dancers and choreographers
- 3417 Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators
- 3422 Clothing, fashion and accessories designers
- 3552 Business sales executives
- 3554 Advertising and marketing associate professionals
- 3571 Human resources and industrial relations officers
- 4122 Book-keepers, payroll managers and wages clerks
Employees sponsored under the Temporary Shortage List will not be able to bring their dependents to the UK.
Increase in salary requirements across all occupations
From 22 July 2025 the following minimum salary thresholds will apply:
Skilled Worker – General minimum salary threshold – £41,700 ( rising from £38,700)
Global Business Mobility – General minimum salary threshold – £52,500 (rising from £48,500)
Jobs on PHD Stem or Occupation Salary list – £37,500 (rising from £34,830)
New Entrant Rate – £33,400 (rising from £30,960)
Transitional arrangements – Extension of skilled worker visas initially granted pre April 2024 – £31,300 (rising from £29,000)
In addition, going rates for specific occupations are also raised in rough proportion to the above.
The general minimum hourly rate for skilled occupations will be £17.13. Where occupation specific hourly rate is higher, occupation specific rate will apply.
Changes which have not yet been introduced
The White Paper discussed in the previous news post included a number of proposals which have not been implemented in the current set of changes but may be expected at a later date.
These include:
- Extension of mandatory residence period before indefinite leave to remain
- 32% in Immigration Skills Charge
- English language level increase
- Language requirement for dependants
- Reduction in the Graduate visa length