Changes also strengthen English language requirements, and support student entrepreneurs transitioning to UK business routes
A new statement of changes to the Immigration Rules has been published today by the Home Office.
The statement, HC 1333, can be accessed from here on GOV.UK. You can download the 111-page statement here. The accompanying 16-page explanatory memorandum can be downloaded here.
Numerous changes are being made, including the immediate introduction of a visit visa requirement for nationals of Botswana, a reduction in the Graduate route stay period from two years to 18 months, and tougher English language requirements for migrant workers.
The explanatory memorandum lists the main changes as being:
- Introduction of a visit visa requirement for nationals of Botswana
- Recognition of Palestine: changes to the visa national list
- German school groups travel: easing travel requirements for German school groups visiting the UK
- Change to the validity requirements in Appendix Temporary Permission to Stay for Victims of Human Trafficking or Slavery
- Introduction of dependants for Stateless people (amendments to Appendix Statelessness)
- Changes to English language requirements for economic migration routes
- High Potential Individual - targeted and capped expansion of eligibility
- Change to reduce the duration of stay under the Graduate route to 18 months
- Change to allow students to transition to the Innovator Founder route
- Change to replace Part 9: Grounds for Refusal, with Part Suitability
- Change to align Family and Private Life rules with the common suitability rules for refusal (amendments to Appendix FM, Appendix Private Life, Appendix Adult Dependant Relative and Appendix Settlement Family Life)
- Changes to Appendix Temporary Work – Seasonal Worker concerning the number of months a seasonal worker must be outside the UK before being permitted to apply for a new seasonal work visa
- Changes to the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme to maintain safeguarding measures.
Changes come into force on various dates from 4 November, except the new Botswana visa rule, which takes effect at 3pm today. The Home Office says this rule is being introduced immediately due to a significant number of asylum claims being made by visitors from Botswana.
Mike Tapp, the Minister for Migration and Citizenship, provided the following summary of the changes in a written statement to Parliament:
Statement
My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is today laying before the House a Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules.
Introduction of a visit visa requirement for nationals of Botswana
We are, today, introducing a visa requirement on all visitors from Botswana. This will come into force at 15:00 BST today. Nationals of Botswana will also be required to obtain a Direct Airside Transit Visa if they intend to transit via the UK having booked travel to another country.
Nationals of Botswana will no longer be eligible to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for travel to the UK.
There will be a six-week, visa-free transition period for those who already hold an ETA and have a confirmed booking to the UK obtained on or before 15:00 BST 14 October 2025, where arrival in the UK is no later than 15:00 GMT 25 November 2025.
Arrangements are in place so that nationals of Botswana can apply for visas. We are publicising the changes so travellers are aware and can plan accordingly.
We are taking this action due to an increase in the number of nationals of Botswana travelling to the UK for purposes other than those permitted under visitor rules. This has included a significant number of asylum claims since 2022. This adds to operational pressures at the border and on the asylum system, and results in frontline resource being diverted from other operational priorities.
The decision to introduce a visa requirement has been taken solely for migration and border security reasons. Our relationship with Botswana, as a Commonwealth partner, remains a strong one. Any decision to change a visa requirement status is not taken lightly. We keep the border and immigration system under regular review to ensure it continues to work in the UK national interest.
High Potential Individual - targeted and capped expansion
As the Immigration White Paper also set out, we are going further in ensuring that the very highly skilled have opportunities to come to the UK and access our targeted routes for the brightest and best international talent. That is why, today, we are introducing changes; doubling the number of universities whose graduates can use the route and capping the number of places that are available in this route at 8,000 per year.
Students transitioning to the Innovator Founder route
The Immigration White Paper also set out that we would make changes to further support entrepreneurial talents currently studying at UK universities so that they can build their business and career in the UK after completing their course. We are therefore, amending the conditions given to students to enable them to start work on their business, whilst they are transitioning to the Innovator Founder route.
Change to reduce the duration of stay under the Graduate route to 18 months
The Government announced in the Immigration White Paper that it will reduce the period of leave granted under the Graduate route from two years to 18 months for most applicants. PhD graduates will continue to be eligible for three years of permission. This change is informed by data showing that too many graduates are not progressing into graduate-level employment which the Graduate route was created to facilitate access to. It is intended to ensure that those who remain in the UK transition into graduate level jobs and properly contribute to the UK economy.
Changes to English language requirements for economic migration routes
As the Immigration White Paper, published in May 2025, set out, we are increasing the English language requirement to level B2 for those work routes (specifically the Skilled Worker, High Potential Individual and Scale Up routes) where a level B1 requirement currently applies. This change will come into force on 8 January and will apply to those applying an initial permission in the affected routes from that date. The change will help to ensure that those who wish to build their lives in the UK are better able to integrate into life in the UK. Other changes to English language requirements set out in the White Paper, including the introduction of such requirements for dependants in work and study routes, will be included in future changes to the Immigration Rules.
These changes to the Immigration Rules are being laid on 14 October 2025. For the changes that introduce a visit visa requirement for nationals of Botswana, due to safeguarding the operation of the UK's immigration system, those changes will come into effect at 1500 on 14 October 2025.
All other changes will come into effect on various dates from 4 November as detailed in the Statement of Changes.
In a Home Office press release about the changes, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood focused on the new English language requirements, saying: "This country has always welcomed those who come to this country and contribute. But it is unacceptable for migrants to come here without learning our language, unable to contribute to our national life. If you come to this country, you must learn our language and play your part."
The way suitability and refusal decisions are structured within the Immigration Rules is being overhauled, with a new Part Suitability. According to the Home Office, this change will bring greater consistency across immigration routes and reflects the simpler terminology already used in newer rules. The explanatory memorandum explains:
Change to replace Part 9: Grounds for Refusal, with Part Suitability
5.27 Part 9 has been replaced by a new section called Part Suitability, which serves as the central reference point for all suitability-related refusal and cancellation grounds. This change aligns with the terminology already used in simplified immigration routes, where applicants are assessed against "suitability requirements" rather than "grounds for refusal".
5.28 Paragraph 39E, which sets out exceptions for individuals who have overstayed their visa or permission, has been moved into Part Suitability under a dedicated section titled "Exceptions for overstayers". This ensures that overstaying exceptions are considered within the broader suitability framework and improves consistency across routes.
5.29 A number of consequential changes have been made to other parts of the Immigration Rules to reflect the new structure. These include updates to paragraph references, removal of outdated terminology, and alignment of drafting with simplification principles. For example, references to "Part 9" have been replaced with "Part Suitability" in various sections, and the treatment of overstaying has been clarified to reflect the new location of paragraph 39E in Part Suitability.
5.30 The definition of 'permission' has also been clarified to reflect it means either permission to enter or permission to stay and includes settlement.
5.31 These changes are part of a broader simplification initiative in line with the recommendations made by the Law Commission on Simplification of the Immigration Rules in January 2019, to make the rules more accessible and easier to navigate.
Amendments to Appendix FM, Appendix Private Life, Appendix Adult Dependant Relative and Appendix Settlement Family Life to apply Part Suitability.
5.32 Family and Private Life rules have, until now, not applied Part 9:Grounds for Refusal, and instead had their own suitability requirements which have resulted in a more generous approach where there are suitability considerations to be made.
5.33 This amendment will apply common suitability provisions to the family and Private life routes - deleting the suitability rules that were bespoke to the Family and Private Life rules and applying Part Suitability (which is replacing Part 9: Grounds for Refusal) to Appendix FM, Appendix Private Life, Appendix Adult Dependent Relative and Appendix Settlement Family Life.