Immigration

Policy

The Labour Party Manifesto promises to reduce net migration by reforming the points-based immigration system “with appropriate restrictions on visas and by linking immigration and skills policy.” On 12 May 2025, the Government published a White Paper, ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System’, which included broad changes for immigration policy across work, study, settlement, citizenship and human rights.

Current policy proposals include:

• Minimum skill level – The Government is planning to raise the minimum skill level for Skilled Workers from RQF level 3 to RQF level 6 and salary thresholds will also rise. Transitional arrangements should apply to people who already have permission on relevant routes. For jobs that are between RQF 3 and 5 where there are critical shortages, a Temporary Shortage List will be created to allow sponsorship on a time-limited basis. Roles on this list will need to have a workforce strategy in place to ensure that employers play their part in improving recruitment from the UK in terms of skills, training and conditions before recruiting from abroad.  The aim is that once UK skills shortages are addressed, the lower skilled roles will no longer be eligible for sponsorship.

• Care workers – It will no longer be possible to sponsor new care workers from overseas under the Skilled Worker route. Visa extensions and in-country switching under this route will be permitted for a transition period until 2028.  Increased sponsor licence enforcement has already affected the care sector as part of a crackdown on worker exploitation. Revocation of sponsor licences has left approximately 39,000 care workers without sponsorship or work – the Government had therefore already introduced a new requirement that employers seeking to sponsor new care workers from outside the UK must have first tried and failed to recruit from the existing pool of workers already in the UK who need new sponsorship.

• The Immigration Skills Charge – Paid to sponsor workers under the Skilled Worker route and the Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker route, will increase by 32%.  This is expected to be about £480 per year for a small sponsor or £1,320 per year for a large sponsor.

• English language – The Government plans to raise the minimum standard of English required to qualify for a Skilled Worker visa from CEFR level B1 to B2.  These are broadly equivalent to GCSE level and A-level English respectively.  Nationals of majority English speaking countries will meet the requirement automatically or it can be met through a degree that was taught in English or by passing an approved Secure English Language Test.  Dependent family members will also need to pass English language tests, starting at lower levels and gradually increasing for extension applications and settlement.

• Settlement and citizenship – The minimum qualifying period to apply for indefinite permission to stay in the UK and citizenship will be doubled to 10 years, although the Government proposes to have shorter qualifying periods based on individuals’ contributions to the UK economy and society. The Government plans to consult on the content of these requirements later this year. The higher B2 English language requirement will apply to these applications.

• Graduates – Visas to work in the UK after completing studies at UK universities will be shortened to 18 months in order to ensure that the graduate moves on to a sponsored work route (with a requirement for graduate level work) sooner.

• Highly skilled – There are proposals to enhance the offering for very highly skilled workers.  Although specifics are not provided in the White Paper, it does refer to simplifying the Global Talent route, reviewing the Innovator Founder route (particularly with regard to students moving on from UK universities) and expanding the number of overseas education institutions covered by the High Potential Individual route.

• Sponsor licence compliance – The White Paper proposes to raise minimum compliance metrics for Student sponsors and introduce a levy on tuition fees.  Alongside this, the Government has doubled down on promises of stricter enforcement against employers who abuse the visa system, rules around illegal working and employment law.  In 2024, UK Visas & Immigration revoked 1,620 licences to sponsor workers and temporary workers compared with 347 in 2023 (an increase of 367%).  Suspensions of licences for workers and temporary workers also increased 215%.

• Review of IT and engineering roles – In August 2024, the new Government asked the Migration Advisory Committee (‘MAC’ – the independent expert body which advises the Government on immigration policy) to review UK employers’ reliance on international recruitment for engineering, IT and telecommunications roles. This is expected to be the first of several reviews focusing on sectors heavily dependent on business immigration. MAC will report on engineering, IT and telecommunications roles in May 2025 to allow for stakeholder input and industry feedback. MAC has also been asked to explore differentiated regional immigration approaches in the tech roles review. Given that the Government has already published its White Paper before the MAC has published its review, it’s not clear what impact this may have.

• Youth Mobility Scheme – The Government has not confirmed any proposals, but media reports suggest that a short-term Youth Mobility option for EU citizens is being discussed.

• Illegal working – Right to work checks will be extended to certain non-employees, including gig economy workers. This is included in an amendment to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill.

• Family visas – The current income requirement to sponsor a partner on a family visa is likely to stay at £29,000 while the MAC reviews financial requirements. The MAC is expected to report in July 2025. Family members of British citizens are expected to be exempt by the increase to the settlement qualifying period and to still be able to qualify after five years.

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Timing and developments

Partly mentioned in King’s Speech and more recent communications. Not included in the Employment Rights Bill.

Some of the changes in the White Paper will take a long time to finalise and implement as they require consultation and primary legislation (e.g. changes to settlement and citizenship). Other changes will require secondary legislation (e.g. the increase to the Immigration Skills Charge), so can be done much faster. Changes to the Immigration Rules (e.g. affecting skill level and English language) can happen very quickly and indications are that this will be within weeks rather than months.