Changes to the Immigration Rules to End the Recruitment of Overseas Care Workers and Raise Salary Thresholds for Skilled Worker Visa Applicants
On 1 July 2025, a new Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules was announced, with the intention of affecting a "complete reset" of the immigration system.
In this briefing note, our UK Immigration Lawyers highlight the significant changes.
Contact our specialist UK Immigration Solicitors for expert immigration legal advice.
The immigration rules changes
Here is a list of the key planned changes:
- Ending the recruitment of care worker roles on the Health and Care Worker Visa because of reports of exploitation of the route and workers.
- Increasing salary thresholds for Skilled Worker Visa applicants.
- Increasing the skill thresholds for Skilled Worker Visa applicants to a degree or similar level of qualification (currently set at the A-level standard).
- Reducing the number of jobs that will qualify for the Skilled Worker Visa by 111 occupations.
- Introducing a temporary shortage occupation list to provide for time-limited immigration for critical jobs supporting the UK's industrial strategy or key infrastructure projects, where the skill level will be lower than degree level.
- Workers employed through the temporary shortage list will not be able to bring dependents with them on Dependant Visas.
- Salary threshold and visa fee discounts will be removed from visas offered to workers on the temporary shortage list.
- The occupations included on the temporary shortage list are time-limited until the end of 2026 and will only remain beyond that date if the Migration Advisory Committee recommend it.
The changes will take effect from 22 July 2025.
Transitional arrangements will apply to overseas care workers who are in the UK on Health and Care Worker Visas.
The Home Secretary said:
‘’These changes, the first to be rolled out from the Immigration White Paper, represent a fundamental shift in the UK’s approach to immigration and restore order to the points-based system, focusing on higher skills, lower numbers and tighter controls. They are an important step in ending the UK’s reliance on overseas, lower skilled recruitment’’.
Further immigration rule changes
The Home Office announcement also says that the government plans to:
- Raise the immigration skills charge.
- Uplift the English language requirements across the immigration system.
- Unveil a new family policy.
Speak to the UK Immigration Lawyers at OTS Solicitors
Our award-winning UK Immigration Lawyers will continue to analyse the changes to the immigration rules to provide businesses and individuals with specialist immigration legal advice.
We can answer your immigration law questions, whether you are planning to apply for a visa, want to settle in the UK, or are a business concerned about how immigration rule changes will affect staffing and productivity.
Contact our specialist UK Immigration Solicitors for expert immigration legal advice.
Appointments are available at our offices in central London, as well as by phone or Zoom consultation.
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