UK Skilled Worker Program Updates – Legal Reforms and Application Implications

Dear Members,

This notice serves to inform you of significant changes in the UK Skilled Worker visa program, affecting eligibility—from skill level to salary thresholds and dependent rights—effective from 22 July 2025. These updates have important implications for applicants, particularly those transitioning from higher secondary (school) level to degree-level skill categories.

Key Legal Changes & Their Source:

1. Increase in Skill Threshold to Degree Level (RQF 6)

   • The UK government has raised the minimum required skill level for new Skilled Worker visa applications from RQF 3 (A‑level) to RQF 6 (graduate degree level).

   • This shift is projected to remove around 111 to 180 previously eligible roles, unless they appear on new exclusionary lists.
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2. Salary Threshold Increases

   Category	Old Threshold	New Threshold (from 22 July 2025)
   Standard Skilled Worker (Option A)	£38,700	£41,700
   New Entrants / Immigration Salary List (ISL) / Temporary Shortage List (TSL)	£30,960	£33,400
   PhD – STEM	~£30,960	£33,400
   PhD – Non‑STEM	~£34,830	£37,500
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   • Employers must now offer either the new thresholds or higher going rates, whichever is greater.

3. Transitional Arrangements for Existing RQF 3–5 Roles

   • Individuals already on such visa routes before 22 July 2025 may continue to extend, switch jobs, or supplement employment in these roles until 22 July 2028, even if these roles are no longer widely eligible.
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4. Lists for Lower-Skilled Roles—TSL & ISL

   • Jobs at RQF 3–5 may still be eligible if listed on the Immigration Salary List or a new Temporary Shortage List, but these lists are temporary, set to expire at the end of 2026, and impose restrictions on bringing dependants.
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5. Closure of Overseas Recruitment in Social Care

   • The Health & Care Worker visa route is closed to new overseas applicants in social care from 22 July 2025, with a transition period until 22 July 2028 for in-country switching by current visa holders.
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6. Broader Immigration White Paper Reforms

   • These changes stem from the “Restoring Control over the Immigration System” White Paper, published in May 2025.

   • Key overarching reforms include:

     • Raising English language requirements (e.g., for visa and dependent applicants)

     • Doubling the residence period for settlement (from 5 to 10 years)

     • Phasing out the Immigration Salary List, tightening deportation policies, and increasing employer immigration charges by about 32%
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What This Means for FECCI Members:

• Ensure all new applications post–22 July 2025 are aligned with updated skill (RQF 6) and salary thresholds.

• For applicants in RQF 3–5 roles prior to 22 July 2025, there is a transition window until 22 July 2028—their status is protected during this period.

• Roles at lower skill levels are now tightly controlled via the Temporary Shortage List (TSL) or Immigration Salary List (ISL)—if not listed, eligibility is lost.

• Dependants may face limitations, especially for new visas sponsored under RQF 3–5 via ISL/TSL.

• Social care visa recruitment from overseas has largely stopped—delays in applications could result in disqualification.

• Employers should expedite CoS issuance before 22 July 2025 where possible, as CoS issued on or before that date remain valid under old rules.
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• Employers must reassess budgets to account for salary increases, increased immigration skills charge, and potential English language compliance costs.

FECCI Recommendation:

1. Immediate review of all pending or future UK Skilled Worker visa applications and job offers in light of these reforms.

2. Prioritize issuing CoS for eligible roles before 22 July 2025 to secure more favorable existing conditions.

3. Update internal communication to applicants and HR teams about new requirements, timelines, and options (TSL/ISL, RQF levels).

4. Monitor evolving guidance on trainee and dependent eligibility, especially as the government reviews the TSL/ISL lists in 2026.

5. Support applicants with English level preparation, long-term planning for settlement timelines, and alternative visa routes if in affected roles.

Summary Table:

Stay informed, stay strategic.
— FECCI Secretariat