The UK Government’s 2025 Immigration White Paper, ‘Restoring Control over the UK Immigration System’, introduces significant reforms to the country’s immigration rules, with a particular focus on the Skilled Worker route. These new policies aim to attract highly skilled individuals while encouraging the development of the domestic workforce.
This article outlines the key changes, including higher salary and skill thresholds, extended settlement timelines, and the removal of several visa options and support mechanisms.
Key Changes in the 2025 Immigration White Paper
Understanding UK Immigration and Its Impact on Skilled Workers
The UK Government’s 2025 Immigration White Paper titled ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System’, introduces major reforms aimed at reducing net migration while focusing on attracting highly skilled workers.
The key areas of focus under the White Paper include increasing the skill and salary thresholds for Skilled Worker visas, closing low-wage migration routes like social care, and introducing a new points-based system for settlement that encourages and rewards economic and social contributions.
Key Changes for Skilled Professionals
| Area | 2024 Rules | 2025 Reforms |
| Skill Level | RQF 3+ (A-Level) | RQF 6+ (Degree-level) |
| Minimum Salary | Lower thresholds | £38,700 or higher |
| Settlement Qualifying Time | 5 years | 10 years |
| English Language | B1 | B2 for main applicants, new rules for dependants |
| Graduate Visa Length | 2 years | 18 months |
| Employer Surcharge | £1,000/£364 per year | £1,320/£480 per year |
| Shortage Occupations | Immigration Salary List | Temporary Shortage List (no dependants allowed) |
Elevated Skill Thresholds: From RQF Level 3 to RQF Level 6
In 2020, the UK Government lowered the threshold for Skilled Worker visas from RQF Level 6 (Degree-level) or higher to RQF Level 3 (A-level equivalent). Lowering the education requirements led to a significant increase in work visas being issued, nearly doubling by 2024 compared to 2019. A significant amount of the visas being awarded were to lower-skilled applicants. As a result, many sectors now rely heavily on overseas recruitment rather than hiring and developing domestic employees.
To address this the UK Government will restore the skilled worker threshold to RQF 6 and above and raise salary requirements. This increase will also reduce the number of eligible occupations for the Skilled Worker Visa by approximately 180.
The Immigration Salary List, which currently offers salary threshold discounts will also be abolished. This will be done to ensure that hiring an international employee doesn’t undercut fair pay and promote hiring internationally rather than domestically.
How does the new White Paper affect holders of a Skilled Worker Visa in roles below RQF 6?
Current Skilled Worker visa holders who are employed in roles below RQF 6 will still be able to renew their visa, change jobs, and take additional work in those roles.
However, new applicants who are applying for a Skilled Worker Visa from overseas, or looking to change their visa for another category, will need to meet the new, higher criteria.
Salary Threshold Adjustments: Implications for Applicants and Employers
The 2025 Immigration White Paper introduces significant increases to the salary thresholds for Skilled Worker visas, increasing the minimum salary from £26,200 to £38,700 for most applicants. This change is designed to prioritise high-skilled, well-paid roles and reduce lower-paid migration.
For applicants, this means many jobs, especially in sectors like healthcare, social care, and technical roles, may no longer meet the new salary criteria.
Another important consideration is that positions that were previously on the shortage occupation list are now also subject to a higher threshold of £30,960, due to the removal of the salary discounts.
Applicants with relevant PhDs have adjusted thresholds too, with STEM PhD holders needing at least £30,960 and others £34,830.
How do these changes affect employers?
Employers will now face financial challenges due to the additional salary requirements needed to meet these new benchmarks. For example, entry-level NHS Band 3 positions typically pay below the £25,000 minimum salary floor introduced in April 2025.
These salary increases make it very difficult for companies to be able to sponsor workers for these positions unless the salaries offered increase significantly.
The removal of the Immigration Salary List and replacing it with a more restrictive Temporary Shortage List, further narrows the scope for lower-paid roles to qualify for sponsorship. Employers must also ensure compliance with the new, stricter sponsorship rules and provide evidence of genuine vacancies.
Abolition of the Immigration Salary List: What It Means.
The White Paper also announced the abolition of the Immigration Salary List (ISL), which currently allows employers to sponsor foreign workers in approved shortage occupations with reduced salary requirements and visa fees.
The ISL was introduced in 2024 to replace the Shortage Occupation List, and set lower salary requirements for specific roles. These lower salaries were designed to help fill important labour shortages below the general Skilled Worker visa salary threshold.
By removing the ISL, employers will no longer be able to take advantage of these discounted salary rates and face increases in the costs and restrictions of sponsoring overseas workers.
What will replace the Immigration Salary List?
To replace the ISL, the government will introduce a new Temporary Shortage List (TSL). The TSL will focus on sub-degree level occupations (RQF Levels 3–5), such as skilled trades and technician roles.
While the TSL allows lower skilled employees to find employment, it will impose stricter conditions, including time limits on how long occupations remain eligible, higher English language requirements, and additional restrictions on dependents.
Employers will also need to be able prove they made an effort to recruit and train domestic workers before turning to overseas workers.
Language Proficiency Requirements: A New Emphasis on English Skills
Stricter English language requirements across nearly all visas has also been introduced. The aim of these increased language requirements is to improve migrant integration and economic contribution once they arrive in the UK.
Adult dependents of workers and students must now be able to demonstrate a basic level of English (CEFR A1) to enter the UK. They will then need to increase their level to A2 for visa extensions and B2 for settlement applications.
Skilled Worker applicants will also now need to meet a higher standard as well, changing from the previously required to the intermediate (B1) to upper-intermediate (B2) proficiency.
Extended Settlement Periods: From 5 to 10 Years
Another proposal was to double the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from five to ten years for most visas, including Skilled Worker and Family visas.
Under the new “Earned Settlement” model, migrants who make significant contributions to the UK economy and society, through work, community engagement, or other factors, may qualify for settlement earlier, possibly after five to seven years. However, the standard requirement will be the longer ten-year period.
Exemptions remain for certain groups, including, non-UK dependents of British citizens, refugees, and victims of domestic abuse, who will continue to qualify after five years.
The White Paper also plans to change the settlement and citizenship system to a points-based system. The points based system would reward long-term economic and social contributions rather than granting permanent status automatically after a fixed time.
Sector-Specific Impacts: The Case of Social Care and Healthcare
The major changes introduced in the White Paper could have a major effect on sectors that rely heavily on overseas workers, especially social care and healthcare.
One of the most significant changes is the end of the social care visa to new applicants from abroad, effective immediately. While current visa holders who work in social care can extend or switch their visas until 2028. However, no new overseas recruitment will be allowed, meaning employers will need to focus on domestic recruitment and training programs.
In healthcare, raising the Skilled Worker visa’s minimum skill level to graduate level (RQF 6) and increased salary thresholds mean there will be less roles that qualify for sponsorship. Entry-level and lower-paid positions, which are common requirements in both social care and some healthcare roles, no longer meet the criteria.
Employer Sponsorship: Navigating Increased Costs and Compliance
These new changes mean there will now be higher costs and much stricter rules for employers who want to sponsor overseas workers.
Sponsorship licence fees have increased by around 32%, with small businesses paying about £480 and medium or large businesses up to £1,320 for the first year. Additionally, the Immigration Skills Charge has risen, now costing small businesses £364 per year and larger employers £1,000 per year per sponsored worker. Companies are also subject to further charges for visa extensions.
Employers must also deal with stricter compliance requirements and are now expected to prove genuine recruitment efforts within the UK before hiring from abroad and to maintain record-keeping and reporting systems to prove this. Failure to satisfy these new requirements could result in the company’s licences being suspended or even revoked.
Public and Political Reactions: Balancing Control and Economic Needs
These changes have resulted in mixed public and political responses, highlighting tensions between wanting tighter immigration controls and the need for migrant skilled workers.
However, many industry experts and employers warn that these changes could make the labour shortages in important sectors like social care, construction, and hospitality, even worse than it already is. There are also fears that these changes could potentially harm economic growth and position the UK as being less open to international talent.
