The present government took an approach last year and published White Paper on 12 May 2025. This paper outlined several proposed changes to reduce net inward immigration to the UK. Since then, the UK government has introduced major changes to the UK Skilled Worker visa route in 2025 and so far in 2026. The changes in relation to the Skilled Worker visa primarily include an increase in skill and salary thresholds, a reduction in the number of lower-skilled jobs, stricter sponsorship rules, the introduction of a time-bound TSL (Temporary Shortage List), the tightening of ILR (also known as 'settlement') pathways, and tougher English language requirements.

Businesses need to be aware of these changes to execute their recruitment plans for global workers properly. Similarly, those applying for a Skilled Worker visa in 2026 should check the latest updates before applying.

In this article, we discuss changes that took place in 2025-2026 regarding the Skilled Worker visa.

1. Increase in Skill Level

From 22 July 2025, only those who have been offered a job role on the RQF 6 level (graduate level) or above can be sponsored for a Skilled Worker visa. The means, businesses can no longer sponsor migrants for job roles at RQF 3-5 levels. 

However, many jobs have been included in the extended ISL (Immigration Shortage List) and newly introduced TSL (Temporary Shortage List). These are the jobs for which there are still labour shortages in the UK. These two lists are most likely valid until 31 December 2026. This means you can only be sponsored for a ‘medium-skilled’ job that appears on ISL or TSL if you have been issued a CoS(Certificate of Sponsorship) for these roles before this date. However, the government can remove occupations from the list more quickly than before.

Transitional provisions have been allowed for workers sponsored in medium-skilled roles before 22 July 2025 and prison service officers sponsored before 1 January 2027.

The implication of this rule on dependents

From 22 July 2025, if you are sponsored in an RQF level 3–5 occupation under the new UK Skilled Worker rules, you can generally no longer bring dependants to the UK. This change specifically applies to the occupations on the TSL and RQF 3–5 level occupations on the ISL.

2. Increase in Salary level

Similar to an increase in Skill level, an increase in the standard salary level has taken place from 22 July 2025. The new standard salary level has been increased from £38,700 to £41,700 per year or the occupation's “going rate”, whichever is higher.

The Home Office updated Skilled worker going rates on 22 July 2025, based on the 2024 ASHE (Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings), replacing the 2023 data applied since April 2024.

Discounts in salary and going rates are available depending on factors like whether you have a PhD in a non-STEM subject or a STEM subject, your job is listed on the Immigration Salary List, or you are a new entrant to the labor market.

3. Increase in English language level

If you apply for a UK Skilled Worker visa from outside the UK or to switch to this visa from inside the UK on or after 8 January 2026, and you need to pass an English test to show you meet the English language requirement, you must prove your ability in all 4 components (reading, writing, speaking, and understanding) English to at least CEFR level B2 instead of previous CEFR level B1. 

If you had a Skilled Worker visa before this date and you are applying to extend or update it, you need CEFR level B1 English. You do not need to prove your knowledge of English again.

From 26 March 2027, the English language requirement for ILR or settlement will also rise from CEFR B1 level to CEFR B2 level for the Skilled Worker category.

4. Tougher Sponsorship rules for employers

A lot has changed for UK employers with a sponsor licence in 2025-2026. The backdrop to these changes is an increase in UKVI enforcement action. More than 1,500 employers had their sponsor licence taken away between October and December 2025. A total of 3,100 sponsor licence revocations during 2025 due to minor breaches, particularly around reporting duties and salary compliance, was the highest since records started in 2012. 

Here are the major changes that have taken place in 2025-2026 regarding Skilled Worker sponsors:

• You cannot sponsor a national or citizen of Afghanistan making an application for entry clearance to the UK on or after 26 March 2026 (also known as ‘“Visa Brake”). If they are, the Home Office will refuse their application even if they have been issued a CoS. Nationals or citizens of Afghanistan who are already in the UK can apply to extend their existing Skilled Worker visa if they are eligible, or switch to this route (if they meet the rules on switching).

• If you assign CoS (Certificates of Sponsorship) on or after 22 July 2025, the job must normally be listed in Table 1, 2, or 3 of Appendix Skilled Occupations. These are jobs that are considered to be skilled to RQF level 6 (graduate level) or above. 

• If the job you have offered is not on the ISL or TSL, you can sponsor a worker for a job at RQF 3-5 level under the transitional provision for skill level. Where this applies, the worker must have been granted permission as a Skilled Worker under the Immigration Rules in force before 22 July 2025, and they must have had continuous permission as a Skilled Worker since that grant of permission.

• From 22 July 2025, if you wish to sponsor a care worker (6135) or senior care worker (6136), the worker must already be in the UK and be applying for permission to stay. You can no longer sponsor care workers or senior care workers under these occupation codes if they will be applying for entry clearance to the UK on or after 22 July 2025 from abroad.

• The Immigration Skills Charge for the Skilled Worker visa has been increased by 32% from 16 December 2025.New rates are as follows:

• First 12 months for medium and large sponsors: £1,320 (up from £1,000)

• Each additional 6 months for medium and large sponsors - £660 (up from £500)

• First 12 months for small and charitable sponsors: £480 per year (up from £364)

• Each additional 6 months for small and charitable sponsors - £240 (up from £182)

For more than 54 months, but no more than 60 months, large sponsors now pay £6,600 and small and charitable sponsors pay £2400 in skills charges alone.

Sponsors will not have to pay the immigration skill charge if they are sponsoring a person with one of the following occupation codes:

(i)2111 (chemical scientists);

(ii)2112 (biological scientists);

(iii)2113 (biochemists and biomedical scientists);

(iv)2114 (physical scientists);

(v)2115 (social and humanities scientists);

(vi)2119 (natural and social science professionals not elsewhere classified);

(vii)2161 (research and development managers);

(viii)2162 (other researchers, unspecified discipline);

(ix)2311 (higher education teaching professionals);

• For Certificates of Sponsorship assigned on or after 31 December 2024, the sponsor must neither recoup nor attempt to recoup, by any means, any part of the CoS fee, or associated administrative costs, from any sponsored workers. If the Home Office finds the sponsor has done this, they will normally revoke their sponsor licence.

• From 8 April 2026, UK employers sponsoring a person on a Skilled Worker visa are required to pay them the full required salary in each salary payment period (within permitted flexibilities), allowing UKVI to identify and address any salary manipulation, fake sponsorship, underpayment, and exploitation of migrant workers earlier through corrective or compliance action.

Proposed change to ILR (Settlement) qualifying period

One of the most important upcoming reforms is the proposed increase in the qualifying period for ILR (also known as ‘settlement’) for most visa routes, including the skilled worker route. 

Currently, Skilled Workers usually qualify for ILR after 5 years. 

If the proposed reforms come into effect, a skilled worker will normally be able to apply for ILR after 10 years of continuous residence in the UK. 

As of May 2026, full implementation details are still evolving, and transitional protections may apply for existing visa holders.

How can Visa and Migration help?

Sponsoring skilled workers and applying for a Skilled Worker visa in 2026 is complex. Businesses must map job roles to the right occupation codes, meet the latest skill and salary level thresholds, and maintain clean compliance records. 

Similarly, applicants applying for Skilled Worker visa must provide correct information with strong evidence. The Home Office is taking strict approach, and small errors from sponsors and applicants are resulting in big consequences. We have helped and several businesses in the UK secure sponsor licences, build compliant recruitment processes, and successfully secure skilled worker visas for foreign workers.

For expert advice and queries, you can call us at +44 (0)20 3411 1261 or write to info@visaandmigration.com