Update of changes to Skilled Worker's Scheme - Elgibility and Salary July 2025

On the 1st July, the UK government published changes to the Immigration Rules for Overseas Skilled Workers, to be effective from the 22nd July 2025.

It is implementing many of the reforms announced on the 12th May 2025.

Aide memoire of Skilled Worker’s scheme

The British Government permits UK based employers to sponsor skilled workers to come to work in the United Kingdom. These employers must be on the approved register of sponsors, and the job must meet the criteria set out under the Immigration Rules. These criteria are in distillation:-

• The post to be filled meets the skills threshold as defined in a “ Standard Occupation Code” ( SOC ) as set out in Appendix Skilled Occupations, and generally has been at level of RQF (Regulated Qualifications Framework ) 3, being at a level of A levels or technical qualifications such as BTEC nationals.
• The salary paid must both meet the going rate and a minimum threshold set out in the Rules depending on an applicant’s specific circumstances or where there is a recognised shortage .

Changes to the Skilled Worker’s Scheme

To the two outline criteria set out above are the following changes: -

1) Changes to the Skills threshold for sponsorship.

The skills level required for a post to be sponsored has now been increased to RQF level 6. That is to say, Certificates of Sponsorships may only be accorded to graduate level posts.

Comment.

The Home Office have long grappled with trying to assess the threshold required to permit a UK employer to bring in overseas workers.

Under the Work Permit scheme that had been in operation until 2008, the skills level for sponsorship of an overseas national was that of RQF level 3.

The granting of free movement rights to EU citizens from a number of Eastern European countries in 2004, led to policy makers considering that labour market shortages could be met by the influx of Eastern European Workers. Consequently sponsorship was reserved for posts warranting a Degree, and ( as before ) the employer needed to demonstrate that they had advertised the post without success.

In 2020 and in response to BREXIT, skills levels were reduced back to the pre 2008 level and the requirement to advertise removed.

The return to a graduate level requirement is another swing of the pendulum.

Exceptions.

Not all posts belonging to RQF level 3 to level 5 have been removed from the possibility of sponsorship. The following have been salvaged.

Those individuals who are on existing sponsorships , may apply to extend up until the 30th April 2030, so long as they meet the going rate for their post current at the date of renewal.

Those jobs whose long term shortage of applicants is recognised by their inclusion in the Immigration Salary List. 

Those jobs where there is deemed to be a temporary shortage of applicants and are included in Appendix Temporary Shortage list .

Both of these shortage lists are intended to be removed by the 31st December 2026. 

Individuals who apply under these lists for posts in levels 3-5 would not be able to bring their dependents unlike their graduate counterparts and would not be able to apply for settlement.

2) Changes to the Salary threshold.

The going rates for each post as set out in Appendix Skilled Occupations is being updated, and such practice is consistent with policy to reflect salary changes across society.

It is important to ensure that at the date of application for permission to stay, the going rate as set out in the Certificate of Sponsorship still meets the requirements to the Immigration Rules, lest the visa be denied. This is irrespective of whether you are a new applicant or seeking to renew a permission to stay.

In addition the minimum salary thresholds are being amended, so that the outline minimum salary under the Immigration Rules rises from £38700 to £41700. Again there are permutations to this salary threshold that are too detailed to summarise but an illustration of their application can be found here 

Comment. 

What has yet to be included in these changes, is the requirement for a Skilled Worker to spend ten years before applying for settlement. As the proposed rules currently stand, settlement would still be acquired in five years.

A separate note will be drafted shortly for care workers and other health professionals. 

Other articles on the Sponsorship scheme for Skilled Workers can be found here and here and here 

About

Dominic Magne has worked in the field of Immigration Asylum and Nationality Law since 1992. He qualified as a barrister in 1997 and as a solicitor in 2001.

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