The United Kingdom’s immigration system in 2025 has undergone major reforms, with the government implementing comprehensive changes aimed at tightening migration controls, improving border security, and promoting integration success. The Skilled Worker visa route, a key pathway for migrants choosing to live and work in the UK, has seen significant eligibility and procedural changes.
These include a marked increase in skills and salary thresholds, the closure of certain low-skilled visa categories such as care workers from overseas recruitment, and the digitalization of entry permissions. Complementing these, the government has enhanced language requirements and proposed extending the qualifying period for settlement. Parallel adjustments to family visas and increases in immigration fees further reflect the government’s overarching goals: to align migration better with domestic economic needs, limit low-skilled migration, and encourage long-term integration.
Changes to skilled worker visa requirements and eligibility
From 22 July 2025, the UK raised the skills threshold for the Skilled Worker visa to require job roles to be at least equivalent to an undergraduate degree, categorized as level 6 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). This represents a significant increase from the previous threshold set at RQF level 3 (A-level equivalent) implemented in 2020. The elevation to graduate-level qualifications means that approximately 180 occupations have been removed from eligibility, substantially narrowing the type of roles for which foreign nationals can secure sponsorship.
These removed occupations include many technical, supervisory, and lower-skilled jobs that were previously accessible to migrant workers under this visa category. While existing Skilled Worker visa holders in affected roles are allowed to renew or change employment temporarily under transitional arrangements, new applicants must meet this stricter qualifications bar.
Coupled with the skills increase, there has also been a raise in salary thresholds. The general minimum salary required under Option A increased from £38,700 to £41,700 annually, with lower salary floors for specific roles such as new entrants or PhD-level jobs adjusted accordingly (e.g., £33,400). The government abolished the Immigration Salary List (ISL), which previously provided reduced salary criteria for shortages, replacing it with a temporary, time-limited Temporary Shortage List (TSL) containing fewer occupations. The TSL restrictions underscore the intention to limit lower-paid migration and focus on roles addressing qualified labor shortages.
The care worker visa category for overseas recruitment was closed as part of this reform package, reflecting the government’s strategic decision to prioritize higher-skilled immigration in health and social care sectors rather than importing labor through low-skilled routes
Digitalization and entry requirements
In efforts to modernize entry processing and border control, the UK ceased the issuance of physical vignette stickers on passports for Skilled Worker and Global Talent visa holders from mid-July 2025, replacing them with eVisas. This move eliminates the need for applicants to visit visa application centers multiple times or physically submit passports during the visa application process. Digital documentation streamlines administrative operations for both the government and migrants, reducing processing times and improving convenience.
Moreover, the government implemented mandatory Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) for nationals of designated countries traveling to the UK for short-term visits or temporary work. ETAs strengthen border security by vetting travelers before arrival, managing migration flows more effectively, and preventing illegal or unauthorized entries. Nationals of the Republic of Ireland, except those crossing the land border with Northern Ireland, also became subject to these requirements. These digital tools reflect the UK’s broader strategy of employing technology to enhance border controls while facilitating legitimate travel.
Changes to EU settlement scheme and residence rules
Amendments to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) addressed some stringent absence requirements. Notably, individuals holding pre-settled status can now qualify for settled status by residing in the UK for at least 30 months out of the last 60 months, irrespective of whether these months are consecutive. This change accommodates migrants experiencing complex life circumstances that prevent prolonged continuous residence.
Additionally, from July 2025, time spent as a British citizen is counted as “lawful presence” in the UK when applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). This clarification removes ambiguities in the settlement process and eases path-to-settlement requirements for naturalized citizens.
Extension of qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain
A cornerstone proposal from the government is to increase the qualification period for permanent residence (ILR) from the current 5 years to 10 years for most migrants, under an “earned settlement” model. This extended period aims to ensure that migrants contribute significantly to UK society before obtaining permanent status.
Under this system, those who accumulate points based on economic (e.g., earnings, employment type) and social contributions (e.g., community involvement) could qualify for settlement in less than 10 years. However, details on how points will be awarded remain under consultation, with the government planning to release frameworks in late 2025.
Exemptions exist for close family members such as partners of British citizens and victims of domestic abuse, who retain the previous five-year settlement eligibility. Additionally, EUSS participants maintain their five-year settlement rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement. The longer qualifying period could delay full integration and social security access for many migrants but is designed to ensure stronger economic and social attachments.
Salary threshold increases and immigration skills charge
Salary thresholds were raised not only for Skilled Worker visas but also for other routes such as Global Business Mobility and Scale Up visas. These adjustments mirror the government’s objective to prioritize highly paid migrants with in-demand skills.
Additionally, the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC), a levy paid by sponsoring employers, is set to increase by roughly 32% by the end of 2025. Revenues from the ISC fund workforce skills development and integration initiatives within the UK, enabling employers and migrants to contribute to national skills enhancement. This fee hike will increase costs for employers hiring overseas workers, potentially influencing recruitment strategies and labor market effects.
Language proficiency requirements
The UK Home Office announced plans to improve English language proficiency standards across immigration categories to support integration and labor market participation. For Skilled Worker visa holders, the required English level for visa qualification was raised from B1 to B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale, indicating an upper-intermediate proficiency level.
Applicants aiming for ILR will also be required to demonstrate continuous language progression, ensuring migrants have sufficient communicative skills to integrate effectively into British society and work environments. These measures support government integration objectives and reduce social isolation risks for migrants.
Family visa and settlement rule reforms
Reforms in the family visa domain address financial requirements, processing delays, and settlement pathways. For example, spousal visa minimum income thresholds increased to £29,000 in April 2024, limiting eligibility for some applicants relying on lower incomes.
The government has announced intentions to introduce a new family visa framework by the end of 2025, pending consultation. Areas for reform include recognition of qualified partnerships beyond marriage, adjustments to qualifying periods before settlement, and streamlined processing. These reforms seek to balance family unity with safeguarding immigration system integrity.
Visa fee increases and application process changes
From 1 July 2025, UK visa and nationality application fees rose by 5 to 10 percent, reflecting inflation and administrative costs. Higher fees affect visa types including the Innovator Founder and Start-up visas.
The move from physical vignette stickers to digital eVisas simplifies the application process, improving turnaround times and reducing logistical burdens on applicants and the Home Office alike. It also supports alignment with modern border management strategies emphasizing electronic documentation and biometric verification.
Measures to curtail low-skilled migration and enhance border security
The closure of routes like the care worker visa for overseas recruitment illustrates the UK government’s deliberate shift to minimize low-skilled migration. This approach is complemented by more stringent skills and salary thresholds, mandatory ETAs for short-term travelers, stronger digital identity checks, and targeted use of Temporary Shortage Lists to limit visas to sectors wit genuine shortages.
These measures reinforce the government’s aim to protect national security and ensure that migration supports economic priorities, preventing unauthorized entries and misuse of visa categories.
Key developments
The United Kingdom’s immigration landscape underwent significant policy reforms in 2025, marking a decisive shift toward prioritizing border security, economic skills matching, and successful migrant integration. These changes reflect the government’s intent to restore control over migration flows, streamline legal immigration, and to ensure that the UK’s workforce is supported primarily through domestic skills development while allowing skilled international workers who meet higher thresholds to contribute effectively.
A central feature of the reforms was the overhaul of the Skilled Worker visa requirements, implemented on 22 July 2025. The government raised the skills threshold to require jobs to be at least equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or higher (RQF level 6). This marked a significant elevation from previous requirements which permitted roles at a lower skill level, including many technical and supervisory occupations. Consequently, approximately 180 occupations were removed from the Skilled Worker visa eligibility list, extensively narrowing the range of roles open to migrants through this route. Notably, the temporary Migration Advisory Committee’s Roles Shortage List was replaced with a more limited, time-bound Temporary Shortage List focusing only on occupations materially critical to the UK economy or infrastructure projects. Employers hiring from below degree-level occupations must submit detailed domestic workforce plans demonstrating strategies to develop UK talent, reinforcing the government’s push toward reducing reliance on lower-skilled foreign labor.
Concomitantly, the care worker visa route for overseas recruitment was closed on the same date, signaling explicit government policy to end low-skilled immigration in sectors like social care—a sector long reliant on migrant labor. This move provoked concern among some employers but aligned with the broader goal of transitioning the UK toward a higher-skilled immigration system. Current holders of the care worker visas and those sponsored before the cutoff date generally remained unaffected during the transitional period.
To complement these eligibility restrictions, the government also elevated salary thresholds, with the main Skilled Worker minimum rising from around £38,700 to approximately £41,700 annually. Lower thresholds remained in place for new entrants and jobs requiring certain qualifications, but overall the increases stipulated that eligible roles must be better remunerated, thus emphasizing economic contribution. The Immigration Salary List, which previously set lower pay bars for shortage occupations, was formally abolished to deter exploitation of lower-paid positions by migrant workers, replacing it with the more restrictive Temporary Shortage List.
Beyond changing skill and salary requirements, the UK government modernized and increased border controls through digital innovations. Physical vignette stickers traditionally issued on passports for Skilled Worker and Global Talent visa holders were discontinued mid-July 2025, replaced by eVisas—secure, electronic travel authorizations linked to digital records. This digital shift reduces the administrative burden on migrants and the Home Office, shortens processing times, and mitigates risks of visa fraud or misuse. Additionally, the government mandated Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) for nationals of various countries entering the UK as visitors or on temporary work visas, with limited exceptions such as for those crossing the Northern Ireland land border from the Republic of Ireland. ETAs enable more proactive risk assessment and tighter control of short-term travel and migration streams.
Amendments to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) constituted another critical aspect of reforms. Individuals with pre-settled status now qualify for settled status if they have resided in the UK for 30 months out of any 60-month period, regardless of whether these months are continuous. This regulatory relaxation accommodates migrants facing complex migratory or personal challenges. Another important change was that time spent as a British citizen now counts as “lawful presence” when applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), simplifying settlement pathways for naturalized citizens and preventing inadvertent disqualification due to absences.
One of the most debated reforms is the government’s intention to substantially extend the qualifying period for ILR from five to ten years under an “earned settlement” framework. While most migrants would need to meet the ten-year residency criterion, shorter settlement could be attained by accumulating a yet-to-be-defined number of points reflecting economic and social contributions. This points-based framework is intended to incentivize migrants’ economic integration, community participation, and self-sufficiency, though the exact modalities remain under consultation and may not come into force immediately. Importantly, exemptions exist for partners of British citizens and victims of domestic abuse to retain the five-year settlement pathway, while EUSS participants preserve their rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.
The government also increased the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) paid by employers sponsoring foreign workers by approximately 32% by the end of 2025. Funds raised from ISC support domestic workforce skills development initiatives, linking migration policy to broader national economic strategies. Complementing this, English language requirements for migrants have been raised—in particular, Skilled Worker visa applicants are now required to demonstrate proficiency at B2 level (upper-intermediate) on the CEFR scale, up from the previous B1 (intermediate) standard. Applicants aiming for settlement must also evidence continual language progression, ensuring migrants can participate fully in British social and economic life. The government views these language improvements as critical to successful integration, reducing social isolation and improving employability.
By mid-2025, family visa routes experienced reforms aligning with efforts to tighten immigration controls while considering family unity. The minimum income requirement for spousal visas was raised to £29,000, excluding some exceptions, limiting eligibility primarily to applicants with stable economic support in the UK. Furthermore, plans are underway to introduce a new framework for family visas by the end of the year, including consultations on recognizing qualified partnerships beyond marriage and adjusting qualifying periods before settlement. These changes aim to secure the integrity of family migration while addressing processing delays and fairness.
Visa fees, too, were increased by between 5 and 10 percent in 2025, affecting a range of visa categories including Start-up and Innovator Founder visas. Combined with the shift to eVisas replacing physical vignette stickers, these fees support the funding and modernization of the visa processing infrastructure but also raise the cost barrier for some applicants and their sponsors.
Collectively, these measures demonstrate the UK government’s comprehensive strategy to curtail low-skilled migration, enhance border security, and encourage economic migration that aligns with national priorities. The phased closure of visa routes for lower-skilled workers, the tightening of eligibility and salary requirements, and the deployment of technology for border and immigration management exemplify a tighter and more targeted system.
However, these reforms also introduce new challenges. The longer ILR qualifying period may delay migrants’ access to permanent residency rights and associated social benefits, potentially affecting integration and settlement stability. Employers in sectors reliant on lower-skilled migrant labor face labor shortages and increased recruitment costs, necessitating adaptation through domestic recruitment or productivity improvements. Increased language proficiency and financial requirements may exclude some potential migrants who contribute socially and economically in less conventional ways.
Ongoing government consultations imply the immigration policy will continue to evolve to find an optimal balance between border control imperatives, economic needs, and social integration objectives. The government’s stated intent to build an immigration system that supports the UK’s industrial and infrastructure goals, invests in domestic skills, and delivers effective immigration enforcement sets a clear direction for the post-2025 immigration landscape.
The UK’s immigration law changes enacted in 2025 constitute a comprehensive tightening designed to prioritize border security, economic skills matching, and integration success. Key developments include raised skill thresholds and salary minimums for Skilled Worker and other visa categories, the replacement of the Immigration Salary List with a temporary and more restrictive Shortage List, and the closure of select low-skilled routes such as care worker visas for overseas recruitment.