4th July 2025 | Nelli Shevchenko | Immigration, Employment, Updates

Following the release of the White Paper on 12th May 2025 promising fundamental changes to the UK immigration system, the Government has now published the first set of new immigration rules to come into force on 22nd July 2025.

The Statement of Changes published on 1st July introduces changes which will have significant impact on businesses and individuals looking to apply for a visa under the Skilled Worker, Global Mobility and Scale-up routes.

We strongly encourage employers to consider whether they are in a position to expedite any applications, to ensure anyone impacted by the change to skill and salary thresholds can be sponsored.

New Salary Thresholds

The salary thresholds have been updated in line with the 2024 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). The below thresholds are as follow:

  • The new general salary threshold: £38,700 → £41,700
  • The new salary under the New Entrant provision or under Immigration Salary List: £30,960 → £33,400
  • The new salary for PhD graduates after 4 April 2022: £34,830 → £37,500
  • The new reduced salary for applicants originally sponsored before 4th April 2024: £29,000 → £31,300
  • The new salary for PhD graduates before 4 April 2022: £26,100 → £28,200
  • The new general salary threshold for Global Business Mobility visa: £48,500 → £52,500
  • All going rates for specific occupations will increase in line with the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (2024), for example:
    • Financial managers and directors (Code 1131): £70,000 → £75,100
    • Marketing, sales and advertising directors (Code 1132): £83,000 → £87,300
    • IT project managers (Code 2131): £51,900 → £58,200
    • Programmers and software development professionals (Code 2134): £49,400 → £54,700

Salary thresholds will be regularly reviewed by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC).

Transitional provisions apply to those who obtained their visas or were issued Certificates of Sponsorship prior to 22nd July 2025.

Increased Skill Level

Sponsored jobs will now need to be in a skilled occupation at level 6 of the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). This means that the sponsored role must be at a degree level, and 111 roles will be no longer eligible for sponsorship after 22 July 2025. Examples of the roles that will no longer be eligible for sponsorship include public service professionals (3560), buyers and procurement officers (3551), finance officers (4124), human resources and industrial relations officers (3571), veterinary nurses (3240).

Occupations with lower skills level of 3-5 will be removed from the sponsored roles, but some of those that were identified in MAC reviews from 2023-2024 to be in shortage will remain eligible for sponsorship, but will be moved to two separate lists:

  • The Immigration Salary List (ISL) – the existing list with added two occupations of care managers (1232) and nursing assistants (6131) will be in place until 31st December 2026
  • The Temporary Shortage List (TSL) – the list will be provisionally in place until 31st December 2026 and is subject to regular reviews by Migration Advisory Committee.

Applicants already sponsored in the UK under one of the affected occupations and those with Certificate of Sponsorship assigned before 22nd July 2025 will be eligible to apply for extension, switch or apply for supplementary work permission. There is no set deadline for extensions under these transitional arrangements, but explanatory memorandum states that they will not be in place indefinitely and will be reviewed in due course.

The Temporary Shortage list includes the following occupations:

  • 1243 Managers in logistics
  • 1258 Directors in consultancy services
  • 3111 Laboratory technicians
  • 3112 Electrical and electronics technicians
  • 3113 Engineering technicians
  • 3114 Building and civil engineering technicians
  • 3115 Quality assurance technicians
  • 3116 Planning, process and production technicians
  • 3120 CAD, drawing and architectural technicians
  • 3131 IT operations technicians
  • 3132 IT user support technicians
  • 3133 Database administrators and web content technicians
  • 3412 Authors, writers and translators
  • 3414 Dancers and choreographers
  • 3417 Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators
  • 3422 Clothing, fashion and accessories designers
  • 3429 Design occupations not elsewhere classified – only the following job types: Industrial and product designers, Packaging designers, Performance make-up artists, Set designers, Visual merchandising managers and designers
  • 3512 Ship and hovercraft officers
  • 3520 Legal associate professionals
  • 3532 Insurance underwriters
  • 3533 Financial and accounting technicians
  • 3541 Estimators, valuers and assessors
  • 3544 Data analysts
  • 3549 Business associate professionals not elsewhere classified – only the following job types: Business support officers, Business systems analysts
  • Contract administrators, Clinical coders, Clinical trials administrators, Research coordinators
  • 3552 Business sales executives
  • 3554 Advertising and marketing associate professionals
  • 3571 Human resources and industrial relations officers
  • 3573 Information technology trainers
  • 4121 Credit controllers
  • 4122 Book-keepers, payroll managers and wages clerks
  • 4129 Financial administrative occupations not elsewhere classified – only the following job types: Box office assistants, Grants officers, Mortgage administrators, Revenue assistants (excludes National and Local government revenue occupations), Treasury assistants
  • 4132 Pensions and insurance clerks and assistants
  • 5213 Welding trades
  • 5214 Pipe fitters
  • 5223 Metal working production and maintenance fitters
  • 5225 Air-conditioning and refrigeration installers and repairers
  • 5231 Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians
  • 5232 Vehicle body builders and repairers
  • 5233 Vehicle paint technicians
  • 5235 Boat and ship builders and repairers
  • 5241 Electricians and electrical fitters
  • 5242 Telecoms and related network installers and repairers
  • 5244 Computer system and equipment installers and servicers
  • 5245 Security system installers and repairers
  • 5249 Electrical and electronic trades not elsewhere classified
  • 5311 Steel erectors
  • 5315 Plumbers and heating and ventilating installers and repairers
  • 5319 Construction and building trades not elsewhere classified – only the following job types: Builders, Divers, Fence erectors, Industrial climbers
  • Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) operators, Steel fixers and underpinners
  • 5322 Floorers and wall tilers
  • 5323 Painters and decorators
  • 5330 Construction and building trades supervisors
  • 8133 Energy plant operatives

Dependents

Importantly, new UK visa applicants under occupations on the TSL or ISL will not be able to include dependents. Exemptions apply to:

  • children born in the UK
  • where the visa holder is the sole surviving parents or has sole parental responsibility for the child
  • where the other parent holds a Skilled Worker visa being sponsored in a relevant occupation codes under transitional provisions 

Care Workers

Occupations for care workers and senior care workers (occupation codes 6135 and 6136) are no longer eligible to apply for sponsored visa from 22nd July 2025, unless exemptions apply. Transitional arrangements are in place until 22nd July 2028 and available to those who are already in the UK sponsored for work in one of the eligible occupation codes for at least three months ending on the date of Certificate of Sponsorship was assigned.  

What Next

Further changes expected by the end of 2025 include an increase in the Immigration Skills Charge by 32%; higher English language requirements across visa categories for both principal and dependents; and a new ‘family policy framework’ to be introduced in Parliament.

The statement of changes remains silent about widely discussed change in requirement from the current 5 years to 10 years of continuous residency for settlement. It is worth to mention that applicants applying for settlement after 22nd July 2025 must meet the salary going rate as in place on or after 22nd July 2025. 

It is expected that the changes to settlement eligibility might take place in 2026 following a consultation in 2025, however the exact timeline has not been officially confirmed by the Government.

Summary

The above changes to the Immigration Rules will apply to visa applications submitted on or after 22nd of July 2025. Applicants with assigned Certificates of Sponsorship assigned prior to this date, can apply under the pre-22nd July 2025 rules and remain under transitional arrangements.

Employers are urged to review their current workforce needs, check if any Graduate visa holders who are already with the business will be affected after their current visa expires. It may be worthwhile to bring forwards any hiring and sponsorship if the roles will be affected by the changes in skills and salary.

The assigned Certificate of Sponsorship is valid for 3 months which gives applicants time until 22nd September to apply for the visa. Employers looking to sponsor a worker under the current rules should assign their Certificate of Sponsorship before 22nd July. Employers should monitor their Certificate of Sponsorship allocation and in case further allocation is required, it is recommended that businesses submit requests to increase allocation as a matter of urgency.

Whilst the deadline for UK immigration rules implementation is 22nd July, we have previously seen that the Sponsor Management System can be shut down a few days earlier. We therefore suggest not to wait until last day and ensure the necessary certificates of sponsorship can be assigned as early as possible.

The UK immigration department at Sherrards supports and educates their clients on the UK right to work and other UK immigration compliance regulations. If you have questions about your UK immigration compliance, please reach out to your usual Sherrards contact, or reach out to Nelli Shevchenko directly.

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