UK Skilled Worker Visa Changes July 2025: Your Top Questions Answered

From 22 July 2025, the UK Skilled Worker visa route faces an overhaul. The primary UK Skilled Worker visa 2025 changes include a significant increase in the skilled worker visa minimum salary and a raised skill threshold to RQF Level 6. This means many occupations previously eligible under RQF Levels 3-5 will no longer qualify for new sponsorship, unless they are on the interim Temporary Shortage List (TSOL). The UK Skilled Worker visa overhaul 2025 aims to focus on higher-skilled roles and reduce overall net migration.

Historically, the Skilled Worker visa allowed sponsorship for roles at RQF Level 3 (A-level equivalent) and above. However, with the new immigration rules UK from 22 July 2025, the general skill level requirement is being raised. New Skilled Worker visa applications must now be for roles at RQF Level 6 (degree equivalent) or higher. This significantly impacts employers who previously relied on sponsoring individuals for roles that no longer meet this higher skill threshold.

The Skilled Worker visa minimum salary is increasing substantially from 22 July 2025. The general threshold for new Skilled Worker visa applicants will rise to £41,700 per year. This is a critical salary threshold UK update. Employers must ensure that any Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) assigned on or after 22 July 2025 meets these new, higher salary thresholds UK. There are no transitional arrangements for salaries; all new CoS must meet the new levels. Existing skilled worker visa extension applications will also need to meet updated salary requirements. Employers must budget for these increased cost of sponsorship visa UK.

The shift to RQF Level 6 from 22 July 2025 means employers looking to sponsor a Skilled Worker guidance will need to ensure the job genuinely requires a graduate-level skill set. Occupations previously eligible at RQF Levels 3-5 (A-level equivalent) will generally no longer qualify for new visa sponsorship UK, unless they appear on the new interim Temporary Shortage List (TSOL). This significantly narrows the range of roles for which a sponsor licence can be used for new overseas recruits.

The Immigration Salary List (ISL) is the replacement for the old Shortage Occupation List UK. From 22 July 2025, a new interim Temporary Shortage List (TSOL) will also be introduced. These lists allow time-limited access for certain occupations below RQF Level 6 to the Skilled Worker visa route. However, a significant restriction is that Skilled Worker applicants sponsored for roles on either the ISL or TSOL at RQF levels 3-5 will not be able to bring dependants to the UK, and they generally will not be eligible for ILR new rules. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) will review these lists regularly.
 

The government has decided to expand the Immigration Salary List. Now the ISL contains the existing occupations plus the ones at RQF levels 3-5 which the MAC identified as being in shortage in its 2023 review and 2024 rapid review.

From 22 July 2025, applicants sponsored in RQF 3–5 roles (even if listed on ISL or TSL) will not be allowed to bring dependants.

This policy does not apply to:

• Existing visa holders already sponsored in these roles
• Occupations at RQF 6 and above
• Children born in the UK or in cases of sole parental responsibility
   

Yes, employers can generally extend or switch Skilled Worker visas under the new rules. If an individual already holds a UK Skilled Worker visa or had a Certificate of Sponsorship assigned before 22 July 2025, they benefit from transitional arrangements. This means they can usually continue to extend their visa or switch employers in roles below RQF Level 6, provided their salary meets the updated thresholds at the time of application. However, any new Certificate of Sponsorship assigned on or after 22 July 2025 for a new applicant must adhere to the new RQF Level 6 skill level and increased salary thresholds UK.

To sponsor a Skilled Worker in the UK under the new immigration rules from 22 July 2025, employers must meet updated eligibility and compliance requirements. Here’s what sponsoring a skilled worker involves:

1. Hold a valid sponsor licence

Employers must apply for and maintain a Skilled Worker sponsor licence. This licence allows them to issue Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) to eligible candidates.

2. Assign a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)

The job must meet the new criteria:

• Be at RQF Level 6 or above, unless the role appears on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List
• Meet the updated Skilled Worker visa minimum salary thresholds (typically £41,700 or £17.13/hour, with lower thresholds under specific routes like new entrants or shortage occupations)

3. Ensure the job is eligible under the new Skilled Worker visa rules

More than 160 roles below RQF Level 6 have been removed from eligibility. Employers should check with the list of removed occupations, Temporary Shortage List, and the Immigration Salary List. 

4. Meet sponsorship compliance duties

Sponsor duties include adhering to sponsorship duties set by the Home Office, ensuring compliance with UK sponsor compliance requirements, and being prepared for Home Office compliance visits.

A significant UK immigration news update affects the Care Worker visa. From 22 July 2025, new overseas recruitment for care workers (SOC 6135) and senior care workers (SOC 6136) will end. This means employers in the care sector will no longer be able to sponsor individuals directly from overseas for these roles. While in-country switching to these roles may still be possible under specific conditions until 22 July 2028, and existing care worker visa holders can continue their visas, new overseas entry clearance applications will be refused. This is a major change impacting the cost of sponsorship visa UK for care providers and their workforce planning.

While the most recent Statement of Changes focused primarily on the Skilled Worker visa, earlier proposals and ongoing discussions have touched upon Graduate visa reforms, including a potential reduction in its length. The Graduate visa UK currently allows international students to stay and work for two years (three for PhD graduates). Employers often rely on the graduate route visa to assess talent before committing to visa sponsorship UK. Any future uk graduate visa reform opposition highlights concerns about attracting international talent. Keeping an eye on UK immigration news for further announcements on the graduate visa application process and duration is crucial for both graduates and prospective sponsorship visa UK employers.