The Statement of Changes released by the Home Office on 1 July 2025 marked the implementation of the first tranche of the White Paper reforms. We have previously set out our summary of all the changes proposed in the White Paper. However, we now have confirmation that the following will come into force on 22 July 2025. 

Increase of the skills threshold to degree level for new sponsorship

The skills threshold which currently sits at A-Level or equivalent roles (RQF 3 – 6), will rise to degree-level roles only (RQF 6) for the Skilled Worker route. This means that 180 job titles will no longer be eligible for sponsorship, unless they appear on the Temporary Shortage List (see below). 

Those already sponsored in roles that will no longer appear on the occupation list will still be able to extend under transitional arrangements (although this position is being kept under review). 

The Temporary Shortage List

The Temporary Shortage List contains a number of occupations at a skill level of A-Level or equivalent (RQF 3 – 5) which will continue to be eligible for sponsorship due to skills shortages in their respective sectors. Roles such as electrical engineers, welders, marketing and advertising associates, accounting technicians, data analysts and a set number of others will remain eligible for sponsorship until the end of 2026.

However, employees being sponsored under the Temporary Shortage List will not be able to bring their dependants to the UK with them, which we anticipate will be a deterrent for non-UK nationals to move to, or continue to live in, the UK. 

The minimum salary threshold

The minimum salary threshold will be increasing from £38,700 per year to £41,700 per year in the Skilled Worker route. Each occupation code’s (the occupation code stated on sponsored worker’s Certificates of Sponsorship) minimum salary is also subject to an increase of circa £4,000 per year. There will be no transitional arrangements for the salary increase, and all applications will be expected to meet the salary level (unless the employee was in the Skilled Worker category before April 2024, before which the salary requirement was substantially lower). 

The minimum salary for the Global Business Mobility: Senior Specialist Worker route (the intra company transfer route) will rise to £52,500.

Closure of the Health and Care route

The Health and Care route for care workers and senior care workers will close for entry clearance applications on 22 July 2025. For those already in the UK, they will be able to extend their visas until the route closes in 2028. 

What should employers be doing?

The 22 July 2025 is a key deadline for your diary. If employees are issued Certificates of Sponsorship before this date, their subsequent applications will be considered under the current rules as in place on 21 July 2025. 

To get ahead of the changes, we suggest employers consider their current workforce now. If any of your employees are on student visas, graduate visas, or youth mobility visas and may require sponsorship in the next couple of years, consider switching them onto a sponsored work visa before 22 July 2025. Waiting until their visas expire might mean that they will no longer be eligible for sponsorship at the point they would need to apply.  

Navigating the transitional arrangements once the new rules are published may be difficult given that there are already transitional arrangements in place from April 2024. Understanding when your employees were first granted permission in the Skilled Worker category will be important when making extension applications.