Home Office Announces Major Changes to Skilled Worker Route

On 1 July 2025, the Home Office released a new Statement of Changes (HC 997), delivering on the first phase of what the government calls a “sweeping reform” to the immigration system, as set out in the May 2025 Immigration White Paper. The changes to the Immigration Rules were enforced on 22 July 2025.

These latest changes introduce higher salary and skill thresholds, remove care workers from overseas recruitment, and significantly narrow the list of eligible occupations for new Skilled Worker applications. While official figures differ slightly, it’s clear that over 100 roles will no longer qualify for sponsorship. This change makes a reduction of around 180 eligible occupation for skilled workers. Some occupations have been removed for Global Business Mobility eligible occupation codes

Increased Skill and Salary Thresholds

Under the new rules, jobs must now be skilled to RQF Level 6 or above to qualify for the Skilled Worker route. This reverses the 2020 decision to reduce the skill threshold to RQF Level 3, which had been intended to support businesses following the end of free movement.

As a result, many lower-skilled roles will no longer be eligible for sponsorship unless they appear on the Immigration Salary List or the new Temporary Shortage List. Applicants currently in the route (or who apply before the changes take effect) will not be affected for now and can continue to work, extend, or change employment in lower-skilled roles, although the Home Office has confirmed these transitional measures will be reviewed.

The salary thresholds are also increasing. For the main option (Option A), the minimum salary will rise to £41,700 per annum. Other salary thresholds apply depending on qualifications, shortage roles, or new entrant status, but the overall direction is clear: significantly higher salary expectations across the board.

Paragraph SW4.4 will require:

Option A – The applicant’s salary equals or exceeds both:

• £41,700 per year; and
• the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code.

Option B – The applicant has a PhD in a subject relevant to the job and their salary equals or exceeds both:

• £37,500 per year; and
• 90% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code

Option C – The applicant has a PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job and their salary equals or exceeds both:

• £33,400 per year; and
• 80% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code;

Option D – The applicant is being sponsored for a job on the Immigration Salary List and their salary equals or exceeds both:

• £33,400 per year; and
• the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code

Option E – The applicant is a new entrant at the start of their career and their salary equals or exceeds both:

• £33,400 per year and
• 70% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code

Option F – The applicant’s salary equals or exceeds both:

• £31,300 per year; and
• the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code

Option G -The applicant has a PhD in a subject relevant to the job and their salary equals or exceeds both:

• £28,200 per year; and
• 90% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code

 The transitional arrangements in this Statement of Changes exempt workers who are already in the Skilled Worker route (or have been sponsored for an application which is later successful) when the changes come into effect from the increase to the skill threshold.

Global Business Mobility Route

The minimum salary threshold under this immigration route has been increased to £52 500 per year.   The new immigration rules has also reduced the eligible occupations for GBM workers.

Shift to a Temporary Shortage List

The current Immigration Salary List will gradually be replaced by a more time-limited Temporary Shortage List. Only occupations on this list—if below RQF Level 6—can be sponsored going forward. For now, some RQF Level 3–5 jobs remain eligible if they feature on either the expanded Immigration Salary List (based on MAC’s 2023 and 2024 recommendations) or the interim Temporary Shortage List approved by HM Treasury and the Department for Business and Trade.

Notably, those sponsored in roles below RQF Level 6 under either list will not be permitted to bring dependants, unless they were already in the Skilled Worker route before these changes came into force. These exclusions mirror those already in place for care and senior care workers.

Occupations on the Temporary Shortage List include a wide variety of technical, creative, and administrative roles—from engineering technicians to photographers, welders, IT support staff, fashion designers, and financial technicians. However, the government has stressed that entries on this list will be regularly reviewed and may be removed as early as the end of 2026.

The Temporary Shortage List includes:

Withdrawal of Care Workers from the Route

From 22 July 2025, care workers and senior care workers (SOC codes 6135 and 6136) will no longer be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route. This reflects ongoing concerns about exploitation and compliance in the care sector.

However, a transitional pathway remains open for those already working for a sponsor in the UK for at least three months before their Certificate of Sponsorship is issued. These individuals can still switch into the Skilled Worker route up until 22 July 2028.

What’s Next?

This is only the beginning. The Home Office has indicated that further reforms will be introduced later in 2025. These include:

• Increasing the Immigration Skills Charge
• Raising English language requirements across visa categories
• Introducing a new framework for family visa policies

These updates mark a significant tightening of the Skilled Worker route, reinforcing the government’s aim to reduce net migration and drive investment in domestic skills. Employers should urgently review their workforce planning and recruitment strategies in light of these changes, and ensure that any pending Skilled Worker applications are submitted before the transitional protections expire.

To discuss how the new immigration rules may affect you or your organisation, contact the Clarkslegal immigration team.