UK Immigration White Paper Raises Skills Bar and Extends Settlement Period

Changes for employers

The white paper commits the government to:

• raise the skill threshold for Skilled Worker visas back to RQF 6, graduate level, with higher salary thresholds;
• create a Temporary Shortage List giving time-limited access for occupations below RQF 6, linked to workforce strategies, with new restrictions on bringing dependants;
• increase the Immigration Skills Charge by 32%, the first rise since its introduction in 2017;
• close social care visas to new applications from abroad, with a transition period until 2028 allowing extensions and in-country switching for those already in the UK;
• establish a Labour Market Evidence Group to assess where sectors rely too heavily on overseas labour.

Students and families

The Graduate route will be shortened to 18 months, and the government will explore a levy on higher education providers' income from international students. A new English language requirement at level A1 will apply to adult dependants of workers and students, and the standard required for settlement on most routes will rise from B1 to B2.

Settlement

The white paper proposes an "earned settlement" model that would increase the standard qualifying period for settlement to ten years, with the possibility of reducing it based on contributions to the economy and society. Non-UK dependants of British citizens would keep a five-year route. The government will consult on the changes later this year.

What happens next

Most measures require changes to the Immigration Rules, consultations or further legislation, so timing will vary. Sponsoring employers, particularly in social care and in occupations below degree level, should review their workforce plans now and budget for higher sponsorship costs. Migrants planning to apply for settlement will need to follow the consultation on earned settlement closely.

Sources

• GOV.UK: Restoring control over the immigration system, white paper (12 May 2025)
• HM Government: Restoring Control over the Immigration System, CP 1326 (PDF)
• GOV.UK: Radical reforms to reduce migration (11 May 2025)