Changes to the UK visa rules for students and graduates
Rule changes for students and graduates since 4 April 2024, from the Statements reviewed so far, each with its date and Statement.
This Ledger starts on . It covers the Statements of Changes reviewed so far: HC 590, HC 217, HC 334, HC 733, HC 836, HC 997, CP 1373, HC 1298, HC 1333, HC 1491, HC 1691, HC 259 and HC 584.
Scheduled: changes that apply from a later date
- 30 November 2026 Scheduled
Student maintenance amounts raised from 30 November 2026. See GOV.UK
- 1 January 2027 Scheduled
The Graduate visa is shortened for applications made from 1 January 2027.
No longer applies: 2 yearsWill apply: 18 monthsApply by 31 December 2026 for 2 years; from 1 January 2027, 18 months. After a doctorate it stays 3 years.
Authority: Appendix Graduate, GR 8.1, as amended by HC 1333 (gov.uk).
- 26 March 2027 Scheduled
Settlement applications on Skilled Worker and other routes will need English at a higher level.
Will apply: B2 Previous figure not held. See the Statement
From 26 March 2027, settlement needs speaking and listening at B2, unless an exemption applies.
Authority: Appendix Skilled Worker, SW 22A.1, as amended by HC 1691 (gov.uk).
In force: changes that have taken effect
- 8 October 2026 In force
BN(O) dependants who apply to settle while still children no longer need a period of continuous residence.
From 8 October 2026, a BN(O) dependant who is a child on the date of the settlement application does not need the continuous residence period.
Authority: Statement of Changes HC 584 (APP HK1, substituting HK 62.1) (gov.uk).
- 8 October 2026 In force
Skilled Workers identified as victims of modern slavery may work for any employer (new SW 18.3). See GOV.UK
- 3 August 2026 In force
Appendix Graduate: a child born in the UK during a parent’s Graduate permission can apply as a dependant. See GOV.UK
- 8 April 2026 In force
BN(O) route opened to adult children of BN(O) status holders. See GOV.UK
- 8 January 2026 In force
The English level for Skilled Worker and HPI applications rose.
No longer applies: B1Applies today: B2New applicants and people switching need English at B2. Existing Skilled Workers granted at the earlier level keep it.
Authority: Appendix Skilled Worker, SW 4.1, as amended by HC 1333 (gov.uk).
- 4 November 2025 In force
The HPI list of eligible universities was widened, and a yearly cap was set.
Applies today: 8,000 Previous figure not held. See the Statement
No more than 8,000 HPI applications are accepted in each yearly period the rules set.
Authority: Appendix High Potential Individual, HPI 1.6A, as amended by HC 1333 (gov.uk).
- 22 July 2025 In force
New Skilled Worker applications became limited to jobs listed as higher skilled, RQF level 6 or above.
A new application needs a job whose occupation code is listed as higher skilled, with listed exceptions.
Authority: Appendix Skilled Worker, SW 6.1 as substituted by HC 997 (APP SW7) (gov.uk).
- 22 July 2025 In force
The salary floor for a relevant non-STEM PhD rose.
No longer applies: £34,830Applies today: £37,500With a relevant non-STEM PhD, the salary must be at least £37,500 a year, and a set share of the going rate.
Authority: Appendix Skilled Worker, SW 4.4 option B, as amended by HC 997 (gov.uk).
- 22 July 2025 In force
The new-entrant salary floor rose.
No longer applies: £30,960Applies today: £33,400A new entrant can be paid 70% of the going rate if the salary is at least £33,400 a year.
Authority: Appendix Skilled Worker, SW 4.4 option E, as amended by HC 997 (gov.uk).
- 22 July 2025 In force
The general salary threshold rose.
No longer applies: £38,700Applies today: £41,700A Skilled Worker must usually be paid at least £41,700 a year, or the going rate if higher.
Authority: Appendix Skilled Worker, SW 4.4 option A, as amended by HC 997 (gov.uk).
- 9 April 2025 In force
The salary floor for listed health and education jobs rose.
No longer applies: £23,200Applies today: £25,000These jobs must pay at least £25,000 a year, and at least the national pay scale rate if higher.
Authority: Appendix Skilled Worker, SW 4.4 option K, as amended by HC 733 (gov.uk).
- 4 April 2024 In force
The new-entrant salary floor was set at £30,960 a year.
Set to: £30,960 Changed again on .
Superseded. The new-entrant floor in force today is £33,400 a year, set by HC 997.
Authority: Introduced by Statement of Changes HC 590 (in force 4 April 2024) (gov.uk).
- 4 April 2024 In force
The general salary threshold was set at £38,700 a year.
Set to: £38,700 Changed again on .
Superseded. The threshold in force today is £41,700 a year, set by HC 997.
Authority: Introduced by Statement of Changes HC 590 (gov.uk).
The general threshold rose to £41,700 on 22 July 2025
Show as a table
| From | To | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| £38,700 | ||
| In force today | £41,700 |
Proposed, not law
The Home Office has consulted on earned settlement, which proposes a baseline qualifying period of 10 years for most routes. It is a proposal, not a rule, and it is not in the Ledger.
The measures in the 2025 immigration white paper are sorted by status, law or proposal, on the white paper page.
Follow changes by Atom feed Download as CSV The Statements reviewed
How this Ledger is kept
This Ledger starts on . It covers the Statements of Changes reviewed so far: HC 590, HC 217, HC 334, HC 733, HC 836, HC 997, CP 1373, HC 1298, HC 1333, HC 1491, HC 1691, HC 259 and HC 584.
Sources: the Statements of Changes collection (gov.uk), each Statement and its explanatory memorandum.
- In force: in the Immigration Rules or current GOV.UK guidance, and applying today.
- Scheduled: already in the rules, but it applies only from a later date.
- Laid: in a Statement laid before Parliament that has not yet taken effect.
- Proposed: a government statement or consultation only. Never a rule.
- Dropped: a proposal or Statement withdrawn, with its source.
The target is a Ledger entry within two days of a Statement being laid. Checked against GOV.UK on .
Found an error? Write to desk@ukvisasponsorguide.com. Fixes are listed in Corrections.
Sources
- Skilled Worker visa: Your job (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
You’ll usually need to be paid the ‘standard’ salary rate of at least £41,700 per year, or the ‘going rate’ for your job, whichever is higher.
If your occupation code is listed as a ‘higher skilled’ job, you can apply for this visa.
- Statement of Changes HC 997 (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
APP SW2. In row A of the table following SW 4.4, for “£38,700”, substitute “£41,700”.
APP SW4. In rows C, D and E of the table following SW 4.4, for each instance of “£30,960”, substitute “£33,400”.
APP SW3. In row B of the table following SW 4.4, for “£34,830”, substitute “£37,500”.
- Statement of Changes HC 590 (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
The following paragraphs shall take effect on 4 April 2024.
APP SW9. In SW 14.3, for “£26,200, £23,580 or £20,960”, substitute “£38,700, £34,830, £30,960, £29,000, £26,100 or £23,200”.
- Skilled Worker visa: When you can be paid less (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
You can be paid 70% of your job’s standard going rate if your salary will be at least £33,400 per year and one of the following applies:
If you have a non-STEM qualification, you can be paid 90% of your job’s standard going rate, as long as you will still be paid at least £37,500 a year.
- Skilled Worker visa: If you work in healthcare or education (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
There are different salary rules if you work in some healthcare or education jobs. Your salary must be at least £25,000
- Statement of Changes HC 733 (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
APP SW2. In the table following SW 4.4, in the rows containing options H, I, J and K, for “£23,200”, substitute “£25,000” in each of the four places it occurs.
- Immigration Rules: Appendix Skilled Occupations (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
These SOC 2020 occupation codes are considered to be skilled to Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 6 or above, and are eligible for the Skilled Worker route.
- Immigration Rules: Appendix High Potential Individual (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
HPI 1.6A The number of applications (for both entry clearance and permission to stay) must not have exceeded 8,000, the annual total allocation of places for the route (where the annual period begins on 1 November and ends on 31 October of each year).
- Statement of Changes HC 1333: explanatory memorandum (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
There will also be a cap placed on the route of 8,000 applications per year.
5.26 The change to 18 months will apply to applications submitted on or after 1 January 2027, with PhD graduates continuing to receive three years of leave.
5.22 The English language requirement for the Skilled Worker, High Potential Individual and Scale-up routes is increased from B1 Level to B2 Level (as defined under the Common European Framework for Reference for Languages (CEFR)).
- Graduate visa: Overview (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026
18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027
- Statement of Changes HC 1333 (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
2 years if the applicant has successfully completed a course at UK bachelor’s degree or master’s degree level, or another relevant qualification that meets the requirement of ST8.1/2/3 of the Rules, and the application is made before 1 January 2027.
APP SW3. In the table in SW4.1, for “level B1”, substitute “level B2 or, where the applicant’s most recent permission was as a Skilled Worker and which was granted subject to a requirement at level B1, level B1”.
The following paragraphs shall take effect on 8 January 2026. In relation to those changes, if an application for entry clearance, for an Electronic Travel Authorisation, for permission to enter or for permission to stay, or an application for administrative review has been made before 8 January 2026, such applications will be decided in accordance with the Immigration Rules in force on 7 January 2026:
- Skilled Worker visa: Knowledge of English (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
You must prove you can read, write, speak and understand English to at least level B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.
- Immigration Rules: Appendix Skilled Worker (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
SW 22A.1. Where the date of application is on or after 26 March 2027, the applicant must, unless an exemption applies, show English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in speaking and listening to at least level B2.
- Statement of Changes HC 1691: explanatory memorandum (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
5.62 These changes will come into force on 26 March 2027.
- Statement of Changes HC 584 (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
(b) the applicant must have spent a continuous period of 5 years with permission in the UK on a route under which a person can settle, unless they are aged under 18 at the date of application.”.
- Statement of Changes HC 584: explanatory memorandum (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
5.32 This change removes the requirement for dependent children on the Hong Kong British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) route to complete a five-year continuous residence period before qualifying for settlement.
- Earned settlement: statement and consultation (gov.uk). Checked .
The passage relied on
This means, however, that with the exception of the above categories, those routes (for example, the Skilled Worker route) that currently lead to settlement after 5 years continuous stay will cease to do so and will default to a qualifying period of 10 years, except where an earned reduction on the basis of contribution or integration applies.
How each figure is checked: Sources and method.
This is general information about the rules, not legal advice. For advice on your own situation, use a solicitor or an adviser regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (gov.uk).