HC 1333: Statement of Changes laid on 14 October 2025
HC 1333 capped the High Potential Individual (HPI) visa at 8,000 applications a year, from . It raised the English level for Skilled Worker and HPI to B2 from .
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).
It also shortened the Graduate visa. It lasts 2 years if you apply on or before , and 18 months if you apply from . A guide to who gets 18 months and who gets 2 years sets out how the application date decides the length.
Status and dates
Laid before Parliament on . Status: In force.
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Other parts of this Statement take effect on 14 October 2025 and 25 November 2025 and do not change the rules this handbook covers.
The changes it made
- 4 November 2025 In force
The HPI list of eligible universities was widened, and a yearly cap was set.
- 8 January 2026 In force
The English level for Skilled Worker and HPI applications rose.
No longer applies: B1Applies today: B2 - 1 January 2027 Scheduled
The Graduate visa is shortened for applications made from 1 January 2027.
No longer applies: 2 yearsWill apply: 18 months
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- Dropped: a proposal or Statement withdrawn, with its source.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
- 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)).
6.4 For the changes that introduce a visa requirement on Botswana, those changes will come into effect at 1500 BST on 14 October 2025. The changes regarding appendix HPI, will come into effect on 4 November 2025, the changes relating to Students transitioning to the Innovator Founder route come into effect on 25 November 2025 and the changes to English language requirements for economic migration routes will come into effect on 8 January 2026. All other changes will come into effect on 11 November 2025 and are detailed in the implementation section of the Statement of Changes.
- 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
If you have a PhD or other doctoral qualification, it will last for 3 years.
- 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.
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).