Skilled Worker Route: July 2025 Immigration Rule Changes

Introduction

On 1 July 2025, the Home Office announced changes to the Immigration Rules (HC 997), supported by an Explanatory Memorandum. These reforms came into effect on 22 July 2025 and represent one of the most significant updates to the Skilled Worker route in recent years.

Revised Skill Thresholds

Under the new system, eligibility for Skilled Worker sponsorship has been restricted to RQF Level 6 (degree level) and above. This means that only roles considered graduate-level occupations now qualify for new Skilled Worker visas. Examples of roles typically falling under RQF 6 include:

• Software Developers

• Civil Engineers

• Qualified Teachers

These roles usually require a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent qualification, aligning with the Government’s policy to focus the route on higher-skilled work.

Roles No Longer Eligible

A large number of medium-skilled positions at RQF Levels 3 to 5 have been removed from the Skilled Worker route. For instance, roles such as:

• Chef

• Kitchen Manager

• Teaching Assistant

These jobs are no longer eligible for sponsorship as of 22 July 2025. This change is part of a broader reduction, with more than 100 roles withdrawn from the eligibility list.

The Temporary Shortage List (TSL)

Not all sub-degree roles have disappeared. Some occupations at RQF 3–5 remain eligible under the new Temporary Shortage List (TSL). This is a transitional mechanism designed to ensure that certain roles considered critical to the UK economy remain accessible until 31 December 2026. Examples include:

• Database Administrators

• IT User Support Technicians

• Business Systems Analysts

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) will review the TSL and advise whether any of these roles should continue to be included beyond 2026.

Restrictions on Dependants

A key point highlighted in the Explanatory Memorandum is that Skilled Workers sponsored under TSL roles cannot bring dependent partners or children. This is apparently a major departure from previous policy. The Home Office introduced a similar restriction in 2024 for most student visa holders, when dependants were no longer permitted in the majority of cases.

Transitional Arrangements

Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) assigned before 22 July 2025 remain valid and applications based on them may continue under the old rules. In addition, workers already in the UK under RQF 3–5 roles are protected. They retain the right to extend their visas, switch employers (where permitted), and apply for settlement in due course.

Implications for Employers

For employers, the impact is immediate and strategic. Recruitment pipelines must be adjusted to align with the new skill and salary thresholds. The removal of most care sector roles closes off a route heavily used in recent years. Sponsors must also take account of the new restrictions on family members for staff employed in TSL occupations.

Outlook

These reforms confirm a clear policy direction: the Skilled Worker route is being re-defined as a selective, high-skill migration channel. The MAC’s forthcoming review of the Temporary Shortage List will be decisive in determining the medium-term availability of sub-degree roles. Employers should prepare for a future in which Skilled Worker sponsorship is increasingly confined to graduate-level positions and above.

Key Points Summary

• Home Office changes (HC 997) took effect on 22 July 2025, supported by an Explanatory Memorandum.

• Skilled Worker route now limited to RQF Level 6+ (degree-level) roles such as Software Developers, Civil Engineers and Teachers.

• Over 100 medium-skilled jobs (e.g. Chefs, Kitchen Managers, Teaching Assistants) removed from eligibility.

• Temporary Shortage List (TSL) keeps certain RQF 3–5 roles (e.g. Database Administrators, IT Support Technicians) eligible until 31 December 2026, subject to review by the MAC.

• Workers under TSL roles cannot bring dependants,  a significant policy shift, similar to restrictions on student visa holders in 2024.

• Transitional protections apply: CoS issued before 22 July 2025 remain valid, and existing RQF 3–5 workers in the UK may extend, switch, and apply for settlement.

• Employers must review recruitment pipelines, note the removal of care roles, and prepare for a Skilled Worker route increasingly focused on high-skilled, graduate-level roles.