Further important changes to the immigration rules following the Government’s white paper
The Government is making further changes to the rules to implement the measures outlined in the Immigration White Paper published in May 2025.
Here is what you need to know about the key changes coming into force over the next few months.
High Potential Individual visa – change from 4 November 2025
The number of eligible universities that an applicant can have studied at has been expanded to include international institutions ranked in the top 100. A cap will be placed on the route of 8,000 applications per year.
Global Talent visa - change from 11 November 2025
Applicants who hold a qualifying prize can qualify without the need to obtain endorsement from one of the Global Talent endorsing bodies. Following consultation by the Home Office with the Global Talent endorsing bodies, a further 27 prizes have been added to the list. The list is to be kept under review and may be revised in future updates.
The Government says that it is aiming to double the number of highly skilled people coming to the UK on the highly skilled routes, to include the best researchers, designers and creatives in film and TV to ensure continued competitiveness in growth sectors.
Students transitioning to the Innovator Founder route – change from 25 November 2025
Students who have completed their course will be able to establish their business while transitioning to this visa route. This is a specific change to student work conditions that will allow students to do this.
Graduate visas
The graduate route currently allows eligible graduates who have successfully completed a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or other relevant qualification to remain in the UK for two years. PhD graduates may stay for three years.
The duration of the stay of those on the graduate route will be reduced to 18 months. The change to 18 months will apply to applications submitted on or after 1 January 2027. PhD graduates will continue to receive three years. The Government says that the data shows that too many graduates on this route following successful completion of their studies are not moving into graduate level roles which the graduate route was created to facilitate access to.
English language requirement – change from 8 January 2026
The English language requirement for the Skilled Worker, High Potential Individual and Scale-up routes will be increased from B1 to B2 (as defined under the Common European Framework for Reference for Languages (CEFR). This is an A-level equivalent standard in speaking, listening, reading and writing.
The new requirements will apply to those seeking an initial grant of leave in a relevant immigration route following the implementation of the provisions on 8 January 2026. Those who have already obtained permission where they were required to show a B1 level will continue to be subject to a B1 level requirement where they are seeking an extension on the same route.
Suitability Requirements for family and private life visas – change from 11 November 2025
Family and Private Life Rules have until now not applied Part 9 of the Rules which deal with general grounds for refusal and cancellation of visas and instead had their own suitability requirements which, according to the Government have resulted in a more generous approach where there are suitability considerations to be made. This amendment will apply common suitability provisions to the family and private life routes deleting the suitability rules that were bespoke to the Family and Private Life Rules. The Government believes that this change will ensure higher standards of good character.
Visit visas for nationals of Botswana
All nationals of Botswana are now required to obtain a visa before travel to the UK, including for short visits.
Additional Measures
Immigration Skills Charge will increase by 32%. This change is expected to happen before the end of the year. It is designed to encourage investment in British workers and reduce reliance on overseas recruitment. This will be the first increase since 2017.
eVisa Transition
The Government removed 90-day entry clearance vignettes in passports for most main applicants on work and study routes in July. Applicants create an online account with UK Visas & Immigration to get access to an eVisa before they travel to the UK. The next phase starting in the coming weeks will extend this to most main applicants on non-work/study routes and their dependents, as well as dependents of those included in the first phase.
Settlement Consultation
Publication of the Earned Settlement and Citizenship consultation is expected later this year.
Prevention of illegal working
The Home Office will launch a six-week public consultation on extending right to work checks to cover a wider range of working arrangements. This is expected to be launched this year.
For details of recent changes to the skilled worker route, see our previous article here.
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