Important immigration rules changes March 2026

19th March 2026

A new Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules was laid before Parliament on 5 March 2026. The changes will take effect on various dates on a staggered schedule.

The changes cover a wide variety of work, study, family and visitor routes however the summary below focuses primarily on work and business-related changes.

English language requirement for settlement

This change increases the English language requirement for settlement to B2 level under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) for a number of immigration routes where the existing level is B1. The changes will come into force on 26 March 2027. These changes will therefore apply for those already on a pathway to settlement in the UK. The change is being deferred to provide those subject to the requirement with sufficient opportunity to take any necessary steps to meet them.

Some of the immigration routes that the change will apply to are set out below.

1. Skilled worker
2. Global Talent
3. Representative of an overseas business
4. Scale up worker
5. Innovator Founder
6. UK Ancestry

Skilled Worker route

A change is being made to the salary requirements so that a sponsored worker must be paid the required salary in each pay period, subject to the variations already permitted in the Immigration Rules. This change ensures that UK Visas & Immigration do not need to wait until a full year of salary has been paid where there are concerns about underpayment.

Sponsoring employers should ensure ongoing payroll compliance and accurate salary monitoring. The Home Office says that the changes are there to support worker welfare and ensure that when underpayment is highlighted, the sponsor is notified and has an opportunity to explain or remedy the issue at an early opportunity or for compliance action to be taken, before the individual is impacted.

Prison officers – temporary concession

Applicants will be able to switch in country from other migration routes (for example graduate) until 31 December 2026 into prison officer roles and the previous Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF 3) skills threshold will apply. Dependants already in the UK can apply to extend their stay under these arrangements. These arrangements do not apply to entry clearance applications, and no new dependants are permitted to enter the UK under these arrangements. They are being made to alleviate short-term prison capacity pressures and are time-limited and conditional.

Changes to working restrictions for asylum seekers

The new rules will align restrictions with those of the skilled worker route. Asylum seekers will be permitted access to jobs listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations at (RQF) level 6 or above which is degree level. This change aims to help individuals who can find higher skilled jobs and ease government support demands.

Global Business Mobility - secondment worker

The Secondment worker route allows overseas employers who have a high-value contract or investment with a UK organisation, worth at least £ 50 million, to temporarily send their workers to the UK. The period that the applicants for the visa must have worked for their overseas employer is being reduced from 12 months to 6 months to provide flexibility for businesses and attract more high value contracts to the UK.

Global Business Mobility – service supplier- Indian nationals

Changes will be made to include provisions for Indian nationals, following the trade agreement between the UK and India. Service suppliers in the contractual service supplier and independent categories who are providing a service will be given entry to the UK for up to 12 months’ leave at a time.

Global Talent route - expansion

The current rules will be made easier for design talent to use the visa to come to the UK. The route will be expanded to include a design pathway covering additional design roles not currently catered for. The current requirements of the appointments fast track option to clarify which talented individuals in eligible academic or research positions can access the pathway will be simplified. The simplified criteria will cover all PhD -level roles in an approved UK Higher Education Institution or research institute, where the applicant has responsibility for academic, research or innovation leadership and development., or whose role requires them to perform research or innovation as a primary function.

Visa brake

A “visa brake” is being introduced for certain nationalities where visa routes have been associated with higher asylum claim rates.

Nationals of Afghanistan will not be able to apply for entry clearance as skilled workers from 26 March 2026. This sits alongside an emergency brake to student visas from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan.

The policy aims to reduce asylum claims from individuals entering the UK on visa routes.

What changes mean for employers, businesses and migrants

Stricter requirements will be in place for settlement and migrants should be ready for these. Pay requirements are also stricter and as a result there are greater sponsor compliance obligations in this regard. Employers should ensure that they review their sponsor compliance.

Speak to one of our specialist lawyers