In December 2023, the UK government announced immigration changes, and on January 30, 2024, the Minister of State for Legal Migration and the Border issued a statement to confirm the timeline of these changes.
Key Dates for UK Immigration Changes
- For employers the key date is April 4, 2024, when the new salary rules for Skilled Worker visas will come into force.
- The Home Office intends to publish the new rules for most of the changes on March 14, 2024.
| Change | Reminder of what is changing | New rules to be published | New rules to come into force |
| Skilled Worker salary increases | Skilled Workers must be paid the higher of the general salary threshold; the going rate for the role; and £10.75 hour.
For new hires: The general salary threshold is increasing from £26,200 to £38,700. The going rates are also increasing and will be set at the 50th percentile (median) of the salary range for the role, rather the 25th percentile as has been the case to date. For existing (pre-April 4, 2024) Skilled Workers: We expect the general salary threshold will remain at £26,200 for existing pre-April 4, 2024 Skilled Workers who apply to extend, change employer or settle. The going rates will increase but not by as much as for new hires. Existing Skilled Workers will need to meet the updated (likely higher) going rates but only at the same 25th percentile, not the median. |
March 14, 2024 | April 4, 2024 |
| Skilled Worker shortage occupation list review | The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has been asked by the government to review which jobs should be on the shortage occupation list by February 23, 2024.
The list will be renamed the Immigration Salary List and the current 20% discount on going rates will be removed. Jobs on the Immigration Salary List will still benefit from a lower general threshold – possibly 80% of the new higher £38,700 general threshold, which would make the lower general threshold £30,960. But in many cases the lower threshold will be irrelevant because the new going rates will be much higher than this. |
March 14, 2024 | “Early April 2024” (exact date currently unknown) |
| Care workers cannot bring dependent family members | Where someone is sponsored to work in a qualifying health profession, the application will be considered for a Health and Care Worker visa, rather than Skilled Worker. This means the Immigration Health Surcharge does not need to be paid and there is a lower UKVI application fee.
The government has said that the new changes will mean that where a care worker or senior care worker is sponsored in a Health and Care Worker application, they will not be able to bring any dependent family members with them to the UK. This change will be significant for care homes and other healthcare providers. A further change is that care providers in England will only be able to sponsor workers if they are undertaking activities regulated by the Care Quality Commission. |
February 19, 2024 | March 11, 2024 |
| Family visa income requirements increase to £29,000 | New family visa applicants: The minimum income requirement will first increase from the current level of £18,600 to £29,000.
It will increase again at some point (the government has not said when) to around £34,500 and then finally to around £38,700 “by early 2025”. Existing pre-11 April 2024 family visa holders: The current £18,600 minimum income requirement will continue to apply to existing family visa holders. |
March 14, 2024 (for the first increase to £29,000) | April 11, 2024 (for the first increase to £29,000) |
| Review of the Graduate visa route | Overseas students who complete a degree course in the UK can apply to the Graduate route for a 2-year visa (or 3 years if they are studying for a PhD).
The government said that in January 2024 it will ask the Migration Advisory Committee to review the Graduate route to “prevent abuse, protect the integrity and quality of UK higher education and ensure it works in the best interests of the UK.” |
Migration Advisory Committee review to last until late 2024 | Unknown but presumably in 2025 |
Erickson Insights and Analysis
Many applicants may want to submit their applications before the rules change to avoid the forthcoming salary increases.
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions.