News28 January 20262 min read
Sponsors have just over a week to assign Certificates of Sponsorship under existing Skilled Worker visa rules, according to reports. Upcoming changes include a salary threshold increase from £38,700 to £41,700 and removal of around 180 occupation codes. From late July, generally only degree-level roles will qualify for sponsorship.
Reports indicate that UK sponsors have approximately one week remaining to allocate Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) if they wish for applications to be evaluated under the present Skilled Worker visa criteria. Immigration lawyer Ashley Fleming highlighted this timeline in The Scotsman, as noted by VisaHQ.
Significant rule changes take effect from 22 July 2025, potentially affecting eligibility for many roles. This is general information from VisaHQ and scottishlegal.com; outcomes depend on individual circumstances.
| Aspect | Current Rules | New Rules (from 22 July 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Salary Threshold | £38,700 | £41,700 |
| Occupation Codes | Includes ~180 more codes | Many removed; RQF 6 focus |
| Shortage Lists | Standard ISL | Expanded ISL + Temporary List (expires 2026) |
These adjustments aim to refine the sponsorship scheme, which supports migrants in shortage occupations via approved employers. According to the VisaHQ article referencing scottishlegal.com, employers seeking to sponsor workers in lower-skilled roles face stricter conditions post-change.
Details are based on reports from VisaHQ and The Scotsman. Rules can evolve; always verify with official UK government sources like gov.uk.
Applications submitted post-22 July 2025 typically fall under the updated criteria, per VisaHQ reports citing The Scotsman.
Generally, those on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List, both temporary until end-2026, according to the source.
Official lists are maintained on gov.uk; changes remove about 180 codes as flagged by Ashley Fleming.
Sponsors and applicants should monitor official updates, as the rules state specific eligibility tied to salary, occupation, and qualification levels.
Sponsors have just over a week to assign Certificates of Sponsorship under existing Skilled Worker visa rules, according to reports. Upcoming changes include a salary threshold increase from £38,700 to £41,700 and removal of around 180 occupation codes. From late July, generally only degree-level roles will qualify for sponsorship.
Reports indicate that UK sponsors have approximately one week remaining to allocate Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) if they wish for applications to be evaluated under the present Skilled Worker visa criteria. Immigration lawyer Ashley Fleming highlighted this timeline in The Scotsman, as noted by VisaHQ.
Significant rule changes take effect from 22 July 2025, potentially affecting eligibility for many roles. This is general information from VisaHQ and scottishlegal.com; outcomes depend on individual circumstances.
| Aspect | Current Rules | New Rules (from 22 July 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Salary Threshold | £38,700 | £41,700 |
| Occupation Codes | Includes ~180 more codes | Many removed; RQF 6 focus |
| Shortage Lists | Standard ISL | Expanded ISL + Temporary List (expires 2026) |
These adjustments aim to refine the sponsorship scheme, which supports migrants in shortage occupations via approved employers. According to the VisaHQ article referencing scottishlegal.com, employers seeking to sponsor workers in lower-skilled roles face stricter conditions post-change.
Details are based on reports from VisaHQ and The Scotsman. Rules can evolve; always verify with official UK government sources like gov.uk.
Applications submitted post-22 July 2025 typically fall under the updated criteria, per VisaHQ reports citing The Scotsman.
Generally, those on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List, both temporary until end-2026, according to the source.
Official lists are maintained on gov.uk; changes remove about 180 codes as flagged by Ashley Fleming.
Sponsors and applicants should monitor official updates, as the rules state specific eligibility tied to salary, occupation, and qualification levels.