News29 January 20262 min read
Home Office rules for Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility and Scale-up visas shift to graduate-level skills and elevated salary requirements, mostly from 22 July 2025. Over 100 lower-skilled roles like chefs are removed from eligibility lists. VisaHQ reports these as the biggest changes since Brexit, per WestBridge Immigration analysis.
Recent Home Office announcements outline substantial revisions to key work visa categories, according to a VisaHQ report citing WestBridge Immigration Services. These adjustments, laid before Parliament in late January 2026, generally take effect from 22 July 2025 and prioritise higher-skilled roles.
This summarises public sources and is not legal advice. Rules can change; always check official Home Office guidance for the latest details.
The Home Office describes these as the most significant Immigration Rules rewrite since Brexit, per VisaHQ coverage from 29 January 2026.
These proposals, flagged by Five Star International and reported by VisaHQ on 29 January 2026, could generate an extra £269 million annually, with no set implementation date yet.
Investigations target abuse of the Skilled Worker route via fabricated jobs and Certificates of Sponsorship, as exposed by The Times and covered by VisaHQ on 28 January 2026. Up to 26 agents offered services for fees reaching £13,000, linked to over 250 suspicious CoS.
Officials warn of penalties for proven fraud; compliance checks on sponsors are underway.
Most take effect from 22 July 2025, according to Home Office rules laid in January 2026 as reported by VisaHQ.
Over 100 roles below RQF Level 6, like certain chef positions, are generally excluded from Skilled Worker eligibility lists.
Proposals for ETA, CoS and naturalisation hikes are under review, with potential to raise £269m yearly per VisaHQ.
Home Office rules for Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility and Scale-up visas shift to graduate-level skills and elevated salary requirements, mostly from 22 July 2025. Over 100 lower-skilled roles like chefs are removed from eligibility lists. VisaHQ reports these as the biggest changes since Brexit, per WestBridge Immigration analysis.
Recent Home Office announcements outline substantial revisions to key work visa categories, according to a VisaHQ report citing WestBridge Immigration Services. These adjustments, laid before Parliament in late January 2026, generally take effect from 22 July 2025 and prioritise higher-skilled roles.
This summarises public sources and is not legal advice. Rules can change; always check official Home Office guidance for the latest details.
The Home Office describes these as the most significant Immigration Rules rewrite since Brexit, per VisaHQ coverage from 29 January 2026.
These proposals, flagged by Five Star International and reported by VisaHQ on 29 January 2026, could generate an extra £269 million annually, with no set implementation date yet.
Investigations target abuse of the Skilled Worker route via fabricated jobs and Certificates of Sponsorship, as exposed by The Times and covered by VisaHQ on 28 January 2026. Up to 26 agents offered services for fees reaching £13,000, linked to over 250 suspicious CoS.
Officials warn of penalties for proven fraud; compliance checks on sponsors are underway.
Most take effect from 22 July 2025, according to Home Office rules laid in January 2026 as reported by VisaHQ.
Over 100 roles below RQF Level 6, like certain chef positions, are generally excluded from Skilled Worker eligibility lists.
Proposals for ETA, CoS and naturalisation hikes are under review, with potential to raise £269m yearly per VisaHQ.