On 14 October 2025, the Government published another Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules. As there is so much talk about potential changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), it’s important to remember that this is different from the Immigration White Paper. 

A White Paper is the government’s way of sharing its plans and ideas for future policy. A Statement of Changes sets out the official changes to the Immigration Rules and when those changes will take effect. In most cases, the Statement of Changes implements proposals which are first set out in the White Paper.

There are a number of changes made which can be read in the Explanatory Memorandum. The Memorandum briefly explains what the new rules mean and why they’re being made. Free Movement have also published an article with an overview of all the changes made in the 111 pages of the Statement. In this blog, we outline a few of the key changes likely to have the widest impact on our communities: 

Higher level of English requirements

From 8 January 2026, people applying for a visa under the Skilled Worker, High Potential Individual or Scale-Up routes will need to show a higher level of English. At the moment, applicants must achieve B1, but from 8 January they will need to meet B2 instead.

In simple terms, B1 means having a practical, working level of English which is enough to manage daily conversations and basic communication at work. B2 means being more confident and fluent, able to understand detailed information and express yourself clearly in more complex or professional situations.

People who are applying to live in the UK under these routes often work in roles such as nurses, carers, teachers, software developers, engineers, accountants, chefs, and other skilled positions across health care, education, technology, business, and hospitality. 

If you are already in the UK on one of these visa routes, don’t worry – the new English requirement will only apply to new applications made on or after 8 January 2026. If you already have permission to stay and met the B1 level when you applied, you will not need to meet the higher B2 level when extending your visa on the same route.

Changes to Graduate route 

From 1 January 2027, the time most graduates can stay in the UK after finishing their studies will be reduced from two years to 18 months. PhD graduates will still be able to stay for three years.

The government says the change is needed because many people using the Graduate route are taking non-graduate jobs, and that reducing the post-study period will encourage graduates to move into skilled work more quickly. This reasoning relies on a narrow and classed idea of what counts as “graduate-level” employment, overlooking the reality that many graduates take a range of roles while establishing themselves in the UK labour market.

At the moment, the Graduate route lets people who have completed a UK bachelor’s, master’s, or other eligible qualification stay in the UK to work or look for work without needing a sponsor.

Changes to the Seasonal Worker route

Seasonal workers will now be allowed to work in the UK for up to six months in any 10-month period, instead of six months in any 12-month period as before.

This means people will have to spend at least four months outside the UK before they can apply to return for seasonal work again. The new rules apply for applications made on or after 11 November 2025.

Increase in Immigration Skills Charge

The government also announced an increase to the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) which is the fee that employers pay each year when they sponsor someone to work in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa or other temporary route. The charge, first introduced in 2017 at £1,000 per year, will rise to £1,320 per year. The government says this change is to keep the fee in line with inflation and to encourage employers to train and invest in the UK workforce instead of relying on overseas recruitment. There has been no date given as to when this will begin.

Employers who recruit from abroad already pay a number of additional costs, such as the visa application fee, the Immigration Health Surcharge, the annual sponsor licence fee, and various legal or compliance costs. Recruiting internationally is therefore already expensive and complex, and this increase adds to that cost.

While this change mainly affects employers, it’s useful for workers sponsored from overseas to be aware of it. In some cases, employers might try to recover these higher costs through salary negotiations, deductions, or shorter contracts. If this happens, it’s important to check your employment contract carefully and get independent advice from a trade union, migrant worker organisation, or advice charity before agreeing to any changes.

These changes may not affect everyone in the same way, but it’s important we stay informed and support one another through them. More changes are expected that could affect people in our communities. We’ll keep breaking them down, explaining what’s changing, and making sure clear information is available to everyone who needs it.