UK Immigration White Paper 2025: Every Change, and What's Actually Law in 2026

The 2025 UK immigration white paper, "Restoring control over the immigration system," set out the biggest overhaul of the points-based system in years. As of 12 June 2026, several measures are already law — the £41,700 Skilled Worker salary floor, the jump to degree-level (RQF6) jobs, and B2 English for new applicants. But the headline change everyone asks about — moving indefinite leave to remain (ILR) from 5 to 10 years under "earned settlement" — is still only proposed. The 5-year ILR route remains fully in force today.

This page is a comprehensive, evergreen guide to the whole 2025 white paper: every change, its current legal status, the exact figures, and the dates that matter. Accurate as of 12 June 2026.

Tarve is an independent information service, not a regulated immigration adviser. This article is information, not legal advice. Immigration rules change frequently — always confirm the current position on gov.uk or with a regulated adviser before acting.

What is the 2025 Immigration White Paper?

The 2025 Immigration White Paper, titled "Restoring control over the immigration system," is the UK government's policy document (published May 2025) setting out plans to cut net migration by raising skill and salary thresholds, ending overseas care worker recruitment, and reforming settlement. It is a statement of intent — individual measures only become law once enacted through the Immigration Rules.

For an authoritative, neutral overview, see the House of Commons Library briefing CBP-10267 and the white paper itself, "Restoring control over the immigration system". The analysis below is our own original summary, not a reproduction of those documents.

What's changed and what's only proposed?

Most of the white paper's Skilled Worker measures are now law. The settlement (ILR) overhaul is the major exception — it remains under consultation. Here is every change with its verified status as of 12 June 2026.

Change	Before	After	Status
ILR / settlement qualifying period ("earned settlement")	5 years	10-year baseline proposed (15 for sub-RQF6 workers)	Proposed (not yet law) — 5-year route still in force
General Skilled Worker salary threshold	£38,700	£41,700	In force (22 July 2025)
Minimum skill level	RQF3 (A-level)	RQF6 (degree)	In force (22 July 2025)
Shortage occupation route	Immigration Salary List (ISL)	Temporary Shortage List (TSL) added; most entries expire 31 Dec 2026	In force (22 July 2025)
Overseas care worker recruitment	Permitted	Ended (in-country switching until 22 July 2028)	In force (22 July 2025)
English language (new applicants)	B1	B2	In force (8 January 2026)
Immigration Skills Charge	£1,000 / £364	£1,320 / £480 (+32%)	In force (16 December 2025)
Graduate visa duration	24 months	18 months (PhD: 36 months)	Announced — applies from 1 January 2027

Is the 10-year ILR rule now law?

No. As of 12 June 2026, the 10-year ILR / "earned settlement" change is proposed, not law. The existing 5-year route to indefinite leave to remain remains fully in force. The consultation that would underpin a 10-year baseline, "A Fairer Pathway to Settlement," closed on 12 February 2026, and the Home Office is still analysing responses. Do not assume the longer qualifying period applies to you.

Here is what the white paper actually proposed — and what has and hasn't happened:

• A 10-year baseline qualifying period for standard settlement (up from 5 years), with "time adjustments" that could shorten it: roughly −5 years for earners over £50,270 or public-sector healthcare and teaching staff (settling at 5 years), −7 years for very high earners over £125,140 (settling at 3 years), and −1 year for C1 English.
• A 15-year baseline for people who came to work in occupations below RQF6 (lower-skilled roles). This is a genuine proposal — but it is proposed only, under consultation.
• Hong Kong BN(O) holders are expected to retain the 5-year route.

The only earned-settlement element actually enacted so far comes via the 5 March 2026 rules: a B2 English requirement (from March 2027) for migrants who must pass an English test to obtain ILR. Wider settlement reforms have been signalled for possible Autumn 2026, but final rules and transitional provisions have not been published. Anyone telling you "10-year ILR is now the rule" is incorrect.

We cover the proposals, the consultation, and the possible reductions in full in our deep-dive on UK earned settlement and ILR changes for 2026.

What is the minimum Skilled Worker salary now?

The current general Skilled Worker salary threshold is £41,700 per year — or the going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher. This took effect on 22 July 2025 and replaced the previous £38,700. The lower £38,700 figure is historical (it applied from 4 April 2024 to 21 July 2025) and should not be quoted as current.

The salary structure now has several bands:

• General threshold: £41,700 (or the going rate, whichever is higher).
• Lower / new-entrant / tradeable-points option: £33,400 for certain cases and Table-1 ISL roles.
• ISL / Table-2 cash floor: £25,000 (still requiring 100% of the relevant Table-2 going rate).
• Minimum hourly rate: £17.13 across all bands.
• PhD-relevant roles: £37,500.

Confirm the live figures on the gov.uk Skilled Worker visa — your job page. For a band-by-band breakdown, see our guides to UK visa sponsorship salary thresholds for 2026 and the Skilled Worker going rate in 2026.

Do Skilled Worker jobs now have to be degree level (RQF6)?

Yes. Since 22 July 2025, new Skilled Worker applicants must hold a job at RQF Level 6 (bachelor's degree equivalent) or above, up from RQF Level 3 (A-level equivalent). This removed roughly 180 occupations from eligibility, mostly mid-skilled roles that previously qualified.

There are important transitional protections: people already in the Skilled Worker route before 22 July 2025 can continue to extend, change employer, bring dependants and take supplementary employment in sub-RQF6 roles. For new applicants, sub-degree (RQF3–5) access is now available only through the Temporary Shortage List or Immigration Salary List exceptions. If you're affected, see our guide to the Immigration Salary List in 2026.

What replaced the Immigration Salary List (ISL to TSL)?

A new Temporary Shortage List (TSL) was introduced on 22 July 2025 alongside the existing Immigration Salary List. The TSL gives time-limited, sub-RQF6 access at lower Table-2 salary rates, but it is exactly that — temporary. Most ISL and TSL entries are set to expire on 31 December 2026.

Key points on the shortage-route reform:

• Most ISL/TSL entries expire 31 December 2026, with a new structure intended from 1 January 2027.
• Continued sub-degree access beyond 2026 depends on Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) recommendations.
• Care worker SOC codes (6135/6136) carry an extended removal date of 22 July 2028.

The full abolition of the ISL and the permanent shape of the TSL remain dependent on the post-2026 MAC review. Track the detail in our UK Immigration Salary List 2026 guide.

Can you still hire care workers from overseas?

No. Overseas (entry-clearance) recruitment for care worker and senior care worker roles (SOC 6135/6136) ended on 22 July 2025. Employers can no longer sponsor new care workers from outside the UK. In-country switching for care workers already in the UK is permitted during a transition period running until 22 July 2028.

If you employ or are a care worker, your remaining options now centre on in-country switching and other routes — we set these out in our guide to care worker visa options in the UK for 2026.

What English level do new applicants need (B2)?

From 8 January 2026, new Skilled Worker (and Scale-up / High Potential Individual) applicants must prove English at CEFR level B2, up from B1. gov.uk confirms that if you held your visa before 8 January 2026 and are applying to extend or update it, you still only need B1.

Separately, the white paper proposed new English requirements for adult dependants — A1 on entry, rising to A2 then B2 at later stages. Those dependant requirements are proposed and phased, and are not all in force as of 12 June 2026. Verify the current standard on the gov.uk knowledge of English page, and read our detailed walkthrough of the B2 English requirement for Skilled Worker visas in 2026.

How much is the Immigration Skills Charge now, and what's changing for students?

The Immigration Skills Charge rose by 32% from 16 December 2025 — its first increase since the charge began in 2017. Medium and large sponsors now pay £1,320 per sponsored worker per year (up from £1,000); small and charitable sponsors pay £480 (up from £364). The new rates apply to Certificates of Sponsorship issued on or after 16 December 2025.

For student sponsors, the Basic Compliance Assessment is tightening:

• From 1 June 2026: enrolment threshold rises to 95% (from 90%) and the visa refusal rate must be under 5% (from 10%), under a new Red–Amber–Green rating.
• Course completion threshold: rises to 90% from 1 June 2027 (an interim 85% applies in the 2026–27 year).

Both measures originate from the May 2025 white paper. The skills-charge increase is set out in the Immigration Skills Charge (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/1078); see the gov.uk student sponsor compliance guidance. Employers should also review our sponsor licence guide for employers in 2026.

Graduate visa: 2 years to 18 months

The Graduate route will be cut from 24 months to 18 months for applications made on or after 1 January 2027. This was announced in the May 2025 white paper and has since been put into legislation, but the shorter duration only bites for 2027 applications — so as of 12 June 2026 it is announced and legislated, not yet operative.

Two things to remember: the trigger is the application date, not the grant date — applications lodged before 1 January 2027 still receive the full 2 years; and PhD graduates keep 36 months (3 years). If you're on the Graduate route and considering your next step, see our guide to switching from a Graduate visa to Skilled Worker in the UK for 2026.

Key dates for the 2025 white paper changes

These are the dates that determine which rules apply to you. The application date is what usually matters — not when you are granted.

Date	What happens	Status
22 July 2025	Salary to £41,700; skill level to RQF6; TSL introduced; overseas care worker recruitment ends	In force
16 December 2025	Immigration Skills Charge up 32% (£1,320 / £480)	In force
8 January 2026	New applicants need B2 English (B1 for extensions of pre-8-Jan-2026 visas)	In force
12 February 2026	"A Fairer Pathway to Settlement" consultation closes	Responses being analysed
1 June 2026	Student sponsor BCA tightens (95% enrolment, <5% refusal rate)	In force
31 December 2026	Most ISL/TSL entries expire	Scheduled
1 January 2027	Graduate visa cut to 18 months (PhD 36 months); new shortage-list structure intended	Announced
March 2027	B2 English required for ILR (enacted earned-settlement element)	Announced
22 July 2028	End of in-country switching transition for care workers (SOC 6135/6136)	Scheduled

What should you do now?

Your right action depends on which change affects you and which date applies. As general information — not advice — here is how the pieces fit together:

• Worried about settlement? Remember the 5-year ILR route is still in force. Don't restructure your plans around a 10-year rule that isn't law. Read the earned settlement and ILR deep-dive to understand the proposals.
• Applying as a Skilled Worker? Check both the £41,700 general threshold and the occupation going rate — see our salary thresholds guide and going-rate guide.
• In a sub-degree role? Check whether it sits on the Immigration Salary List / TSL and note the 31 December 2026 expiry.
• A care worker or care employer? Review your care worker visa options and the 22 July 2028 switching deadline.
• On a Graduate visa? If you might apply for the route, the 1 January 2027 cut-off matters — see switching to Skilled Worker.
• Need B2 English? Plan your test early using our B2 English requirement guide.
• An employer? Budget for the higher Immigration Skills Charge and review the sponsor licence guide.

Frequently asked questions

Will the 10-year ILR rule apply to me?

Not currently. As of 12 June 2026, the move from 5 to 10 years for settlement is proposed, not law — the "A Fairer Pathway to Settlement" consultation closed on 12 February 2026 and responses are still being analysed. The 5-year ILR route remains fully in force. Whether any future 10-year baseline would apply to existing migrants is exactly what the consultation and transitional rules will decide, and those have not been published.

What is the minimum Skilled Worker salary now?

The general threshold is £41,700 per year, or the going rate for the occupation if higher — in force since 22 July 2025. A lower £33,400 option applies to certain new-entrant and tradeable-points cases, and a £25,000 cash floor applies for ISL/Table-2 roles (still at 100% of the Table-2 going rate). The old £38,700 figure is historical.

Is the Immigration Salary List being scrapped?

It is being replaced. A Temporary Shortage List was introduced on 22 July 2025, and most ISL/TSL entries are set to expire on 31 December 2026, with a new structure intended from 1 January 2027. Full abolition and the permanent replacement depend on the Migration Advisory Committee's post-2026 review.

When does the Graduate visa drop to 18 months?

For applications made on or after 1 January 2027. Applications lodged before that date still get the full 2 years, and PhD graduates keep 36 months. The trigger is the application date, not the grant date.

What English level do I need for a Skilled Worker visa?

New applicants from 8 January 2026 need CEFR level B2. If you held your visa before 8 January 2026 and are extending or updating it, you still need B1. Proposed English requirements for adult dependants (A1 rising to A2 then B2) are phased and not all in force.

Can care workers still come to the UK from overseas?

No. Overseas recruitment for care worker and senior care worker roles (SOC 6135/6136) ended on 22 July 2025. Care workers already in the UK can switch in-country during a transition period that runs until 22 July 2028.

How much is the Immigration Skills Charge in 2026?

Since 16 December 2025 it is £1,320 per sponsored worker per year for medium and large sponsors, and £480 for small and charitable sponsors — a 32% increase, the first since 2017. The rates apply to Certificates of Sponsorship issued on or after 16 December 2025.

Where can I check the current official rules?

Always confirm on gov.uk — the Skilled Worker visa — your job and knowledge of English pages are the live source for salary and English requirements. For neutral background, the House of Commons Library briefing CBP-10267 tracks the white paper measures.