UK Skilled Worker Visa Changes and Immigration Rules for 2025

The UK’s new immigration rules for 2025 have already spelt big changes for the Skilled Worker visa – and an even bigger shift is on the way. Here’s what employers and candidates should know. 

Updated 2 June 2025 | By Alex Schulte

2025 marks a major year of change for UK immigration. The Government has confirmed it will overhaul eligibility for the Skilled Worker visa and other key pathways, and implement more stringent compliance requirements for settling in the UK. These policy shifts will rearrange the rules of workforce mobility. 

In March, the Home Office published the latest statement of changes to the Immigration Rules. Since then, the Government’s new white paper has set out the direction of immigration policy for the remainder of this parliament. You can read about all its proposed changes to UK immigration rules in our extensive analysis of the white paper here.

But the proposals in the white paper will take some time to become law. For now, the existing visa regulations outlined in this article are the rules you need to follow to be compliant. 

From sponsorship costs to electronic travel authorisation (ETA) requirements, these are the current UK visa and immigration rules for Summer 2025. 

For even more information on the Skilled Worker visa changes and the future of UK visa policy, download the complete guide to UK immigration rules in 2025. 

UK Skilled Worker and Immigration 2025: Key Updates

Please note that none of these changes reflect the proposals made in the Government’s recent white paper, which has not yet entered into law. This information only relates to the current legal requirements as of June 2025.

1. Sponsorship and Skilled Worker Visa Changes

The biggest update applies to employers in the care sector.

• As of 9 April 2025, care providers in England must recruit from those already in the UK on the Skilled Worker visa route before seeking to hire from abroad. Sponsors will need confirmation from the relevant regional partnership that they tried to recruit domestically.
• In addition, the minimum salary for health and care workers on the Skilled Worker visa route increased on 9 April to £25,000. This has also caused the going rates for healthcare and education occupations to rise.
• Entry-level Band 3 roles in healthcare will no longer meet the salary threshold
• The immigration white paper discloses that care providers soon will no longer be able to hire from abroad at all

Enforcement measures are also becoming stricter. Over the past few years, UKVI has made it crystal clear that enforcing sponsor compliance is a top priority. In 2024, the government took a stricter and more focused approach to sponsor licence compliance. Notably, 513 skilled worker sponsor licences had been revoked by Q3 of 2024, surpassing the total of 377 revocations in all of 2023.

Sponsorship is viewed as a privilege to be earned and not a right. We expect that this scrutiny will continue to increase throughout 2025.

Change of Employment Clarification

A worker does not need to apply for a change of employment if the employer changes but the sponsor remains the same — for example, if the new employer is a registered branch of the existing sponsor.

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has already begun implementing measures and updated its guidance to introduce a new set of restrictions on skilled worker sponsors from passing on the cost of a sponsor licence application or associated administrative costs to a sponsored worker.

Key Personnel Restrictions

The Home Office may now refuse a sponsor licence application if a member of the proposed Key Personnel has been named on a previously refused application within the past 6 months.

Defined CoS: New Wording

Sponsors may apply for a defined CoS even before selecting a candidate, as long as they “reasonably anticipate” the need to sponsor a worker outside the UK. This is a shift from the earlier requirement to simply “think” a worker might be needed. The practical application of this change remains to be seen.

2. New Sponsorship Costs for Skilled Workers

The UK government has implemented a significant policy shift regarding sponsorship costs for skilled workers. Effective 31 December 2024, sponsors are prohibited from passing on certain sponsorship costs to skilled workers. This change aims to address concerns about work-related debt and exploitation.

The following costs are now prohibited from being passed on to sponsored employees:

• Sponsor Licence Fee: This includes the fee for new sponsor licence applications or adding the Skilled Worker route to an existing licence, submitted from December 31, 2024, onwards. 
• Certificate of Sponsorship Fee: It is now prohibited to pass on the fee for a Certificate of Sponsorship assigned on or after December 31 2024. 

These prohibitions align with the existing rule against passing the Immigration Skills Charge to workers. Other immigration-related costs, such as visa application fees, Home Office commercial partner service charges, and Immigration Health Surcharges, can still be recouped by the employer.

3. Global Talent Visa: New Evidential Requirements 

The Global Talent visa is designed to admit leaders in academia, arts and culture and digital technology. As of April 2025, the government has adjusted some of the application requirements.

• Professional CV and Letters: From 9 April 2025, all Global Talent Visa applicants in Arts, Culture, Architecture, Fashion, PACT, and Digital Technology must submit a professional CV and letters of support demonstrating a relevant working relationship with the referee in their field.

• Specificity: Letters must now explicitly confirm the applicant has worked with the referee in a relevant, field-specific capacity27.

4. Penalties for Non-Compliance

Non-compliance with these new regulations can lead to the revocation of your sponsor licence. This can result in reputational damage, financial losses, and significant disruption for existing sponsored workers.

Employer Responsibilities

Employers should take the following steps to ensure compliance:

• Review and Update Policies: Review and update internal immigration policies and employment policies related to sponsorship costs. 
• Review and Update Agreements: Review and update employment contracts, side letters, and “clawback” agreements related to sponsorship costs. 
• Budgetary Considerations: Assess the impact of these changes on the company’s immigration budget and its potential consequences for future recruitment and sponsorship. 
• Stay in the Loop: Changes to UKVI policy will continue, so it will be important to remain on top of key changes.

2. Electronic Travel Authorisation Scheme

The ETA grants permission to travel to the United Kingdom, in a similar way to the US’s Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The ETA applies to UK visitors who do not need a visa for tourism, transit, visiting family and friends, business, or short-term study. It also applies to those coming to the UK for up to three months on the Creative Worker visa concession and to those coming for a permitted paid engagement.

From 9 April, the fee for an ETA application rises from £10 to £16.

It is not applicable for those who hold a UK visa, those with permission to reside to live, work, or study in the United Kingdom, or for British or Irish nationals.

Key Dates And Eligibility

The scheme became mandatory for non-European nationals, including US nationals, on 8 January 2025. The rollout dates are as follows:

• Non-European Nationals: From January 8, 2025, eligible non-European nationals needed an ETA for travel to or transit through the United Kingdom
• European Nationals: Eligible European nationals could apply from 5 March 2025, and needed an ETA from 2 April 2025. 
• Universal Requirement: Starting in April 2025, all travellers to the United Kingdom (except British and Irish nationals) need either an ETA or an eVisa. 

UK ETA vs UK Visitor Visa

The ETA is not a visa and does not grant the right to live or work in the United Kingdom. The visitor visa rules still bind visitors, and they must comply with these regulations. Those needing to work in the United Kingdom must obtain the appropriate visa before travelling.

Employer Responsibilities

1. Employers should review their travel needs for the next six to eight months to ensure that affected overseas employees have the necessary ETAs. Failing to obtain an ETA can lead to delays or refusal of entry to the United Kingdom.
2. Employers may also wish to provide updates to their employees on the rollout of the scheme.
3. Employees should ensure that they have sufficient passport validity and ensure timely submission of their ETA application. Employees should flag any concerns they may have about the application as soon as possible.

3. Transition to eVisas

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will continue the transition to a fully digital immigration system. In 2024, the process began to replace physical documents, such as the biometric residence permit (BRP), with digital eVisas. UKVI has confirmed that expired documents will be valid for international travel for a limited time until 31 March 2025.

This is because individuals were facing technical issues in obtaining eVisas, plus concerns that the technical issues could lead to a Windrush-style scandal. This extended timeline will most likely be kept under review.

Employer Responsibilities

If your employees hold a BRP, they can continue to use it as evidence of their permission to travel to the UK until 31 March 2025. They should still create an eVisa account on the gov.uk website (if they have not already done so).  

Creating an eVisa account will allow your employees to access and update their immigration status online, as well as provide evidence of their right to work and right to rent.

4. Changes to Students and Graduates Switching to the Skilled Worker Route

The Graduate visa remains a valuable option for businesses seeking to hire international graduates from UK universities.

As of 22 November last year, the “Tier 4” student graduate switching to a Skilled Worker Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is no longer available on the sponsor management system. 

The way that CoS are assigned to individuals who are switching from the student or graduate route into the skilled worker route has been updated. This is now reflected in each company’s sponsor licence system. 

Those who wish to sponsor a worker with current permission as a student who wants to apply to a skilled worker route must now use the new CoS category of “Skilled Work (Student course complete switching to Skilled Worker)”. 

Students directly switching to the Skilled Worker route will continue to be exempt from the immigration skills charge. 

This change has been welcomed as many sponsors could mistakenly choose the incorrect category when trying to sponsor graduates, which can lead to either a refusal or a delay in making a decision on the application.

Employer Responsibilities

Industries such as technology, finance, and healthcare have leveraged the Graduate visa to address skill shortages. The visa’s flexibility means that employers don’t need to apply for a Certificate of Sponsorship. 

As the UK government reviews post-study work policies, businesses should monitor potential changes that could enhance or restrict access to international graduates.

5. Right-to-Work Checks

When hiring individuals, it is paramount that right-to-work checks are correctly carried out. This is particularly the case for those who hold a sponsor licence and are hiring individuals from abroad. 

Extension of Who is Subject to Right-to-Work Checks

As of 23 September last year, the right-to-work guidance also applies to employers who employ staff under a service or apprenticeship, as well as via the use of a contract of employment, whether express or implied and whether oral or in writing. This means that where the worker is not a direct employee, the right-to-work check must be carried out, and evidence must be kept that this has been undertaken. Once this has been completed, the business will have complied with its sponsor duties.

Employer Responsibilities

The employer is considered liable for the civil penalty if the right-to-work checks are not carried out correctly. It is the liability of the employer and not the members of staff carrying out the checks. Even if a business is using an external identity service provider, it is the employer’s obligation to ensure compliance. 

The employer will still be liable for the civil penalty in two cases. First, if it is found at a later date that an employee is working without the relevant right to work. Secondly, if it is “reasonably apparent” that the check was not carried out correctly. A check being carried out by a third party is not a statutory excuse unless the check is made on British and Irish nationals who hold a valid passport.

6. Work Visa Fees are Rising

The cost of a visa to work in the UK is going up across the board, including for the Skilled Worker visa. The following visa fees all increased on 9 April.

• Skilled Worker (3 years or less): £719 to £769
• Skilled Worker (over 3 years): £1,420 to £1,519
• Health & Care Worker (3 years or less): £284 to £304
• Health & Care Worker (over 3 years): £551 to £590
• Senior or Specialist Worker (up to 3 years): £719 to £769
• Senior or Specialist Worker (more than 3 years): £1,420 to £1,519

7. Other Changes to UK Visa Policy

A few other miscellaneous changes to UK immigration and visa policy have also come into effect in 2025.

• From 9 April, administrative review no longer serves as the mechanism to challenge incorrect conditions and length of immigration permission

• As of 9 April 2025, British Nationals (Overseas) passport holders are exempt from the ETA requirement, aligning their status with British and Irish citizens for short visits

• As of 12 March 2025, all nationals of Trinidad and Tobago require a visa to enter the UK, including for short visits and transit. The ETA scheme is no longer available to them.

• French national children (aged 18 and under) visiting as part of a French school group are now exempt from ETA requirements

• Changes to the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme will extend its validity further

• Most UK Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) expired on 31 December 2024, with the Home Office intending to phase out other physical documents by mid-2025

• New evidential requirements now apply to the Global Talent visa route

• The Migration Advisory Committee is reviewing family route financial requirements, with a report due in June 2025 and potential rule changes in the autumn.

Looking Ahead

2025 has already seen a flurry of changes to UK immigration rules. Digitalisation, new restrictions on care workers and higher administrative fees for visa have all materially impacted how businesses and skilled workers can operate in Britian. 

But the biggest changes are yet to come. The Government’s recent white paper signals that days in which employers could hire foreign nationals with sub-degree-level qualifications are coming to a close. According to the new policy proposals, the minimum level of qualifications needed to move to the UK will rise from RQF Level 3 (equivalent to a UK A-level) to RQF Level 6 (equivalent to a bachelor’s degree). The minimum salary threshold will also rise by an unspecified amount, while English language proficiency requirements are also set to be made more stringent. Most eyecatchingly of all, there will be no more visas issued for foreign social care workers.

Read our full analysis of these new changes to get ready, but remember: none of the white paper’s proposals have not yet been formalised into law. It will take the approval of Parliament in some cases before they come into effect. We cannot yet offer a timescale for this, but we will keep you updated as soon as we know more.

In the meantime, the information we have provided here remains the most accurate resource of the UK immigration and visa rules you have to comply with in June 2025.

Download the complete 2025 guide to UK immigration policy now.

FAQs on UK Immigration and Skilled Worker Rules in 2025

What are the new sponsorship costs in 2025?

From 9 April 2025, sponsorship costs for UK employers have increased, reflecting the government’s aim to manage net migration. The sponsor licence fee is now £1,579 for medium or large sponsors and £574 for small businesses or charities.

The Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) fee for Skilled Worker and most other routes increased sharply from £239 to £525, a 120% increase. Temporary Worker CoS fees also increased from £25 to £55. Employers should review budgets and ensure compliance with the latest fee structure. 

How have visa and application fees changed in 2025?

Most UK visa and nationality fees have increased by 5–10% from April 2025. For example, the Innovator Founder visa fee is now £1,274, and the Start-up visa is £465. Check the Home Office website for the latest fee tables.

What are the new minimum salary thresholds for Skilled Worker visas?

The minimum salary threshold for Skilled Worker visa applicants has increased to £38,700 per year (or the going rate for the role, if higher). The minimum salary threshold for the Health and Care visa subroute has increased to £25000. Some roles in health and care, and those qualifying as “new entrants,” may have different thresholds. Employers must ensure all offers meet these new requirements.

Can employers recoup sponsorship costs from sponsored workers?

No. From January 2025, it is prohibited for employers to recoup or attempt to recoup sponsorship-related fees from sponsored workers. Breaches can result in licence revocation.

Do sponsor licences still need to be renewed?

No. From April 2024, sponsor licences are now valid for 10 years and renew automatically unless there is a compliance issue. This reduces administrative burdens on employers.

What are the new recruitment rules for care providers in England?

From 9 April 2025, care providers in England must demonstrate they have tried to recruit care workers already in England before sponsoring new overseas workers. This is part of a government effort to prioritize domestic recruitment in the care sector

Who needs an ETA to travel to the UK?

From April 2025, most visitors from countries previously eligible for visa-free travel—including EU and EEA nationals—must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before entering the UK. The ETA is required for tourism, short-term business, study or transit. It is not a visa but digital pre-clearance, valid for two years or until the passport expires, and allows multiple visits of up to six months each.

Are there any exemptions to the ETA requirement?

Yes. British and Irish citizens, as well as British Nationals (Overseas) passport holders, are exempt from the ETA. Additionally, children under 18 traveling as part of an organized French school group do not need an ETA

How much does an ETA cost and how do I apply?

The ETA costs £16. Applications are made online, requiring a valid passport, email address, and payment method. Approval is usually quick, but travellers are advised to apply in advance of travel.

Can businesses still hire international graduates?

Yes, the Graduate visa allows businesses to hire international graduates without sponsorship for up to two years post-study.

Are there penalties for non-compliance with sponsorship rules?

Yes. From 2025, penalties for employing illegal workers have doubled to £60,000 per worker. Repeat offenders may face two-year bans from sponsoring. Employers are also prohibited from passing sponsorship costs (including licence and CoS fees) to workers, with licence revocation possible for breaches

How can businesses stay updated on immigration policies?

Employers should regularly check the official GOV.UK website for immigration updates, subscribe to alerts from reputable immigration law firms, and consult with immigration specialists to ensure compliance and strategic workforce planning. You can also subscribe to Centuro Global’s newsletter for the latest UK immigration and regulatory changes, as soon as they’re announced.