In October 2025, the UK Government announced changes to the immigration rules and sponsorship process. We highlight 5 of the most important changes for employers and sponsors in the UK.
1. Graduate visa: reduction in length (for most)
At present, the Graduate route allows graduates of UK universities on Student visas to obtain a two-year visa to live and work in the UK.
For Graduate visa applications submitted from 1 January 2027, this two-year visa period will reduce to 18 months.
This will not affect PhD graduates, for whom the Graduate visa period is currently 3 years (and will remain the same).
Planning ahead, employers should consider:
- The changes will impact 2027 graduates (most likely graduating summer 2027) onwards.
- Implications for graduate recruitment programmes.
- If employers don’t sponsor Graduate visa holders from the outset, they may need to sponsor from the 18-month point – however, this may not always be an option given the recent increases to sponsorship salary thresholds.
2. English language requirement: minimum level increasing
The minimum level of English to sponsor a Skilled Worker will increase from Level B1 to B2 for visa applications submitted from 8 January 2026.
This won’t apply to anyone with existing permission based on B1 English - they will be able to extend their existing visa without having to demonstrate the higher B2 level.
The increase will also apply to Scale-up applications and High Potential Individual applications.
Employers considering sponsoring an individual who needs to demonstrate their level of English may want to bring forward sponsorship and visa application submissions if meeting the new standard could be a problem, or if it would mean that the individual has to sit a new test or obtain alternative proof of English-language skills.
3. Increase to immigration fees
The immigration skills charge is expected to rise to the following rates from 16 December 2025:
- Small / charitable sponsors: £480 for the first 12 months, then £240 per additional 6-months
- All other sponsors: £1,320 for the first 12 months, then £660 per additional 6-months.
Employers may want to consider assigning a certificate of sponsorship before the increase, where feasible. If you need advice on whether this is practical in your case please get in touch.
From 21 October 2025, some employer priority fees increased:
- expediting a qualifying change of circumstance request by a sponsor (such as an undefined COS application): now £350 per request (previously £200)
- priority processing for a sponsor licence application: now £750 (previously £500).
4. High Potential Individuals: expansion of eligiblity, but cap on numbers
The High Potential Individual visa allows graduates of certain top non-UK Universities to work in the UK for a temporary period. From 4 November 2025, the number of eligible institutions will double, resulting in more graduates being eligible.
However, there will be a cap of 8,000 visas per year.
Employers may start to see more job applicants in the UK with this type of visa. Individuals with this temporary visa are likely to want sponsorship before its expiry if they plan to live in the UK.
5. Visa rules: visa nationals list update
The list of nationalities requiring a visitor visa to enter the UK has been extended to include:
- Botswanan nationals (since 14 October 2025)
- Palestinian nationals (from 11 November 2025).
Factor in additional time to obtain these visas if you plan to host visitors from these countries in the UK. Transitional arrangements apply to Botswanan nationals with confirmed bookings for travel to the UK made before 15:00 BST on 14 October 2025 for arrivals in the UK no later than 15:00 GMT on 25 November 2025.
Looking ahead: consultations
- Consultation on settlement: The UK Government intends to consult later this year on changing the route to settlement in the UK under certain routes, including extending the number of years’ continuous residence in the UK from 5 to 10 years.
- Consultation on right-to-work checks: A 6-week public consultation on expanding right-to-work checks to a wider range of working arrangements is expected to begin this year.
If you have any questions about these changes, or if you require any assistance with upcoming sponsorships, please get in contact with a member of the Brodies Employment & Immigration team.
