Recently, the UK government released the "Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules" and announced that the new policy will officially take effect on July 22.
The core changes regarding work visas include: a significant increase in the salary threshold, a bachelor's degree becoming the minimum requirement, and restrictions on overseas recruitment for care sector positions.
Source: UK Home Office "Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules"
Following the May immigration white paper proposing to extend the work visa to settlement route from 5 to 10 years, this is undoubtedly another major blow to the international student community. The new policy significantly raises the threshold for staying in the UK and also places higher demands on students' choice of majors and job preparation.
CheersYou（清柚教育） will analyze the key policy adjustments, their actual impact on international students, and coping suggestions, helping everyone break it down piece by piece.
UK Work Visa Policy Enters Its Strictest Mode
Salary Threshold Significantly Increased
The most direct impact of this new policy is the significant increase in the skilled worker visa salary requirement. The minimum annual salary has risen from £38,700 to £41,700, an increase of 7.75%, while the new entrant salary threshold has also been raised from £30,960 to £33,400.
Source: Forbes
This adjustment may seem modest, but considering the current state of the UK job market, its impact is profound. Data from the Office for National Statistics shows that the national average annual salary is around £37,000, while graduate starting salaries generally range between £30,000 and £32,000, below the new visa threshold.
Source: Office for National Statistics
The new policy will directly affect the pathways to staying in the UK for workers in many mid-to-low-salary industries. According to the 2024 salary survey by the Office for National Statistics, the annual salaries of many common occupations fall far below the visa threshold, such as librarians, teaching assistants, graphic designers, journalism and publishing roles, photography and creative positions, etc. In contrast, only a few high-paying roles such as data analysts, software engineers, and financial analysts can meet the new requirements.
This means that after the new policy is implemented, many industries that were once considered stable pathways for staying in the UK will be eliminated from the work visa competition due to salary non-compliance.
Annual full-time gross income by occupation / Source: Forbes
Even more challenging is that the new policy provides no transition period. From July 22, even work visa holders who have already been approved must meet the new standards upon renewal and settlement. Given the current persistent inflationary pressures and economic downturn in the UK, whether employers can consistently offer salary increases that meet the requirements will become a real challenge for many visa holders.
Salary standards for other visa types have also seen varying degrees of increase, including STEM PhD positions and Immigration Salary List (ISL) roles, and attention must be paid to their respective applicable thresholds.
Skill and Education Thresholds Become "Elitist"
The UK government has explicitly raised the skill threshold for eligible occupations from the previous RQF Level 3 (equivalent to A-Level, i.e., high school graduation) to RQF Level 6 or above, equivalent to a bachelor's degree or higher in the UK.
According to Home Office estimates, this move will result in approximately 180 previously eligible positions being removed, further tightening the scope of work visas.
Source: UK Home Office "Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules"
After Brexit in 2020, the UK temporarily lowered the work visa threshold to fill labor shortages, but this was followed by a significant increase in work visa applications and overseas migration, along with exploitation of overseas labor in some sectors. This increase in the education threshold is one of the government's measures to control quantity and improve quality.
Care Sector Recruitment Restrictions Tightened
The care sector, once a stepping stone for staying in the UK, is directly affected by this new policy reform. After implementation, overseas recruitment for care sector positions via work visas will no longer be permitted.
Previously, in the immigration white paper, the UK government indicated it was overhauling the overseas employment structure in the care industry and planned to significantly reduce the number of work visas issued in this sector.
The good news is that this adjustment includes a transition period until July 22, 2028, during which existing workers can continue to legally work in the UK, but new overseas applications will not be accepted.
Source: UK Home Office "Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules"
Establishment of a Temporary Shortage Occupation List with Limited Opportunities
To alleviate labor shortages in key industries, the UK government has introduced a temporary shortage occupation list, allowing the recruitment of foreign workers for positions that are below degree level but critical to key infrastructure construction or industrial strategy.
The list covers a very broad range of occupational types, including familiar creative roles as well as core infrastructure and industrial chain jobs, for example:
-
Advertising and marketing assistants, data analysts, translators and writers
-
IT operations and user support staff, electricians and air conditioning maintenance technicians
-
Welders, construction supervisors, shipbuilders and repairers
-
Dancers, fashion designers, visual merchandisers
Although these positions are recognized as shortage occupations, they come with strict restrictions, such as not being allowed to bring dependents and no visa fee concessions, making conditions even harsher.
Below is part of the list:
Source: WorkPermit Cloud UK
Staying in the UK Will Shift to an "Elite Pathway"
The introduction of the new policy is, to some extent, a correction of the previously relaxed policies and also reflects the UK government's "double standard" on immigration: it needs foreign labor to support the economy but does not want immigration to impact the local job market and social welfare system.
As of March 2025, the UK is still grappling with severe labor shortages. Although job vacancies have decreased by 32% compared to January last year, nearly one-third of UK businesses still face labor shortages. The Bank of England expects the unemployment rate in the first quarter of 2025 to be around 4.5%, with over 9 million people aged 16-64 neither working nor looking for work.
Source: Office for National Statistics
For international students, the new policy undoubtedly increases the difficulty of staying in the UK, such as a significant reduction in low-threshold work visa pathways, much higher thresholds for renewal and settlement, and compressed career choices. Particularly for fresh graduates preparing to apply for the Graduate Route or skilled worker visas, the higher salary thresholds and employer sponsorship requirements will pose substantial challenges.
On a deeper level, the new policy adjustments also reflect the UK government's preference for high-skilled, highly educated, and high-income talent, marking a shift from previously relatively diverse pathways to a singular "elite pathway" for staying in the UK.
The exit of low-skilled roles may reduce some competition, giving an edge to applicants with genuinely high qualifications and professional skills. High-barrier fields such as technology, finance, engineering, and data are becoming the main destinations, and future employment competition will increasingly focus on competence and background relevance rather than relying on policy loopholes or luck.
UK Engineering Career Growth Trends / Source: Engineering UK
Previously, the UK immigration white paper also proposed several measures that could affect international students, including taxing universities on the revenue from enrolling international students and shortening the Graduate Route from two years to 18 months. Although these measures have not yet been formally legislated, they send a clear signal of tightening for studying abroad.
Source: GOV.UK
In the future, the overall direction of the UK's study abroad and immigration policies will become tougher, and students planning to go to/stay in the UK need to make comprehensive plans and preparations in advance.
If you wish to stay in the UK in the future, it is recommended to clarify your career direction as early as possible, focus on high-demand industries, make full use of internship opportunities during your student visa, and strive to secure employer sponsorship in advance. At the same time, systematically improve your language skills, experience, and networks to enhance your competitiveness, maintain a certain sensitivity to policy changes, adjust your career development plan at any time, and be employment-oriented.
Against the backdrop of changing policies worldwide, CheersYou（清柚教育） also advises study abroad applicants to learn more about the study and employment policies of various countries/regions and choose the most suitable destination and application direction based on their own circumstances. Applying to multiple countries simultaneously has become the norm, allowing you to decide after holding several offers to reduce risks.
Whether studying or seeking employment, early planning and serious preparation can maximize the probability of success. Be sure to pay more attention to policy changes and flexibly adjust your strategy.
Wishing everyone success in their studies and work!
