The United Kingdom has updated its immigration rules, affecting both current residents and prospective foreign workers and students seeking to settle in the UK.
The United Kingdom has revamped the nation’s immigration rules, impacting not only the current residents but also those foreign workers and students who wish to settle in the UK. Many of these changes have taken effect from January 8, affecting various immigration and work visa categories.
Skilled Worker Visa
Foreign workers making their first application for permission as a Skilled Worker on or after 8 January 2026 will need to show English language competence to at least level B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Earlier, the worker was required to have English language skills at level B1 or higher on the Common European Framework of Reference for languages in all 4 components (speaking, listening, reading, writing).
New applicants for Skilled Worker, Scale-up and High Potential Individual visas will need B2 English (a higher standard than the current B1) from 8 January 2026. With effect from January 8, 2026, the English language proficiency criterion for the High Potential Individual, Skilled Worker, and Scale-up pathways has been raised from B1 Level to B2 Level.
The impact will be felt by low- and medium-skilled workers, as the new rule will restrict work visa opportunities for them.
The Skilled Worker route is for employers to recruit people to work in the UK. A Skilled Worker must have a job offer in an eligible skilled occupation from a Home Office-approved sponsor. An initial reduction to the list of jobs eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship took effect on 22 July 2025. The revised list will be in place until the end of 2026.
New UK Entry Rule
Visitors from 85 countries, including the United States, Canada, and France, who do not require a visa, will be unable to legally enter the UK without an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) beginning February 25, 2026.
All eligible non-European visitors can apply for an ETA and already need one to travel to the UK from 8 January 2025. From April 2025, all visitors to the UK who do not need a visa for short stays and who do not already have a UK immigration status are required to have an ETA.
Once granted, ETAs are digitally linked to a traveller’s passport and allow for stays of up to six months at a time – including both short trips and more extended stays. An ETA is not a visa; it is a digital permission to travel.
Settlement in UK
Under the current rules, Settlement, also known as the ‘indefinite leave to remain’, is automatically granted to immigrants after living for 5 years in the country. Settlement refers to an immigrant’s right to live in the UK permanently without any immigration restrictions.
The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood proposed significant modifications to the UK’s legal migration model. One of the biggest proposals is to change the Settlement rules by shifting the starting point for settlement from 5 years to 10.
According to KPMG, the consultation is open until 12 February 2026. At this point, no changes have been made, and no date for implementation has been announced, although the government has indicated it is aiming to begin implementing the changes beginning in April 2026.
Cost of Study
The cost of studying in the UK will also go up for international students. The financial requirement for student visas has been increased for the 2025-2026 academic year, meaning foreign students will have to demonstrate they have sufficient funds to support themselves.
Currently, you need £1,483 per month (for up to 9 months) for courses in London and £1,136 per month (for up to 9 months) for courses outside London. You must have this money for at least 28 consecutive days. The end date of the 28 days must be within 31 days of the date you apply for your visa.
The cost of studying in the UK has also gone up after the introduction of a ‘levy on university income from international students’.
The additional fee is expected to be passed on to overseas students, making studying in the UK more expensive than before. The tuition fees for undergraduate degrees in the 2025/26 academic year have already risen by 3.1%, from £9,250 to £9,535. Written by
