The UK government has begun implementing changes to immigration rules as outlined in its previously published white paper.
The new regulations, introduced in Parliament on Tuesday, significantly tighten immigration policies related to employment in the UK. If approved by Parliament, the rules are set to take effect from July 22, two weeks after the passage.
The government claims that these reforms aim to restore order and control to the immigration system. According to the official government website, the new measures include an increase in skill and salary thresholds, a halt to the recruitment of workers from abroad under the worker visa route, and a ban on work permits for approximately 180 professions — meaning these occupations will no longer be eligible under the immigration system.
To qualify for a Skilled Worker visa, the minimum annual salary threshold will now rise from £38,700 to £41,700.
Stricter Rules on Dependents, Salary Discounts, and Fee Waivers
Instead of the previous Shortage Occupation List, a temporary Shortage Occupation List will be introduced and remain in place until 2026. However, jobs on this new list will only qualify for the immigration system if approved by the Migration Advisory Committee.
The new list will focus primarily on key sectors such as healthcare, infrastructure, and national security. Even in these sectors, employers must provide proof that they have plans to train local workers. Workers hired under this list will also face stricter conditions — they will not be allowed to bring dependents, nor will they receive any salary discounts or fee waivers.
No Work Visas for Level 3 (Low-Skill) Jobs
According to Bishnu Kharel, Director and Immigration Advisor at Visa Quest UK, who has long worked in the field of work permit visas, the UK government now intends to allow work permits only for graduate-level jobs — specifically those that fall under the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 6 or higher. This means low-skilled or Level 3 job roles will no longer be eligible for work visas.
Previously, work visas were also granted for Level 3 (low-skilled) jobs under the UK’s immigration system. However, immigration advisor and director of Visa Quest UK, Bishnu Kharel, has confirmed that work permits will now no longer be issued for 180 such low-skilled occupations. These include roles like restaurant and pub managers, bar and café managers, chefs, bakers, butchers, cash and carry store managers, hotel and accommodation managers, catering managers, and takeaway managers.
Many Nepali nationals had obtained work visas through these Level 3 roles, such as restaurant managers and chefs. Several incidents have been reported where individuals lost large sums of money in pursuit of these permits.
Students who completed their degrees under the Post-Study Work (PSW) scheme and were hoping to switch to a work visa will also be affected by the new rules. This means that, except in rare cases, the possibility of remaining in the UK after PSW through a work permit route will be extremely limited.
Tougher to Switch to Work Visa Status
The new regulations will make it significantly more difficult — and in many cases impossible — for thousands of Nepalis already in the UK to switch to a work visa. The changes are part of the first phase of a broader immigration reform agenda laid out in an 82-page white paper published by the UK government on May 12.
According to the government, “These changes represent a reset of the UK’s immigration system, restoring a points-based system aimed at improving control and integrity.”
Likely to Pass with Labour Party Majority
The new rules are seen as a major step towards reducing the UK’s dependency on low-skilled foreign labor. With the Labour Party holding a majority in Parliament, the rules are expected to be approved.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stated, “We are resetting the current immigration system to restore proper control after the previous Conservative government allowed net migration to quadruple in four years. These reforms are designed to reduce the number of people settling in the UK, restore order to the system, and ensure we invest in skills and training domestically.”
Cooper also expressed confidence that the changes will create an immigration system that better serves the needs of both the UK economy and its citizens.
Solicitor Raju Thapa echoed this, saying, “The current government has taken these tough steps in response to widespread abuse of the immigration system. These new rules are part of a broader effort to tighten controls across student visas, work permits, and asylum routes.”
More Changes Coming by Year-End
The UK government has also announced plans for additional changes to be implemented by the end of this year. These include increasing immigration skills charges, raising English language requirements, unveiling a new family immigration policy in Parliament, and introducing further asylum and border security measures in line with the goals set out in the white paper.
There is ongoing speculation about whether the upcoming rule requiring a 10-year wait (instead of the current 5 years) for permanent residency (PR) through work visas will apply only to new applicants or to existing ones as well — a decision is expected later this year.
In 2024, the UK issued work visas to 210,098 main applicants — 37% fewer than in the previous year but still 53% higher than in 2019. According to Home Office statistics, around 935,000 people were granted visas in 2024 under work, study, family, or settlement routes.
