TRW & Co · UK immigration
UK Immigration Reforms: Settlement and Work Route Changes
The UK immigration changes that followed the 2025 White Paper have already reshaped work visas, and a B2 English requirement for settlement starts on 26 March 2027. The biggest reform, a ten-year earned settlement baseline, is still a proposal as of October 2026. This guide separates what is law from what is planned, and explains what applicants and employers should do now.
Key pointThe five-year routes to settlement are still in the Immigration Rules, but the Home Secretary has promised no minimum notice before earned settlement rules are laid, so anyone close to qualifying should be ready to apply on the first possible day.
At a glance
Earned settlement proposed
The Home Office consulted on making ten years the normal qualifying period for settlement; as of October 2026 nothing has been laid in the Immigration Rules.
B2 English from 2027
Settlement applications made on or after 26 March 2027 on most work, family and long residence routes must show English at level B2.
Skilled Worker tightened
Since 22 July 2025 the route requires RQF 6 roles in most cases, and the usual minimum salary is the higher of £41,700 and the going rate.
Graduate visa shortened
The Graduate visa lasts two years for applications made by 31 December 2026, and 18 months for applications made from 1 January 2027.
Rules at application date
Applications are decided under the Immigration Rules in force when they are made, so timing around commencement dates can change the outcome.
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UK immigration changes: the short answer
The UK immigration changes that flowed from the May 2025 White Paper fall into two groups. Some are already law: a higher skill threshold and salary floor for Skilled Workers, tighter English requirements, a shorter Graduate visa from 2027 and a B2 English requirement for settlement from 26 March 2027. Others are still proposals, most importantly the "earned settlement" model that would make ten years the normal qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain.
As of October 2026, the five-year routes to settlement remain in the Immigration Rules. The Home Secretary told the Home Affairs Committee on 15 September 2026 that the final settlement policy, including any transitional arrangements, would be set out later in 2026 and before February 2027. No minimum notice period has been promised. That gap between what is announced and what is in force is the single most important thing for applicants and employers to manage.
How the rules change: White Paper, consultation and Statements of Changes
The government's plan was set out in Restoring control over the immigration system, published by the Home Office on 12 May 2025. A White Paper is a policy statement, not law. Most UK immigration changes take legal effect only when the Home Office lays a Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules before Parliament under the Immigration Act 1971, and each statement sets its own commencement dates.
The Home Office publishes every statement and its explanatory memorandum in its Statements of Changes collection. Primary legislation is used for bigger structural changes: the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 is being brought into force in stages, and a separate Immigration and Asylum Bill, focused mainly on asylum and appeals, is before Parliament in 2026.
The practical rule is simple. An application is decided under the rules in force on the date it is made, not the rules in force when the applicant arrived. That is why timing an application around a known commencement date matters so much.
UK immigration changes already in force
Skilled Worker: higher skill level and salary
The statement laid on 1 July 2025 raised the Skilled Worker skill threshold back to RQF level 6 (broadly graduate level) from 22 July 2025. Its explanatory memorandum estimated this removed around 180 occupations. "Medium skilled" roles now qualify only if they are on the Immigration Salary List or the interim Temporary Shortage List, or where the worker was already on the route.
GOV.UK states that the usual minimum salary is the higher of £41,700 a year and the going rate for the occupation, with lower rates in defined cases. Workers sponsored in RQF 3–5 occupations from the lists cannot bring dependants unless they were already on the route with that entitlement. Overseas recruitment for care worker and senior care worker roles closed, with in-country switching allowed during a transition period to 22 July 2028. Our Skilled Worker visa guide covers the detail.
English language at B2 for new Skilled Workers
New Skilled Worker applicants must now prove English at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference. According to GOV.UK, people who held the visa before 8 January 2026 and are extending or updating it need B1, and do not need to prove it again.
Graduate visa shortened from 2027
The Graduate visa lasts two years for applications made on or before 31 December 2026, and 18 months for applications made on or after 1 January 2027. PhD graduates keep three years. Students finishing courses around the turn of the year should plan their application date with this cut-off in mind; our Graduate visa guide explains eligibility.
Visa brake and protection changes
The statement laid on 5 March 2026 introduced a "visa brake" from 26 March 2026: Student visa applications from nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, and Skilled Worker applications from Afghan nationals, are refused, subject to the transitional rules. It also began the move to a "core protection" model for refugees, cutting the initial grant of leave from five years to 30 months.
Right to work checks extended
For employers, one of the most practical UK immigration changes is outside the Rules altogether. Since 1 October 2026, the illegal working regime has extended to workers, sub-contractors and online platforms. See our guide to right to work checks.
Confirmed but not yet in force: B2 English for settlement
The statement of changes laid on 5 March 2026 raises the English requirement for settlement from B1 to B2 on a long list of routes, including Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Scale-up, Innovator Founder, UK Ancestry, Long Residence, Private Life and settlement on the family routes. Its explanatory memorandum confirms the change comes into force on 26 March 2027 and applies to people already on a pathway to settlement.
Anyone who qualifies for indefinite leave to remain before 26 March 2027 and applies before that date can rely on B1. Anyone applying on or after that date will need B2 unless an exemption applies, such as nationality of a majority English-speaking country or age or disability exemptions. B2 is a meaningful step up: people who passed a B1 test years ago should book preparation and a test now.
If you will become eligible for settlement before 26 March 2027, the safest course is usually to apply as soon as you qualify. Waiting carries two risks: the B2 requirement, and earned settlement rules that may be laid with little notice. Check your continuous residence and absences first; on most routes, more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period breaks continuous residence.
Proposed: earned settlement and the ten-year baseline
The Home Office consulted on earned settlement from 20 November 2025 to 12 February 2026. The consultation document, "A Fairer Pathway to Settlement", states that settlement will no longer be granted automatically after a fixed period and that migrants will need to earn it through conduct, contribution and integration.
The core proposal is that ten years becomes the normal qualifying period for settlement for most routes. The period could then be shortened for people making higher contributions, such as some public service workers and higher earners, and lengthened for others, for example where public funds have been claimed. The proposals also contemplated mandatory requirements on criminality, English and contribution, and the application of the new model to people already in the UK who do not yet hold settlement.
The Home Office has said it received more than 200,000 responses. Both the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee and the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee have reported on the plans, with the Lords committee opposing the ten-year baseline and retrospective effect.
What the Home Secretary said on 15 September 2026
In oral evidence to the Home Affairs Committee, the Home Secretary said that the new settlement policy, including transitional arrangements, would be published later in 2026, in good time before February 2027 when the first 2022 arrivals would qualify under the current rules. She said the model is intended for a broader group than new arrivals, that a range of transitional options remains under consideration, and that changes would be made in the normal way through a Statement of Changes. She did not commit to a minimum notice period.
Until a statement is laid, none of the earned settlement proposals binds anyone. The most recent statement before publication of this guide, laid on 3 September 2026, does not contain them.
What is in force and what is proposed
| Change | Status | Effective date | Who is affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker skill threshold raised to RQF 6 | In force | 22 July 2025 | New sponsored hires; medium-skilled roles only via the shortage lists |
| Skilled Worker general salary threshold of £41,700 | In force | Applies now (lower rates in defined cases) | Sponsors and new Skilled Worker applicants |
| B2 English for new Skilled Worker applicants | In force | Applies now; B1 for those holding the visa before 8 January 2026 | New applicants and switchers |
| Graduate visa cut to 18 months | Confirmed | Applications on or after 1 January 2027 | International students |
| B2 English for settlement | Confirmed | Applications on or after 26 March 2027 | Most work, family and long residence settlement routes |
| Right to work rules extended to contractors and platforms | In force | 1 October 2026 | Businesses using workers, sub-contractors and platforms |
| Ten-year earned settlement baseline | Proposed | Not yet laid | People without settlement, subject to transitional rules |
| Changes to dependants' settlement timing | Proposed | Not yet laid | Partners and children of main applicants |
An illustrative scenario
This scenario is illustrative only and does not describe any real client or matter.
A software engineer arrived on a Skilled Worker visa in May 2022 with her partner. Under the current rules she will complete five years in May 2027. She passed a B1 English test on arrival. Her employer, a London fintech business, wants to retain her and is planning its sponsorship budget for 2027.
Three of the UK immigration changes now bear on her plans. Because she will apply after 26 March 2027, she will need B2 English for settlement unless an exemption applies, so she should take a B2 test well before her qualifying date. If an earned settlement statement is laid before May 2027 without transitional protection for her cohort, her qualifying period could lengthen, possibly with reductions for her salary level. And her employer should budget for a further extension in case settlement is delayed, while keeping her pay above the applicable threshold.
The right advice is not to wait. She should count her absences now, prepare her evidence, secure B2, and be ready to apply on the first possible day. Her employer should model both the five-year and ten-year scenarios.
Risks and common mistakes
Treating announcements as law
Ministerial speeches, newspaper interviews and consultation papers do not change the Immigration Rules. People sometimes delay or rush applications because of reported plans that have not been laid before Parliament, or that change before they are. Base decisions on the rules in force and on statements that have actually been laid, and take advice on how any published transitional provisions apply to you. Where nothing has been laid, plan for more than one outcome rather than betting on one.
Missing the B2 deadline for settlement
The B2 settlement requirement applies to applications made on or after 26 March 2027, including for people who entered under rules that only required B1. Test centres can have waiting lists and results take time to arrive, and B2 requires a materially higher level of speaking and listening. Anyone who will qualify around or after that date should book preparation and a test early, and keep the certificate valid for the date they apply.
Breaking continuous residence without noticing
Long trips abroad, remote working from overseas and extended family visits can break continuous residence, resetting the clock for settlement. On most routes, absences of more than 180 days in any 12-month period are a problem. Whatever happens to earned settlement, continuous residence will remain central, so keep a precise travel log with dates and reasons, and ask your employer to document any overseas working it has authorised.
Employers underpaying in individual pay periods
Sponsors must keep a Skilled Worker's pay at or above the level stated on the certificate of sponsorship. Unpaid leave, short weeks or payroll errors can leave pay below the required level in a particular period, which can cause problems both for the sponsor's compliance record and for the worker's later applications. Review payroll for sponsored staff regularly and take advice before reducing hours or pay. Our sponsor licence guide explains the wider duties.
Cross-border planning, including for Bangladeshi nationals
Many of the people affected by these UK immigration changes have family or business ties abroad, which makes absence planning and document gathering harder. Applicants from Bangladesh should allow extra time for English testing, translated and legalised documents and any overseas police certificates. Our guide to the Skilled Worker visa from Bangladesh sets out the practical steps.
Employers with international groups should also check how intra-group transfers interact with settlement. Time on the Senior or Specialist Worker route does not lead to settlement on its own, so moving an employee between routes can change their long-term options. Our business immigration solicitors advise on route choice alongside sponsorship.
What to do now: step by step
- Fix your qualifying date. Work out exactly when you qualify for indefinite leave to remain under the current rules, using the start date of your first qualifying grant.
- Audit your absences. Count every absence from the UK and gather evidence explaining any long trips or authorised overseas working.
- Secure B2 English. If you will apply on or after 26 March 2027, book preparation and a B2 test now and keep the result valid for your application date.
- Clear the other requirements. Pass the Life in the UK test early if your route requires it, and collect payslips, letters and identity documents in advance.
- Apply on the first possible day. Submit as soon as you qualify rather than waiting, so you are assessed under the rules in force at that date.
- Employers: model both scenarios. List sponsored staff by qualifying date and budget for further extensions in case settlement takes longer under new rules.
- Students: watch the Graduate cut-off. Where possible, apply for the Graduate visa before 1 January 2027 to secure the two-year grant.
- Plan beyond settlement. Once settled, consider British citizenship as the most secure status, and keep tracking new Statements of Changes.
We advise individuals and employers on every stage of these UK immigration changes. We never promise a visa outcome, but we can tell you where you stand and what to do next. Contact our London office at Holborn Gate, 330 High Holborn, London WC1V 7QH, by email at info@trw.co or on +880 1779 127165.
Frequently asked questions
01Has indefinite leave to remain changed from five years to ten years?
Not yet. As of October 2026 the five-year routes to settlement remain in the Immigration Rules. The ten-year baseline is part of the Home Office's earned settlement proposals, consulted on between November 2025 and February 2026. It will only apply once a Statement of Changes is laid before Parliament and takes effect. The Home Secretary has said the final policy, including any transitional arrangements, will be published later in 2026 and before February 2027, but has not promised a minimum notice period.
02Will earned settlement apply to people already in the UK?
The consultation proposed applying the new model to everyone who does not yet hold settlement, and the Home Secretary has said it is intended for a broader group than new arrivals. She also said a range of transitional options remains under consideration, from allowing some cohorts to qualify at five years to different treatment for others. Until the rules are laid, nobody can say with certainty how any individual will be treated, so people close to qualifying should prepare to apply as soon as they can.
03When does the B2 English requirement for settlement start?
The statement of changes laid on 5 March 2026 raises the English requirement for settlement from B1 to B2 on many routes, including Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Innovator Founder, family and long residence routes. Its explanatory memorandum states that the change comes into force on 26 March 2027 and applies to people already on a pathway to settlement. Applications made before that date can rely on B1 where the current rules allow. Existing exemptions, such as for nationals of majority English-speaking countries, continue to apply.
04What is the minimum salary for a Skilled Worker visa in 2026?
GOV.UK states that the usual minimum salary is the higher of £41,700 a year and the going rate for the occupation code. Lower minimums can apply in defined cases, such as some extensions and certain roles, and different rules apply to some healthcare and education jobs paid on national pay scales. Since 22 July 2025 most new sponsorships must also be for occupations at RQF level 6 or above, unless the occupation appears on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List.
05Should I apply for settlement early because of the changes?
You cannot apply before you qualify, but if you are eligible under the current rules there is usually little benefit in waiting. Applying promptly avoids the B2 requirement if you can apply before 26 March 2027 and reduces exposure to earned settlement rules that may be laid with little notice. Before applying, check your continuous residence and absences carefully, gather your evidence and make sure you meet the English and Life in the UK requirements for your route.
06Do the UK immigration changes affect employers as well as visa holders?
Yes. Sponsors face higher skill and salary thresholds for new hires, limits on dependants for some roles, and continuing duties to pay sponsored workers at the required level. Since 1 October 2026 the illegal working regime also extends to workers, sub-contractors and online platforms. Employers should also plan for the possibility that settlement takes longer for some staff, which would mean further visa extensions and associated costs, and should communicate carefully with affected employees.
Sources and official materials
- Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper — The May 2025 policy blueprint for the reforms
- Earned settlement consultation (Home Office) — A Fairer Pathway to Settlement and consultation dates
- Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 1691, 5 March 2026 — B2 English for settlement from 26 March 2027 and visa brake
- Immigration Rules: statement of changes collection — All statements of changes and explanatory memoranda
- Skilled Worker visa: your job (GOV.UK) — Salary thresholds and eligible occupations
- Graduate visa (GOV.UK) — Visa length before and after 1 January 2027
General information only, current as at 21 October 2026. It is not legal advice and does not create a solicitor–client relationship. It reflects the law of England and Wales unless stated otherwise; Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate legal systems, and the law changes frequently. Check current official sources and take advice on the facts of your matter.