For the UK, as in most countries, the political climate often dictates policy with respect to immigration. The Labour government came into power in October 2024, following 14 years of Conservative rule, and is re-evaluating immigration policies set by the Conservatives. The rhetoric in the UK is very much anti-immigration and, due to the previous leadership strategy, it was very much based on “stopping the boats”, which is with reference to the channel sea from Europe to the UK, which is a route that asylum seekers use to get to the UK.

In reality, the UK takes fewer asylum seekers than any other country in Europe, but this campaign crossed over into business immigration and has inadvertently fostered a broader anti-immigration sentiment, extending to business immigration. In response to the war in Ukraine, the government immediately removed the immigration investor category, as it felt that those fleeing the war would seek to use the category to enter the UK.

In April 2024, the government introduced a number of measures clearly aimed at reducing immigration – for example, the minimum salary level for Skilled Workers was amended to GBP38,700, which in contrast is much higher than the national minimum wage. With such a high salary requirement, many industries have struggled to sponsor overseas workers.

Existing sponsored workers have to meet new increased salary thresholds to qualify to extend their visa. This was particularly problematic for businesses that had to find additional budget to award pay rises to Skilled Workers, who needed an increase to their salary in order to extend their visa and remain in their role.

Some sectors now find that the minimum salary requirements for Skilled Workers are set at a level that exceeds what is paid to settled workers. This has left businesses grappling with the difficulties of either losing important Skilled Worker visa holders if their salary is not increased to meet new minimum levels, or having visa holders with higher salaries than settled workers in the same roles.

The long-awaited UK immigration policy White Paper was published on 12 May 2025. The policies are intended to reduce net migration to the UK and encourage recruitment from the domestic workforce.

At the time of writing, the White Paper has not changed the law; the exact changes are uncertain and the new rules will be implemented gradually throughout 2025 and into 2026. As a result, when reviewing the current immigration rules and processes set out in this guide, any changes implemented following the White Paper will need to be considered.

Significant changes to the Skilled Worker category are expected. The required skill level of sponsored roles will rise to RQF level 6. Minimum salary thresholds will rise. For roles at level 3-5, only those recognised as a long-term shortage can be sponsored on a temporary basis, with the possibility of a quota and restrictions on dependants. Workforce strategies will require sponsors to train and engage with the domestic workforce. For sponsors, the Immigration Skills Charge will rise from GBP1,000 to GBP1,320 per year of the visa for non-small company/charity sector sponsors. The English language test required level will increase from level B1 to B2 and – for the first time – adult dependent family members will need to meet English language requirements as part of their initial and extension applications, as well as at the settlement stage.

In an unexpected move, the government has said it plans to increase the qualifying period for settlement (indefinite leave to remain) from five to ten years. There is uncertainty around whether this will apply to people already in the UK, including Skilled Workers. Concepts of “earned” settlement and citizenship will be developed, where applicants will need to meet points-based criteria, potentially with the ability to shorten the qualifying period. These changes on settlement and citizenship are subject to a government consultation later in 2025.

Employers would be well-advised to submit any applications (for work visas and settlement, among others) as soon as possible where the current eligibility requirements are met.

Separate to the White Paper, the UK rolled out an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme from November 2023, which requires all non-British and non-Irish nationals to apply for pre-travel authorisation before travelling to the UK, where they would not ordinarily require a visa. When originally introduced, it cost GBP10 but this cost has now increased to GBP16. The ETA assesses the suitability of travellers for admission to the UK, applying the general grounds of refusal on criminality and non-conducive grounds. Applicants for ETAs who are not successful will be asked to apply for a visit visa.

Since 2024, the UK has been transitioning to a fully digital immigration system. Some visa applicants now receive an eVisa (digital immigration status) and share their status electronically with employers, landlords and other third parties. For many applicants applying outside the UK, a 90-day visa is issued in their passport and the person then needs to apply for an eVisa. Passport visas are expected to be replaced with eVisas in due course, and more applicants will be able to apply using an app to scan their passport and face rather than attending in-person visa appointments.

The UK is in negotiations with the EU in relation to whether a reciprocal visa scheme can be arranged for young people. Whilst not a return to pre-Brexit free movement, this would be a welcome development – not least for sectors such as hospitality, which have severe staff shortages.

The Skilled Worker visa allows eligible new hires to obtain an initial visa of any length up to five years, with a route to indefinite leave to remain (permanent residence) after five years in the UK. If a shorter visa is initially obtained, or if the worker wishes to change job/employer, further Skilled Worker applications from within the UK are possible.

The proposed role must meet minimum skill and salary thresholds. The salary threshold varies according to the candidate’s circumstances and the role on offer. The candidate must meet an English language requirement at level B1 (aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, or CEFR).

The Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker visa (commonly known as an Intra-Company Transfer) allows the transfer of existing employees of linked overseas businesses. A minimum period of 12 months’ employment is usually required, although there is an exemption for employees with a salary exceeding GBP73,900. The proposed role must meet a higher minimum skill level than the Skilled Worker category. There is no English language requirement. The route does not lead to indefinite leave to remain (permanent residence) in the UK. The visa is capped at five years in general, or nine years for high earners (salaries above GBP73,900).

Sponsored workers within the Skilled Worker and Senior or Specialist Worker categories are granted permission to work for the specific employer and in the specified role only. While minor changes to job title and duties can be permitted, major changes to duties may not be possible without a new visa application.

Temporary Work routes also exist, which cater to internships in most sectors, creative workers, charity workers and others. Each route has its own requirements but will generally result in a short visa, granting work permission in a specified role.

The Skilled Worker visa leads to indefinite leave to remain (permanent residence) after five years in the UK; a partner who has been in the UK as a dependant visa holder can also obtain indefinite leave to remain after five years. Accompanying children can obtain indefinite leave to remain at the same time as their parents, without completing a minimum period in the UK (since they may have been born later, in the UK).

All applicants aged 18–64 need to pass the “Life in the UK test”, which is a multiple-choice test on UK culture. All applicants aged 18–64 must meet an English language requirement at level B1. Main Skilled Worker visa holders will meet this automatically, having demonstrated their English language ability at the initial application stage, but partners will need to provide specified evidence of their English language ability.

Applicants must also meet a residence requirement, with time spent outside the UK usually limited to 180 days per 12-month rolling period in the five years before the application. There are some exceptions, allowing absences above this limit for compelling reasons, which can include travel disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If a Skilled Worker does not qualify for indefinite leave to remain at the five-year mark, they can continue to extend their permission instead, assuming they meet the relevant Skilled Worker requirements. For example, an applicant with extremely high absences from the UK may choose to extend their permission further rather than making a discretionary application for indefinite leave to remain.

Time as a Skilled Worker may also be used in combination with time in other visa categories, to complete ten years in the UK. This is another path to indefinite leave to remain, which may be of interest to Skilled Workers who have already spent a substantial period in the UK – eg, as students – before switching into the Skilled Worker category.

The Global Business Mobility visa category does not lead to permanent residence, and time in the UK is capped.

Unsponsored visas that permit work include:

• the BN(O) visa for British national (overseas) status holders and their family members based in Hong Kong or the UK;
• the Graduate visa, for Student visa holders who have completed an eligible course in the UK;
• the Youth Mobility Scheme visa, for 18–35-year-olds from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Korea, and for 18–30-year-olds from certain other territories;
• the India Young Professionals Scheme, for 18–30-year-olds from India with an eligible qualification, who are successful in a ballot;
• Global Talent, for leaders and potential leaders in academia or research, arts and culture, and digital technology;
• UK Ancestry, for certain Commonwealth (and certain other) citizens, with a grandparent born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man;
• High Potential Individual, for recent graduates of eligible international universities; and
• Innovator Founder, for applicants with a business, assessed and endorsed by an endorsing body.

Business visitors to the UK cannot carry out paid work, however short the duration (except for certain Permitted Paid Engagements).

Permitted business activities as a visitor include attending interviews or meetings, negotiating deals, and gathering information. No productive work should be carried out in the UK. The visitor should not usually be paid in the UK.

The Permitted Paid Engagement exception within the visitor category allows individuals to carry out paid activities in the UK within the first month of their trip. Only specified activities are permitted, as:

• a professional artist, entertainer or musician;
• a professional sportsperson;
• a qualified lawyer;
• an expert giving lectures;
• an expert speaking at a conference;
• an academic acting as an examiner; or
• an air pilot examiner.

A full visit visa application with an online form, fingerprint and photo enrolment and submission of supporting documents is required for certain nationalities. The process can take several weeks.

Other nationalities fall within the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, which requires an application prior to travel only. This is a shorter online-only process, and is generally approved within a few hours.

The ETA rollout was completed on 2 April 2025, and any person travelling to the UK as a visitor now needs to obtain either a visit visa or an ETA in advance of travel to the UK (with some minor exceptions). The previous option for certain nationalities to visit the UK with no advance process has now ended.

The UK permits a limited amount of remote work by a visitor. Remote working must not be the primary purpose of the visit, nor must the ongoing remote work be critical to the financial viability of the trip.

It must be clear that any remote work is part of the visitor’s overseas role, not filling a role in the UK (even temporarily).

In practice, a visitor may check emails and complete some tasks while in the UK, but only in relation to their overseas role, and only in addition to the main purpose of their trip to the UK, which must be a permitted visitor activity.

Several UK visa categories require applicants to demonstrate English language proficiency. The main categories include:

• Skilled Worker visas;
• Student visas;
• Family visas (eg, spouses, unmarried partners, parents); and
• Indefinite Leave to Remain (permanent residence) and British Citizenship.

The required level of English (aligned with the CEFR) varies depending on the visa type but, generally, work and study visa applications require a higher level of English compared to family and settlement/citizenship applications, for which the threshold is lower.

Applicants can meet the requirement by:

• passing an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) from a provider approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI);
• holding a degree or degree-level qualification that meets a required standard;
• being a national of a majority English-speaking country (eg, the USA, Canada, Australia);
• holding a relevant UK qualification (eg, GCSEs or A-levels in English); or
• having previously met the requirement at the required level in a prior successful application.

Specified evidence will need to be submitted with the UK visa application.

Exemptions apply in cases of age (under 18 or over 65), physical/mental condition, or exceptional circumstances.

Individuals applying for a UK visa for more than six months must undergo tuberculosis (TB) screening if they have lived for at least six months in a country mentioned on UKVI’s list. A TB clearance certificate must be issued by a UKVI-approved clinic and submitted with the visa application. Certificates are valid for six months.

Sponsored employment under the Skilled Worker route is governed by a points-based system that requires the following.

• A genuine job offer for a role listed in UKVI’s list of eligible occupations. There is no formal Resident Labour Market Test, but the role must be credible and necessary.
• Minimum salary thresholds – typically GBP38,700/year or GBP15.88/hour, although lower thresholds may apply for shortage occupations, new entrants, those with relevant PhDs and those started on the Skilled Worker route prior to 4 April 2024.
• Minimum skill level – jobs must meet specific skills criteria aligned with RQF Level 3 or above.
• English language proficiency.

Sponsorship under the Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker route carries similar requirements, with the main differences being:

• higher minimum salary thresholds of at least GBP48,500;
• higher minimum skill level – jobs must meet specific skills criteria aligned with RQF Level 6 or above; and
• no English language proficiency requirement.

There is no cap on the number of sponsored workers a licensed sponsor can employ, as long as each role sponsored is justified. However, the sponsor must demonstrate appropriate HR practices and compliance capabilities.

A sponsored work visa ties the individual to the sponsoring employer and the specific role stated in their Certificate of Sponsorship. If the individual wishes to change employer, they will need to apply for a new visa sponsored by their new employer before commencing work with them.

Some secondary or supplementary employment is permitted, provided it meets certain conditions and does not interfere with the primary sponsored role.

UKVI conducts background checks during the application process. Applications may be refused based on suitability criteria, including:

• criminal convictions;
• false representations or non-disclosure of facts; and
• threats to national security.

Under the Skilled Worker route, for certain roles in health, education and social care, a criminal record certificate is required from countries where the applicant has resided in the past ten years (if aged 18 or over).

Unless the applicant (and any dependants, if relevant) has lived in the UK for at least 12 months, they must show they have funds to support themselves. Alternatively, their sponsor can certify maintenance, committing to financially support the applicant (and dependants) during the first month of their stay up to a certain amount.

Applications are completed online via UKVI’s digital portal. Supporting documents are submitted, either by uploading them electronically, or by presenting them at a Visa Application Centre (VAC). Identity verification is completed either through a mobile app or by attending a VAC to provide biometric data.

Applications should generally be made from the applicant’s country of nationality, or from a country where the applicant is lawfully residing long-term.

Exceptions apply for conflict zones or areas with no UK visa services – applicants may be directed to apply from a nearby country. For visitor visas, applications can be made from any country, regardless of residency, provided the applicant is lawfully present.

Most overseas visa applications are processed within three weeks. Family visas can take up to 12 weeks.

Applications submitted from within the UK usually take up to eight weeks, but more complex cases may take six to 12 months.

Applicants submitting from within the UK must not leave the Common Travel Area (UK, Ireland, Isle of Man and Channel Islands) while their application is pending, or it will be treated as withdrawn.

Applicants filing from outside the UK may be restricted from travelling if their passport is held for processing.

Most UK visa applications offer a priority service (decision within five working days), or a super priority service (decision within one working day).

Availability depends on visa type and country of application. These services carry an additional fee and must be selected during the application process.

If the individual is applying from outside the UK for a visa of more than six months, they will be issued a visa in their passport, which is valid for 90 days. This visa is issued for the purpose of their initial entry and is not the full duration of their permission to live in the UK. As part of the UK’s transition to a digital system, individuals are no longer issued with Biometric Residence Permits as evidence of their visa permission. Instead, upon visa grant, individuals must create an online UKVI account, which will provide them with access to an eVisa showing the full duration of their permission.

After the visa is granted, individuals are required to report certain changes to their circumstances to UKVI. For those who have eVisas, certain changes can be reported online. Other changes, such as criminal convictions or changes to family circumstances, must be reported through completing and sending a form to the Home Office.

For those on sponsored work visas, employers must report various changes to a worker’s circumstances – changes to job titles, work location, etc. Where a report is necessary, this must be completed within ten working days of the change taking effect. Some changes necessitate a new visa application.

The Skilled Worker and Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker categories are the main sponsored work routes in the UK. A typical three-year visa application will cost around GBP8,000, while a five-year visa application will cost around GBP13,000. The total cost comprises:

• Certificate of Sponsorship fee;
• Immigration Skills Charge;
• UKVI application fee;
• priority service fee (optional but often used, reducing processing time to a week); and
• the Immigration Health Surcharge.

In certain circumstances, some fees may be reduced or may not apply. For example, small employers in the UK pay a lower Immigration Skills Charge, and roles on the “Immigration Salary List” that are recognised as being in shortage pay a lower UKVI application fee. Health and care workers pay a lower UKVI application fee and are exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Applications for family members attract fewer fees, with only the UKVI application fee, priority service fee and Immigration Health Surcharge fees applying. A typical three-year Skilled Worker partner visa will cost around GBP4,500.

Visa applicants may pay the UKVI application fee, the priority fee and/or the Immigration Health Surcharge upfront, or may repay these fees to their employer.

Sponsoring employers must pay for the Certificate of Sponsorship and Immigration Skills Charge. These costs must not be charged back to the employee in any way.

Any loan agreement with an employee for immigration costs is taken into account when calculating their salary, and the salary on offer is reduced by the level of loan repayments, for the purposes of meeting the minimum salary requirement for the Skilled Worker category.

Legal fees relating to the employee’s visa application will be paid by the employer and not by the applicant, unless the applicant has had a free choice in the use and choice of legal assistance.

Enforcement Action Against Sponsors

• Sponsor licence revocation – if the sponsor is in breach of its duties and responsibilities, its sponsor licence could be revoked, meaning all sponsored workers will have their permission curtailed/cancelled. They then either have to apply in a different immigration category or leave the UK before the new expiry of their permission. If the sponsor commits less serious breaches, its licence could be downgraded from an A to B rating.
• Civil penalties – all UK employers, including sponsors, are liable to a civil penalty (fine) if they employ someone illegally. In February 2024, the maximum civil penalty was tripled to GBP60,000 per illegal worker. The civil penalty can be reduced in some circumstances, including if the employer co-operates and/or it is a first offence.
• Criminal offence – all UK employers, including sponsors, can potentially commit a criminal offence for “knowing” or having “reasonable cause to believe” they are employing someone who does not have permission to work in the UK. A prison sentence of up to five years and/or a fine is possible. Criminal prosecution is normally reserved for the most serious offences of employing people illegally – for example, gangmasters and people traffickers. All employers and sponsors should be aware of the potential risks, however.
• Border Force – the Immigration Officers at ports around the UK have the power to refuse entry to the UK and remove people from the UK.

Enforcement Action Against Individuals

• Overstayers – anyone without immigration permission to be in the UK is liable to removal and deportation from the UK. They will also be subject to the so-called “hostile” or “compliant” environment in the UK, meaning they will not be able to demonstrate a right to work or rent a property, and will not be able to open a bank account or have a driving licence. In some circumstances, someone who has overstayed their permission in the UK will be prevented from submitting another visa application.
• Working without permission – an individual commits a criminal offence when they work in the UK without permission. Any payment they receive is potentially subject to seizure as proceeds of crime.
• Cancellation of permission – where an individual commits a criminal offence or, for example, no longer meets the relevant rules for their stay (such as if they have permission as a partner and they divorce), their permission to be in the UK can be cancelled. Sponsored workers will have their permission cancelled/curtailed where their sponsor’s licence is revoked. If they are complicit in the sponsor duty breach(es), their permission could be cancelled with immediate effect.

Holding a sponsor licence comes with significant compliance responsibilities, which are strictly enforced by the Home Office. Sponsors are subject to audit by the Home Office and can be visited in person at the sponsor’s offices, or receive a virtual audit, or receive a written list of audit questions. Some sponsors will be audited before their licence is granted. All sponsors are subject to audit after their licence is issued.

Sponsors are obliged to comply with a wide variety of sponsor duties, including, for example:

• prevention of illegal working (by carrying out compliant right to work checks and tracking visa expiry dates – for all sponsored workers regardless of whether or not they are employees);
• keeping the correct documents on file;
• reporting changes to the sponsor/sponsored worker;
• keeping current and historical contact details for sponsored workers; and
• tracking sponsored workers’ whereabouts.

Sponsors need to comply with all immigration and wider UK laws, including employment laws. Sponsors also need to ensure they do not behave in a way that is not conducive to the public good.

Penalties for non-compliance can include revocation of the sponsor licence. If a sponsor employs someone without permission to work, the sponsor could receive a civil penalty or even be convicted of a criminal offence.

There are strict right to work procedures in the UK. All employees must be checked before their employment starts. Only employees need to be checked, although sponsors should check all sponsored workers, including independent contractors and the self-employed. As a matter of good practice, some employers may also check non-employees. In March 2025, the government announced an intention for right to work checks to be expanded to all gig economy workers. The scope and implementation date of the new rules is unclear.

Aside from the separate sponsor duty requirements, employers are not legally required to check an employee’s right to work. However, if they do not and it is found that the employee does not have the right to work, the sponsor will receive a civil penalty or will potentially commit a criminal offence. To obtain a defence against the possibility of any illegal working, known as a statutory excuse, employers must carry out a compliant right to work check before the employment starts.

There are different valid ways to check an employee’s right to work, depending on their immigration status and nationality. Generally, British and Irish citizens will be checked manually using their original passport (although a digital Identity Service Provider system can also be used). Most sponsored workers will have an eVisa (a digital immigration status) and/or a Biometric Residence Permit, for which employers must carry out an online right to work check. The online process involves the employee generating a share code, which is sent to the employer to enable the right to work details to be reviewed.

Employers of those with time-limited permission need to do a repeat right to work check before the permission expires. In some circumstances, it is possible to use the Home Office’s Employer Checking Service to check someone’s right to work.

Under UK immigration law, dependent family members can include the following.

• A spouse or civil partner.
• An unmarried partner of two years. Unmarried partners are normally required to show they have lived together for at least two years in a relationship as if they were married. A January 2024 rule change means an individual could still qualify as an unmarried partner if there are reasons why the couple have not lived together, such as if one of the couple has been working in a different country.

• Children under 18. Children 18 and over may be able to apply in exceptional circumstances, such as if they have a disability or illness. If a child is under 18 when they first apply as a dependant, they should be able to extend and/or apply for settlement (indefinite leave to remain) so long as they have not been living an independent life. Children 16 or over need to show they are not living an independent life and are unable to support themselves financially.

There are potential options for other types of family member but they would be discretionary applications – eg, adult dependent relatives.

Different rules apply for the EU Settlement Scheme, where more types of family members have been able to apply.

There are only a few UK immigration categories that do not allow dependent family members to apply, such as Student (unless the student has a scholarship or is studying for a PhD or a research-based higher degree); the Youth Mobility Scheme; and Temporary Work – Seasonal Worker.

Most dependent family members will have a right to work in the UK. Whilst sponsored workers can only work for their sponsor (aside from supplementary employment), dependants have a much more flexible right to work. The only restriction is generally that the dependant cannot work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach.

There are also restrictions in relation to when the main applicant’s sponsored work ends or the relationship breaks down, in which case the dependant’s permission is likely to be cancelled and the right to work would be lost.