Govind Tekale
The UK government has unveiled sweeping immigration reforms aimed at drastically reducing migration numbers while focusing on higher-skilled workers. Set to take effect from July 22, 2025, these changes represent what Home Secretary Yvette Cooper calls a “complete reset” of Britain’s immigration system.
The reforms will raise both skill and salary requirements for foreign workers. The minimum skill level for Skilled Worker visas will jump from Regulated Qualifications Framework level 3 (A-level equivalent) to level 6 (degree level). This change alone eliminates eligibility for 111 occupations previously able to recruit internationally. Meanwhile, the salary threshold increases from £38,700 to £41,700 per year.
Perhaps most controversially, the government will end overseas recruitment for social care workers. This decision comes despite the sector currently facing over 130,000 vacancies nationwide.
“We are delivering a complete reset of our immigration system to restore proper control and order, after the previous government allowed net migration to quadruple in four years,” Cooper stated when announcing the changes.
The Home Office estimates these reforms could slash migration by up to 100,000 people annually. The government frames the changes as necessary to end reliance on “cheap foreign labour” and refocus on domestic skills development.
For industries still needing access to foreign workers below degree level, a new temporary shortage list will operate until December 2026. However, it comes with strict conditions: workers under this list cannot bring family members and won’t receive salary or visa fee discounts.
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Butchers, chefs, plasterers, veterinary nurses, teaching assistants, office managers, and air travel assistants are among those professions that will lose their ability to recruit from abroad.
The changes have sparked serious concerns, particularly in the social care sector. Will Dalton, GMB union national officer, described the decision to end care worker visas as “potentially catastrophic” given the sector’s heavy reliance on migrant workers.
“The care sector is utterly reliant on migrant workers and still has more than 130,000 vacancies across the country,” Dalton warned.
The Home Office believes there are 40,000 potential staff members originally brought over by what they term “rogue” providers who could fill some of these gaps while UK workers receive training. The government has also outlined transitional arrangements for overseas care workers already in the UK.
Additional changes expected by year-end include stricter English language requirements, increased immigration skills charges, and a new family policy framework.
The government maintains these measures form part of a broader “Plan for Change” that aims to build an immigration system valuing skills, tackling exploitation, and ensuring those who come to the UK “make a genuine contribution.” Each sector must develop a workforce strategy to train UK workers or lose access to the immigration system entirely.Critics worry about the practical implementation challenges, given the current labor shortages in affected sectors and questions about how quickly the domestic workforce can be trained to fill these gaps. With thousands of jobs potentially left unfilled, the economic impact across hospitality, construction and especially social care remains a significant concern
