8 New Rules Making Studying, Working, and Living in the UK Tougher for Immigrants

The UK government has announced new immigration laws that, once implemented, will significantly restrict the ability of immigrants to settle and work in the UK. On May 12, 2025, the UK government released a policy document titled ‘Restoring control over the immigration system,’ proposing measures aimed at reducing immigration levels. These measures will make it more difficult for immigrants to move to and remain in the UK.

Record Net Migration Levels
In June 2023, net migration reached a record high of +906,000, a massive increase from 224,000 in June 2019. By the year ending June 2024, net migration was recorded at +728,000. To curb this rise, the UK government is proposing the following eight key changes:

1. Restricted Skilled Worker Visa List
The UK plans to reduce the list of jobs for which employers can sponsor skilled workers from overseas. One of the major changes is that medium-skilled jobs (RQF level 3) will no longer be eligible for overseas recruitment unless the Migration Advisory Committee specifically recommends an exemption and there are demonstrable efforts to recruit locally.

2. Ending Recruitment for Social Care Workers
The UK will end international recruitment for care workers, closing the existing exemption that allows employers to hire workers from overseas in this sector. Employers in the UK will no longer be allowed to recruit social care workers from abroad under these new rules.

3. Increased University Fees
For the academic year 2025/26, the UK has already increased the maximum fee for a standard full-time undergraduate course by 3.1%, from £9,250 to £9,535, making it more expensive for international students to study in the UK.

4. Tougher Student Visa Sponsorship Rules
The government has proposed stricter compliance measures for universities sponsoring student visas. This would make it more difficult for educational institutions to maintain their sponsorship licenses, potentially limiting opportunities for international students.

5. Reduction in Graduate Visa Duration
The Graduate Visa, which allows international students to stay and work in the UK for two years after completing their course, will be shortened to just 18 months under the new rules. The visa cannot be extended, although it is possible to switch to another visa, such as a Skilled Worker visa.

6. Stricter English Language Requirements
To encourage better integration, the UK is introducing stricter English language requirements for international students and workers. The language level for Skilled Workers will be raised from B1 to B2 (Independent User). Additionally, the government will implement a new A1 level requirement (Basic User) for adult dependants of workers and students, aligning this with current partner and spousal visa routes.

7. Longer Wait for Permanent Residence
The standard qualifying period for permanent residence (Indefinite Leave to Remain) is proposed to increase from five years to ten years. Some individuals may still qualify sooner, but the criteria for this will be determined at a later stage.

8. Easier Access for Highly Skilled Migrants
The UK intends to ease access for highly skilled migrants through specific visa routes such as the Global Talent and High Potential routes. This is the only measure designed to increase immigration among the eight proposed changes.

The overall goal of these new measures is to reduce the level of net migration to the UK, making it more challenging for immigrants to move to, study, and work in the country.

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