Blog

New UK Work Permit Rules 2025

In 2025, the UK introduced major changes to its immigration system, which affected the UK work permit visa pathways. These changes state that the immigrants with a high profile in skilled roles will only be welcomed to the UK under a valid work permit. With these changes, many candidates are wondering, “Can I still get a job in the UK in 2025?”. The answer is yes, but the profile must be backed with a strong job offer and must also meet the new salary benchmarks. Ensuring all these will secure you the seat for the eligible role under the revised immigration rules.

This blog is a guide to provide all the information on the updated Skilled Worker visa changes, UK work visa dependents rules, updated document requirements, and strategies for getting eligible for the new system.

How 2025 Rules Reshape the UK Work Permit System

UK work permit new rules 2025

The updated rules and Changes in UK skilled worker visa under the UK work permit visa system will primarily affect the listed visa types:

• Skilled Worker Visa: According to the new update, the new salary threshold for UK work visa is set at up to GBP38,700. When targeting occupation-specific roles under the skilled worker visa, the thresholds may vary between lower and higher.
• Health and Care Worker Visa: In this health sector, the floor salary itself has been increased to GBP 23,200; the threshold is fixed on a general basis, while the income number varies according to the domain-specific criteria.
• Graduate Route: For the graduate, the salary threshold fixing range is still under review; we may expect it to be limited or shortened.
• Dependent Visas: International Care workers travelling to Canada for work cannot apply for dependents visas; this rule applies only to the new applicant, while care workers who are already staying along with their family can continue without any restrictions. Also, the threshold has been increased for skilled worker to welcome their dependents to Canada. The range of the salary is increased from GBP 29,000 to GBP 38,700.

These changes will widely affect the dream of the visa applicants across various sectors, especially for those who have applied for a UK work visa for Indian nationals or in STEM, technology, and care roles.

Salary Thresholds: What You Need to Know

The UKVI have brought major changes for this year, 2025, targeting the increase in salary threshold and requirements. The New salary threshold for UK work visa is:

• Skilled Worker visa UK new rules- Skilled Worker visa applicants who are applying for the UK work permit visa must earn at least GBP 38,700 per year or the standard market salary for the occupation that has been set by the UK government.
• In the case of the health industry, Health and Care Workers must earn to meet a minimum salary of GBP 23,200. Their salary can rise alongside profession-specific wages, like radiographers, nurses, etc.
• The Shortage Occupation List, used as the old method by the UK immigration, has been abolished. It has been replaced by an Immigration Salary List in this new method, through the new rules and salary threshold and allowing only specific jobs in high demand to have narrow exceptions, leaving fewer immigration shortcuts.

These salary increases are based on the public and political pressure to reduce wage competition and concentrate on selecting immigrants having high pay for the skilled worker category.

Role Eligibility: Occupation Lists and Restrictions

According to the new immigration method, the applicants are selected on two key factors:

1. The job must be on the Immigration Salary List
Only the applicants possessing the occupations listed Immigration Salary List and fulfilling the UK work permit visa requirements are getting qualified. Other jobs that are listed under the Shortage Occupation List, followed under the older method by the immigration, are exempted based on the salary rules and threshold.

2. Authenticated job offer from a licensed sponsor
Another important factor considered by the visa officers is that the employee must hold a valid job offer provided by the employer. The UK employer must have a valid sponsor licence and also should furnish an approved Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).

Dependent Family Rules: UK Skilled Worker dependent visa new rules

Many immigrants bring their spouses or children along with them during their visa period to stay together as a loving family. Many changes have been made to the visas to bring dependents along with them.

• Care worker applicants can no longer sponsor dependents and bring them to the UK along with them under the UK skilled visa route.
• Skilled Worker visa new rules- Skilled workers can bring their family with them, if their earnings and the salary are above GBP 38,700. The UK skilled worker earning under the old salary threshold cannot bring their family and sponsor them.
• The dependent family members applying for separate individual visa applications must pay for the immigration health surcharges separately. These rules and regulations must be strictly adhered to for family planning and visa budgeting.

Employer Sponsorship: Responsibilities and Compliance

UK employers hiring a foreign worker must follow some extra steps and attest to extra responsibilities.

• The employer must first give importance to hiring the local UK worker; hence, it is their duty to advertise the vacant roles locally and get hired. If the vacancy has not been filled, then they can move to overseas advertising, which is stressed particularly for health and care positions.
• If the foreign immigrant is hired for a role, the employer must furnish the details about the salary and maintain transparency regarding the salary being offered. They cannot deduct the immigration related costs like Work visa UK cost, visa fees, health surcharge, or certificate of sponsorship from the employer’s salary.
• The employer must adhere to all ongoing compliance with Home Office standards like accurate record-keeping, timely reporting of changes like absences, role changes, terminations of the employee and adherence to sponsorship duties. If the employer fails to comply with all the requirements, it can lead to sponsorship suspension.

Graduate Route Review and Alternatives

If you're a student studying under a graduate visa, the regulations and rules are under review:

• The graduate, after completing the program, can apply for and switch to a Skilled Worker visa. This is possible when the applicant can find a sponsoring employer and an updated job.
• The graduates can opt for other pathways like Global Talent, Scale-Up, or Innovator Founders visas offer which still come with offers like lower salary or employer constraints. Still, many of them may wonder, How to get work permit for UK without job offer, The answer is through 

1. Global Talent Visa
2. UK Ancestry Visa 
3. High Potential Individual (HPI) Visa
4. Graduate Visa
5. Start-up Visa
6. Innovator Founder Visa
7. Youth Mobility Scheme Visa

FAQs
What is the new minimum salary for a UK work permit in 2025?
The Skilled Worker salary threshold has been set as GBP 38,700 per year, or with the occupation’s ongoing rate. The health and Care Workers’ salary threshold is set as a minimum of GBP 23,200.

Can I still get a job in the UK in 2025?
Yes, if your job is listed on the Immigration Salary List and the salary determined equals the present salary threshold with a valid sponsor sponsoring your visa.

Can I bring dependents on a UK work visa in 2025?
Yes, but the care worker visa holders are exempt from these rules under UK work permit visa. Skilled Workers and Health and Care Workers, excluding the non-care roles, can still bring dependents if their income requirements are met with the updated visa regulations.

Are care workers still eligible for UK jobs?
Yes, care workers remain eligible under the Health and Care Worker visa, but can no longer sponsor spouses or children under the UK immigration changes for foreign workers.

What are the new rules for UK employer sponsorship?
According to the UK Skilled Worker visa latest news, Employers must now advertise locally before hiring overseas workers; they have to follow to meet strict salary rules, and should not deduct visa costs from the salaries of the overseas skilled worker.

Is the Graduate visa being removed in 2025?
No, but their further application to work visa regulations is still under review. We can expect that future policy changes may shorten stay durations or narrow eligibility for international graduates.