On 3 September 2026 the Home Office published its Autumn Immigration Rules update. Key changes include new protections for Skilled Worker visa holders who are victims of modern slavery, measures to prevent abuse of fee waiver and biometrics processes, and updates to support the UK rejoining Erasmus+ from January 2027. There are also some useful expansions of permitted visitor route activities for those receiving training or coming to the UK for creative purposes.
Further details of the changes are outlined below, including when they come into effect.
Changes to Appendix Skilled Worker to support victims of modern slavery
Skilled Worker visa holders are not normally permitted to take up other work if they are not continuing to work in the job they are sponsored to do. However, from 8 October 2026 this restriction may be lifted for any Skilled Worker who has been recognised as a victim of modern slavery.
The liberalisation of work conditions will be restricted to those who have received a positive Conclusive Grounds decision via the National Referral Mechanism.
Details of how the process will work in practice are yet to be released by the Home Office, but once notified of the change to their immigration conditions, an individual will be allowed to work with minimal restrictions (including undertaking self-employment and voluntary work) for the rest of their existing Skilled Worker visa. The remaining restriction is that they will not be allowed to work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach. There will be no change to the immigration restriction prohibiting a Skilled Worker from accessing prescribed public funds.
This change, combined with the recently published temporary arrangement confirming the Home Office won't curtail the immigration permission of adult social care workers following sponsor licence revocation, could mean that victims have greater incentive to come forward and report modern slavery.
The Government is also taking other measures to combat worker exploitation. Earlier this month, the Government named nearly 660 employers who failed to pay staff the National Minimum Wage, returning £4 million directly to workers.
The Home Office is also continuing to consider the sponsorship system reforms indicated in last year's immigration white paper. Any reforms in this area will aim to put more responsibility and accountability on effective and responsible sponsors. Potentially the revised system may reduce the risk of worker exploitation by making it easier for work route visa holders to move between licensed sponsors throughout the duration of their visa.
Change to when a fee waiver extends immigration permission
A change is made to para 34G(4) of the Immigration Rules. This confirms that when a fee waiver application has been made, the date of the subsequent immigration application will only be the date of the fee waiver request if the immigration application is the human rights application connected to the fee waiver request.
The change is in place for immigration applications made on or after 8 October 2026.
The amendment is aimed at preventing the exploitation of the fee waiver process by applicants who use the fee waiver process to access a statutory extension of their immigration permission ahead of submitting a non-human rights application.
One consequence of this change is that some potential work route applicants may need to make an application for entry clearance rather than seeking to extend their permission in-country as an overstayer. The options in each case should be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Varying immigration applications – single period to enrol biometrics
Where an application is made on or after 8 October 2026 to vary an outstanding application, the biometrics must still be enrolled by the deadline applicable to the previous application. In essence, there will only be a single period to enrol biometrics.
Again, this change is targeted at preventing abuse by applicants who aim to prolong a statutory extension of their permission by making an application and then varying it multiple times without enrolling their biometrics. This has been effective in the past because an application can't be substantively considered until the validity requirements for it (including biometric enrolment) have been met.
Changes relating to the UK rejoining the Erasmus+ programme
The UK has agreed with the EU to rejoin the Erasmus+ programme for education, training, youth and sport from 1 January 2027.
For applications made on or after 8 October 2026, the following changes are made to facilitate immigration processes relating to this development:
Appendix Government Authorised Exchange schemes is updated to add the 'Erasmus+' scheme on the same basis as other scheme requirements and conditions;
Appendix V is updated to permit visitors participating in an Erasmus+ project to study at UK state funded schools and academies for up to 6 months, subject to child safeguarding and other eligibility requirements being met;
Appendix Student is amended to enable students undertaking a course as part of the Erasmus+ programme to be sponsored regardless of whether the course of study leads to an approved qualification;
A new category of permitted activities for visitors entitled 'Erasmus+ activities' has been added, enabling Erasmus+ participants to carry out specific programme-related training, education and work experience activities.
The permitted activities for visitors are expanded as mentioned in the section below.
Changes to permitted activities for visitors
The changes below apply to those who make an application for a visitor visa or for entry as a visitor on or after 8 October 2026.
Participation in workshops, debates and Skills Competitions
Partly to further facilitate participation in Erasmus+, all visitors (including those not participating in Erasmus+) will be allowed to participate in workshops and debates, and to attend Skills Competitions.
Receiving training in the UK
When visitors come to the UK to undertake training, they will no longer have to show that this training is unavailable in their home country.
Attending rehearsals for visiting artists, entertainers and musicians
Visitors who are artists, entertainers, and musicians will be permitted to attend rehearsals in addition to performances.
Permitted activities for entertainment staff
A new definition of 'entertainment staff' is introduced for visitor route purposes, meaning an individual employed by an organisation, entertainer, musician, or artist to support in the preparation, setting up and running of an event held within the UK.
Entertainment staff may support a visiting artist, entertainer or musician provided they are employed by that person outside the UK and are assisting them in connection with the same permitted creative activities their employer is coming to the UK to participate in.
Changes to refusal grounds – frustrating immigration controls
With effect from 8 October 2026, a change to Part Suitability confirms that if an applicant has previously acted to frustrate immigration controls (e.g. by failing to report for bail or absconding from bail or custody), they will be classed as having been in breach of immigration laws when making an in-country application for permission to stay.
The amendment aligns in-country refusal grounds with those for entry clearance.
Need more information?
We'll be covering these changes and more at our upcoming 'What's happening in immigration law?' webinar on 8 October 2026. Click here for a full agenda and to book. If you have any specific queries about the implications of these Rule changes, please contact a member of our immigration team.
