On 12 May 2025, the UK Government released its immigration white paper, “Restoring Control over the Immigration System.” It sets out a comprehensive strategy to reshape the UK’s immigration landscape. Led by the Home Secretary, the paper outlines ambitions to “reduce net migration, bring control and fairness to the system, and promote economic growth.”
The reforms aim to:
- Reduce dependence on overseas labour, particularly in lower-skilled sectors;
- Strengthen domestic workforce development by tightening visa eligibility;
- Attract high-skilled global talent to drive innovation and economic expansion; and
- Rebuild public trust in the immigration system through greater transparency, control, and economic alignment.
Although some proposals are subject to consultation and refinement, there is a clear commitment to bringing forward reforms swiftly. The scope and scale of the changes signal a significant shift in UK immigration policy, which businesses will need to understand and adapt to.
Key policies include:
- Limiting Skilled Worker route eligibility to roles with a minimum skills threshold at bachelor degree level;
- Establishing and refining a Temporary Skills List to cater for priority shortage roles below bachelor degree level, including requiring sponsors to participate in workforce plans and to focus on recruiting from the domestic workforce;
- Increasing the Immigration Skills Charge by 32 per cent;
- Extending the default settlement eligibility period from five to ten years, with exceptions for those who can meet a points test, who are exempt or who may be subject to an extended settlement period due to factors such as adverse immigration history;
- Extending the scope of the illegal working regime to non-employee workers, self-employed contractors and online job platforms;
- Overhauling family immigration routes, including making changes to financial and suitability requirements for work route dependants;
- Increasing the level of English language proficiency for main applicants across various routes, and introducing stepped English language requirements for dependants.
