On 22 July 2025 the UK made its biggest Skilled Worker changes in years: the general salary floor rose to £41,700 (from £38,700), most new roles must now be degree level (RQF 6) rather than A-level, and lower-skilled roles were moved onto a time-limited Temporary Shortage List whose workers cannot bring dependants. Health, care, and education roles follow separate rules.
If you started researching UK visa sponsorship before mid-2025, a lot of what you read is now out of date. The rules changed substantially on 22 July 2025, and most competitor articles still quote the old numbers. This guide gives you the clean before-and-after: what the sponsorship rules used to be, what they are now, and — most importantly — what it means if you are job-hunting in 2026.
The changes at a glance
Here is the short version — the sponsorship rules before and after 22 July 2025. Figures are minimums and can be higher depending on your job's ‘going rate’; always verify the current numbers for your role.
| Rule | Before (until 21 Jul 2025) | Now (from 22 Jul 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| General salary floor | £38,700/yr or the going rate | £41,700/yr or the going rate — whichever is higher |
| Lower ‘tradeable points’ threshold | Around £30,960/yr (varied by case) | £33,400/yr, for qualifying cases only |
| Required skill level | RQF 3 (roughly A-level) | RQF 6 (degree level) for most new roles |
| Below-degree roles | Broadly eligible via the skills list | Only via the time-limited Temporary Shortage List |
| Dependants (partner/children) | Allowed on most Skilled Worker routes | Not allowed for Temporary Shortage List roles |
1. Higher salary thresholds
The headline change is money. The general salary floor rose from £38,700 to £41,700 per year — and, as before, you must be paid the higher of that floor or the ‘going rate’ for your specific job. The lower threshold available to certain applicants (for example new entrants or those with a relevant PhD) also rose, to £33,400. If you want the full picture of what you need to earn, see our dedicated guide to Skilled Worker visa salary thresholds for 2026.
2. Degree-level roles only (RQF 6)
Before July 2025, jobs at RQF level 3 — roughly A-level standard — could be sponsored. From 22 July 2025 the bar moved up to RQF level 6, meaning graduate-level roles. This is the change that quietly removes the most jobs from the route. A large number of roles that used to qualify — many administrative, supervisory, and skilled-trade positions — no longer do under the standard route, unless they appear on the Temporary Shortage List.
3. The Temporary Shortage List
To avoid cutting off sectors that genuinely need overseas workers, the government created a Temporary Shortage List for selected below-degree roles. It comes with real strings attached:
- It is time-limited — roles are only expected to stay on the list while shortages are reviewed, not indefinitely.
- Workers sponsored for these roles cannot bring dependants (a partner or children) with them.
- It replaces the broader access that below-degree roles used to have, so eligibility is narrower and can change.
4. Sectors hit hardest: care and hospitality
Social care felt the sharpest change. Overseas recruitment of new care workers from abroad was wound down, with the route increasingly focused on people already in the UK switching or extending rather than new arrivals. Hospitality, retail, and other lower-paid sectors were also squeezed by the jump to degree-level roles and the higher salary floor. If you work in care, the position is route-specific and still evolving — our guide to care jobs with visa sponsorship in the UK covers what still applies in 2026.
What it means if you're job-hunting now
The practical takeaway: sponsorship in 2026 rewards graduate-level roles in genuine shortage areas, and it filters harder on salary than it used to. Three things make the difference now:
- 1Target roles at or above your salary threshold — a job advertised below the going rate simply cannot sponsor you.
- 2Focus on employers that actually hold a sponsor licence, rather than applying blindly and hoping.
- 3Check the dependants position early if bringing family matters to you, especially for Temporary Shortage List roles.
The first two are where most applicants waste time. Before you apply anywhere, it's worth learning how to find visa sponsorship jobs in the UK and which UK companies sponsor Skilled Worker visas in the first place.
Apply smarter, not harder
The 2025 rule changes make one thing clearer than ever: applying to employers who can't sponsor you is wasted effort. Hirely only surfaces roles from employers with an active Home Office sponsor licence, so every job you see is one that can genuinely support a visa. Create a free profile to see sponsor-verified roles matched to your experience.