The White Paper – An Update.
It remains the case that there is no overall timeframe for the May’s White Paper proposals. So far the Home Office has made one major round of changes to the immigration rules which came out last month. These have been summarised below.
What has changed so far – The UK government has introduced significant reforms to the Skilled Worker visa route, raising the qualification threshold from RQF level 3 (A-level equivalent) to RQF level 6, which has targeted graduate-level roles. This change has aimed to prioritise higher-skilled migration and reduce dependence on lower-skilled occupations.
Salary requirements have been updated in line with the latest Office for National Statistics data, ahead of a comprehensive review by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). To support affected sectors, two temporary lists—the Immigration Salary List (ISL) and the interim Temporary Shortage List (TSL)—have provided limited access to roles below RQF level 6, though applicants have not been permitted to bring dependants. The ISL has been scheduled for phase-out, and the TSL is subject to MAC review. Please see later in this blog.
Entry clearance applications for care workers and senior care workers have been closed, although in-country switching has remained available until 22 July 2028. Transitional arrangements have allowed existing Skilled Worker visa holders to extend their stay, change employers, bring dependants, and take supplementary employment—even in roles below the new threshold. Meanwhile, new overseas applicants and those switching from other routes have been required to meet the updated criteria.
Next steps for Appendix Skilled Worker? – the revised list will be in place until the end of 2026; the Migration Advisory Committee is reviewing which medium-skilled jobs should remain on the list after this point through the revision of salary requirements and of the TSL in two stages as follows:
i) A review of salary requirements for Skilled Worker visas, which highlights the need for thresholds that reflect fair pay and discourage low-cost international recruitment. Current rules require workers to meet either a general salary threshold or an occupational going rate, with limited discounts for PhD holders, new entrants, and roles on national pay scales. With the Immigration Salary List set to be abolished, The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has been asked to assess appropriate thresholds, the future of discounts, differences across visa routes, and how often salary rules should be updated. The MAC has been asked to report their findings by early next year.
As alluded to earlier in this text, the UK government has updated the Immigration Rules to allow certain occupations below RQF level 6 to remain eligible for the Skilled Worker visa via two interim lists: an expanded Immigration Salary List (ISL) and a new Temporary Shortage List (TSL). The ISL includes roles identified by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) as being in shortage, while the TSL highlights occupations deemed vital to the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy by the Department for Business and Trade and HM Treasury. However both lists are set to expire on 31 December 2026.
ii) So what will the overhauled TSL look like in 2027 – Future inclusion on the TSL will require MAC endorsement, a robust workforce strategy, and employer commitment to domestic recruitment. Sectors must align with industrial priorities or support critical infrastructure. Workforce strategies should include training plans and collaboration with organisations
like Skills England and devolved government equivalents.The MAC has been asked to assess which occupations are eligible for the updated TSL, considering visa terms, caps, and evidence of shortages. It should also evaluate the ambition and integrity of workforce plans, including safeguards against worker exploitation. Collaboration with the Labour Market Evidence Group will support data analysis. The MAC may prioritise sectors with established leadership and apply inclusion principles as far as feasible during this review and has been asked to report their findings by the middle of 2026.
One of the burning questions asked when The White Paper first came out and still being asked as fervently now was whether people will have to wait ten years for indefinite leave to remain. The government has still to be forthcoming with any clarity with regards to ‘earned settlement’ whereby applicants may qualify for 5-years settlement dependent upon “Points-Based contributions to the UK economy and society” or whether people already in the immigration routes affected will have to wait longer for settlement, as opposed to the change only applying to those arriving after the implementation date. The only indication that has been given is that more will be revealed after consultation later this year. This opacity has resulted in online e-petitions which have garnered so much support that the issue is to be debated in The House of Commons on the 8th of September. Watch this space for further updates re this.
Should you have any questions regarding your own current circumstances or you want to know more about the white paper please do no hesitate the contact us to talk with an accredited and experienced adviser.
