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ARTICLE · 15 JULY 2025

UK Immigration Update: Changes To Sponsorship Eligibility From 22 July 2025

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The changes primarily affect eligibility for sponsorship of workers under the Skilled Worker and Global Business Mobility ('GBM') routes, and take effect for Certificates of Sponsorship...

United KingdomImmigration
Nicolette Bostock
Nicolette Bostock
Beth Hadden
Beth Hadden
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The Home Office published a Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules on 1 July 2025 introducing the first of the proposals indicated in the UK Immigration White Paper of 12 May 2025.

The changes primarily affect eligibility for sponsorship of workers under the Skilled Worker and Global Business Mobility ('GBM') routes, and take effect for Certificates of Sponsorship ('CoS') assigned from 22 July 2025 onwards.

Key changes

  1. Skilled Workers can only be sponsored long term in roles skilled to RQF 6 (Bachelor's degree). This brings the minimum skill level for Skilled Worker sponsorship into line with the GBM: Senior or Specialist Worker ('GBM: SSW') route.
  2. In addition to the general sponsorship salary thresholds increasing, there are increases to occupation based 'going rates' – which are often higher than the minimum salary threshold, and need to be checked on a case-by-case basis.

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