Guide to the UK Skilled Worker Visa (2025 changes explained)

The Skilled Worker visa enables employers with valid sponsor licences to hire eligible foreign nationals to fill skilled job vacancies in the UK.

Since Brexit, the visa scheme has provided a lifeline to over 110,000 UK employers by allowing them to address talent gaps left by the end of free movement for workers from the EU. However, as of July 2025, a series of new changes has been introduced to the Skilled Worker Visa, making it harder and more costly for companies to hire workers from overseas. 

Even with the best HR software, keeping up with immigration regulations can be hard. So, if you’re currently hiring skilled foreign workers or planning to do so in the future, this guide outlines everything you need to know about the Skilled Worker visa in 2025. We also break down the recent changes in simple terms, helping you stay compliant and address your hiring needs with ease.

What is a skilled worker visa?

A Skilled Worker visa is a UK visa that allows eligible non-British/Irish nationals to work in the UK for a sponsored employer in a skilled job. It’s the primary visa being used by overseas workers seeking long-term employment in the UK. For an individual to be eligible for a visa, they must have received a job offer and a “Certificate of Sponsorship” from a UK-based employer.

Due to strict immigration controls, any business interested in hiring a non-UK resident for a skilled role requires a sponsor licence, including private companies, charities, and public sector organisations. 

Why does it matter for employers?

Prior to Brexit, UK businesses had access to a broad, skilled labour pool from across the EU. As a result, employers rarely had to look beyond the EU and UK to fill vacancies, especially those that weren’t highly specialised. Before 2020, the Skilled Worker visa (formerly known as the Tier 2 General visa) was a niche tool, primarily used to hire specialised workers from outside the UK for roles in sectors like finance or tech.  

This all changed in December 2020, when Brexit halted the free movement of workers from the European Union. Now, the Skilled Worker visa is a vital tool for finding skilled workers, as it’s significantly harder for employers to rely on talent directly from the European talent pool. 

Failing to comply with the Home Office’s strict sponsor duties can have major consequences. Employers who breach the rules can have their sponsor licence downgraded, suspended, or even permanently revoked. Not only can losing a licence force an employer to let go of its sponsored workers, but it can also damage the reputation of a company and create legal liabilities, making non-compliance a risk that’s too big for any business to take. 

Major 2025 changes to Skilled Worker visas

A series of changes to the UK Skilled Worker visas took effect on July 22, 2025. These adjustments were based on the Restoring Control over Immigration System White Paper, a policy document which outlined a new, stricter approach to work visas. 

Here are the major updates you should know about. 

Skill level requirement

The definition of ‘skilled’ has been amended as part of the UK’s effort to reduce net migration and only attract the most highly skilled individuals to the country. 

The minimum skill level for a sponsored role has changed from RQF Level 3 (equivalent to an A-Level) to RQF Level 6 (equivalent to a bachelor’s degree). However, if a worker’s role appears on this list of medium-skilled jobs, they may still be eligible for the visa.

Minimum salary thresholds

One of the most noteworthy changes to the Skilled Workers visa in 2025 is the increase in the minimum salary threshold. 

The minimum limit has increased from £38,700 to £41,000 a year, as part of the government’s strategy to ensure that only highly paid, skilled workers can come to the UK. To hire overseas workers with a visa, the employer must pay higher than the figure or the “going rate” for the specific job, according to the government definition. 

However, there are some exceptions to this rule. Early-career professionals under 26 can be paid a lower minimum salary of £33,400 per year, or 70% of the going rate for their role.

Learn more about how to hire overseas workers in our comprehensive guide.  

Eligible occupations

Due to changes to the skill level requirement, around 180 occupations are no longer eligible to be supported by the Skilled Worker visa. Here are some examples of ineligible roles, broken down by industry:

• Hospitality – Chefs, fishmongers, butchers, bakers, catering, bar managers
• Technical traders – Electricians, welders, metal workers, plumbers
• Administrative – Office managers, administrative officers, finance officers, wage clerks, payroll managers
• Healthcare and social care – Care workers, healthcare practice managers, dental nurses, dental technicians
• Creative arts – Musicians, actors, entertainers, and interior designers

Transitional provisions

The exclusions above apply to new applicants interested in pursuing a Skilled Worker visa. For current visa holders in these roles, transitional arrangements are in place.

Specifically, sponsored employees in lower-skilled roles can continue to be sponsored by their employer, apply to extend their visa even if their role is no longer eligible for the scheme, switch to a different employer within an occupation code that used to be eligible under the old rules, and take on a second ‘low-skilled’ job, provided they still meet the salary thresholds. 

Step-by-step guide for employers sponsoring a Skilled Worker

Despite recent changes to the UK’s Skilled Worker visa, the scheme remains a powerful tool for recruiting global talent. Here’s how you can use the visa to successfully sponsor skilled workers.

Step 1 – Obtain a sponsor licence

Before you can sponsor an employee, you need to make sure you’re authorised to do so. You will need to obtain a ‘Worker’ license from the UK Home Office, the government agency responsible for UK immigration processes. 

As part of this process, you must:

• Demonstrate your business is genuine, operational, and has the necessary human resources (HR) and recruitment systems in place.
• Appoint individuals within your business to manage the sponsorship process, including assigning an Authorising Officer, Key Contact, and at least one Level 1 User.
• Submit an online application through the UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) online portal with the relevant documentation. It will cost £536 for small sponsors or charities, and £1,476 for medium or large sponsors. 
• Be ready to be audited, as UKVI may visit your business and check your HR systems and ensure your business is operating as you claim. 

Step 2 – Assign Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS)

After you’ve obtained a Worker licence, you’re able to assign an electrical Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to your prospective employee. 

There are two types of CoS to choose from, each with its own application process. A Defined CoS is for workers applying for a visa from outside the UK, while an Undefined CoS is for workers in the UK switching to the visa for the first time or applying for an extension. 

For a Defined CoS, you must submit a request through the Sponsor Management System (SMS) and wait for it to be reviewed by the Home Office. An undefined CoS, on the other hand, is issued from your annual allocation, which is decided when you first apply for the worker licence. 

No matter which CoS you’re assigning, you’ll need to fill in employee details and information about the role, including the Standard Occupational Classification Code (SOC) in the SMS. You’ll also need to pay a CoS fee and the Immigration Skills Charge, which cost £239 and £1,000 for the first 12 months, respectively.

Step 3 – Employee applies for a visa

Now that everything is sorted on your side, your prospective employee can submit their Skilled Worker visa application online. 

Applicants must submit several key documents, including:

• A valid passport or travel document.
• Their unique CoS reference number, which you provided them.
• Evidence of their English language proficiency.
• Proof of their financial ability to support themselves in the UK.
• A Tuberculosis test certificate.
• A criminal record certificate, if applicable.

Standard processing time will depend on where the applicant is based, with decisions taking around three weeks for applications submitted outside the UK, and eight weeks for applications submitted from within the UK. If you need to fast-track the process, priority services are also available for an extra cost. 

Step 4 – Right-to-work checks

If the worker’s application was successful, the employer must conduct a vigorous right-to-work check before the worker’s employment commences. 

You can handle this process online, using a ‘share code’ given to you by the employee. This code and the employee’s date of birth will give you the right to check their right-to-work status on the UKVI online service. Alternatively, you can also carry out manual checks using the prospective employee’s original documents or biometric resident permit. 

Failing to conduct a proper right-to-work check can result in a civil penalty of up to £60,000 per illegal worker. Given these severe consequences, performing this check is a non-negotiable for all employers. 

Step 5 – Reporting responsibilities

If your employee passed their right-to-work checks, congratulations; they will officially be granted permission to begin their employment with your company. Your responsibilities don’t stop here, however. 

As a licensed sponsor, you must report any changes to your company or the employee’s circumstances to UKVI in order to stay compliant and keep your licence. 

Specifically, you’ll need to report changes if:

• The sponsored worker does not start their employment within 28 days of their CoS starting date.
• The sponsored worker is absent for 10 or more consecutive work days.
• The sponsored worker voluntarily leaves or is terminated.
• There are significant changes to the sponsored worker’s job, including its salary, core duties, or title.
• There are any significant changes to your business, including its ownership or address.

You’ll need to report these changes within 10 working days of them occurring or risk having your Workers’ licence suspended, downgraded, or revoked.

Step 6 – Record-keeping

In addition to reporting changes, you must also create and maintain a robust record-keeping system. Employers must be able to produce specific documents and provide detailed information about sponsored workers at short notice.

Key documents you’re responsible for keeping for each sponsored worker include:

• Employment details, like a signed employment contract and a detailed job description.
• Identity and immigration statuses, like a copy of the sponsored worker’s passport, confirmation of their eVisa, and biometric residence permit (BRP).
• Financial information, like payslips, and accurate records of their salary.
• Attendence and absence records, including any sickness or holiday leave.
• Evidence of recruitment, such as relevant job advertisements.

Keeping these records is a critical requirement of the UKVI, and can be audited at any time. You’re required to keep these records for the entire duration of the sponsorship, and for at least one year after the employment has come to an end.

Learn more about how to hire the best talent in our guide to nailing the recruitment process.

What happens if I employ someone without a visa?

Employing a member of staff without a valid visa or the right to work in the UK can result in significant repercussions for employers. 

The first place you risk getting hit is your bottom line. Hiring a skilled employee without following the proper procedures can lead to a civil penalty of up to £45,000 per illegal worker for your first breach, and up to £60,000 per worker for repeat offences.

Employing someone illegally can also result in your sponsor licence being downgraded, suspended, or even revoked. Losing your Workers’ Licence can be a major blow to employers, as it would prevent you from hiring new foreign employees, and could also force your current sponsored staff to leave. 

Finally, in extreme cases, employers that have a “reasonable cause to believe” an employee didn’t have the right to work would face criminal prosecution. Penalties include an unlimited fine or a prison sentence of up to five years, alongside the obvious reputational damage associated with a criminal conviction. 

Ignoring these consequences is proving to be even more risky in 2025. The Home Office is cracking down on breaches more than ever, with the agency issuing 748 civil penalty notices and £41.6 million in fines in the first quarter of the year alone, according to a 2025 Home Office report.

Navigating the new era of sponsorship

Hiring top talent from overseas isn’t a straightforward process, especially with the tightening restrictions recently introduced by the Home Office. 

Staying compliant is a multi-pronged challenge, with employers being required to obtain a sponsored licence, assign a CoS, and conduct thorough right-to-work checks before the prospective employee can even send off an application.

However, while rules may be becoming stricter, with the right guidance and understanding of key protocols, it’s still possible to use the scheme to access global talent. In fact, not only can securing a skilled worker visa for eligible employees help give these workers the right to live and work in the UK, it can also be one of the best investments your business can make.