In a briefing released on 28 December, mobility advisory firm Five Star International highlighted forthcoming Immigration Rules changes that will raise the minimum hourly pay for Skilled-Worker visa holders to £12.82 (equivalent to roughly £25,000 per year for a 37.5-hour contract). The update also tightens eligibility for certain extension routes—Options H, I, J and K in the Appendix—which mainly cover intra-company transferees and creative workers.
The change forms part of the government’s ongoing effort to ensure migrant workers are “fairly remunerated and not undercutting local wages”. For employers, the immediate task is salary benchmarking: any Certificate of Sponsorship assigned on or after 8 April must reflect the new rate, even if an earlier application used a lower figure. Where existing assignees fall below the threshold, sponsors will need to implement pay reviews before filing extension paperwork.
![Skilled-Worker hourly wage floor to rise to £12.82 from 8 April 2025]()
The increase dovetails with wider reforms—from higher CoS fees to a larger Immigration Skills Charge—raising the overall cost of importing talent. Some sectors, notably social care and hospitality, warn they may struggle to absorb the uplifts without passing costs to consumers.
Practical advice: audit all upcoming renewals now, budget for the higher payroll costs, and brief finance teams that second-year cost projections must be adjusted.
The change forms part of the government’s ongoing effort to ensure migrant workers are “fairly remunerated and not undercutting local wages”. For employers, the immediate task is salary benchmarking: any Certificate of Sponsorship assigned on or after 8 April must reflect the new rate, even if an earlier application used a lower figure. Where existing assignees fall below the threshold, sponsors will need to implement pay reviews before filing extension paperwork.
The increase dovetails with wider reforms—from higher CoS fees to a larger Immigration Skills Charge—raising the overall cost of importing talent. Some sectors, notably social care and hospitality, warn they may struggle to absorb the uplifts without passing costs to consumers.
Practical advice: audit all upcoming renewals now, budget for the higher payroll costs, and brief finance teams that second-year cost projections must be adjusted.
Source: Five Star International
