All the 2026 Skilled Worker visa changes in one place – higher salaries, B2 English and tougher enforcement

Employers that rely on the UK Skilled Worker route have faced an unprecedented wave of rule changes over the past 12 months. A comprehensive round-up published on 23 June 2026 by immigration data platform MyVisaJobs distils six major reforms already in force and two still in consultation. Headline numbers first: the general salary threshold is now £41,700 (up from £38,700) while the discounted “new entrant” floor has risen to £33,400. The skill level has climbed to Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Level 6, effectively removing around 180 occupations – from senior carers to restaurant managers – from sponsorship eligibility. And since January applicants must prove English at CEFR B2, one level higher than before. Costs have climbed too.



If your organisation needs hands-on assistance steering through these Skilled Worker changes, VisaHQ offers an end-to-end service that ranges from eligibility checks to filing applications and monitoring sponsor-licence compliance. Their online platform and UK-based experts can streamline paperwork, flag renewal deadlines and help you budget for new Home Office fees—learn more at https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/

The Immigration Skills Charge jumped 32 % in December and visa fees rose a further 6–7 % in April. The article calculates that a three-year sponsorship for a large employer now costs £1,180 more in government fees alone than it did a year ago. Perhaps most concerning for HR teams is enforcement. Home Office figures show sponsor-licence revocations tripled in Q1 2026, with care and hospitality sectors hardest hit. Loss of a licence triggers 60-day curtailment letters for sponsored workers, forcing rapid redeployment or exit. Still to come are proposals to double the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain to 10 years (with carve-outs for high earners) and to move going-rate calculations from the 25th to the 50th wage percentile – pushing many SOC codes even higher. Both consultations closed earlier this year; a Statement of Changes is expected later in 2026. Action points: audit all sponsored roles against the new £41,700/B2/RQF6 baseline; budget higher ISC and fee costs into 2027 forecasts; and develop contingency plans should a sponsor licence be suspended. Early salary-uplift discussions now can prevent frantic renegotiations at extension stage next summer.