On 5 March 2026, the Home Office introduced changes to the Immigration Rules, which were followed by updates to the Sponsor Guidance the following day.
Detailed descriptions of the changes to these rules can be found here.
These changes did not include guidance on paths to settlement in the UK and it is expected these may be introduced in the autumn.
The UK Immigration rule changes: How they affect your clients
Here is a short breakdown of the Rules impacting business immigration:
- a requirement that all sponsored workers must be consistently paid at least the minimum salary for their job code every month (from 8 April 2026);
- a ban of Afghan nationals from applying for entry clearance as skilled workers (from 26 March 2026);
- a new path to endorsement will be introduced in the Global Talent route from 1 July 2026 for those working in the design industry;
- there is an annual allocation of 1,800 spots for Indian nationals in the Global Mobility – Service Supplier route for chefs, classical musicians and yoga instructors;
- applicants on the Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker route will need to have worked outside the UK for their employer for at least six months from 8 April 2026, rather than the current 12 months;
- there has been an increase in the number of places in the Youth Mobility Scheme; and,
- from 26 March 2027, individuals applying for settlement will need to meet CEFR (The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) level B2, as opposed to the current level B1.
The update to sponsor guidance highlights the need for your clients to keep adequate records for all employees, to ensure vacancies are genuine and that jobs are at the correct level.
The Home Office is taking a much tougher stance with sponsors, meaning it would be sensible to advise that your clients carry out a full audit of sponsored workers and fix any problems they discover.
How Corridor can help your clients navigate these changes
Our team at Abbiss Cadres offers expert guidance on a wide range of immigration and global mobility matters as part of our multi-disciplinary offering.
For more details on how we can help, get in touch with us today.
