UK Government Unveils Sweeping Immigration Reforms to Prioritize Skills and Economic Growth
New White Paper introduces merit-based system with stricter skills thresholds, reduced student visas, and enhanced border controls

LONDON, 12 May 2025 – The Home Office today published Restoring Control over the Immigration System, an 82-page white paper outlining radical reforms to curb record migration levels while attracting high-value talent. The measures mark a decisive shift from reliance on overseas labor to domestic workforce development and targeted global recruitment.

Key Policy Changes

1. Skilled Worker Visa Overhaul

• Salary thresholds raised, with all “skilled” roles now requiring RQF Level 6 (graduate-level) qualifications

• Abolition of the Immigration Salary List discount system

• Sector-specific visas limited to roles with proven long-term shortages, contingent on employer investments in UK worker training

2. Student Visa Tightening

• Post-study work visas reduced from 2 years to 18 months

• Stricter oversight of educational sponsors, including recruitment caps for non-compliant institutions

3. Social Care & Low-Skill Roles

• Ban on new overseas care worker visas (existing visa holders may extend until 2028)

• Employers required to submit domestic recruitment strategies for shortage occupations

4. Fast-Track for Elite Talent

• Expanded Global Talent and Innovator Founder visa pathways for STEM, AI, and creative industries

• Accelerated processing for researchers and high-potential individuals

5. Enforcement & Compliance

• 10-year minimum for settlement eligibility (doubled from 5 years)

• Stricter English requirements for all visa categories, including dependents

• Financial penalties for employers/universities violating sponsorship rules

• Reformed deportation rules prioritizing violent offenders and asylum system abuse

Economic Rationale

The reforms respond to net migration peaking at 1 million in 2023, which strained housing and public services while depressing wages in key sectors. Notably:

• Engineering apprenticeships halved as work visas doubled since 2019

• 40% of recent care hires came via immigration, overshadowing domestic recruitment

“This system rewards contribution, not just presence,” stated Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. “We’re closing backdoor routes while ensuring businesses can access the talent they need to grow.”

Implementation Timeline

• June 2025: Revised salary thresholds take effect

• September 2025: Student visa changes enacted

• 2026-2028: Phased care worker visa phaseout

A full Border Security and Asylum Bill will follow this summer.

How do these changes affect the future of Pakistani Citizens looking to settle in the UK?

The team at ZED Global Consultants and their senior consultant Mr. Zeeshan K. Mughal, have always believed the long term strategy when it comes to immigration and relcoation for better economic means. It is this reason , we strive to offer programs that are merit based and allign with the applicant’s profile perfectly. For instance, if it is a skilled immigration pathway, we will make sure to allign the applicant’s profile to the requirements of the job. This practice ensures very high success ratio!

As for the international students, Mr. Zeeshan, an alumni of the University of Southampton, undersands the importance of a UK Qualification on one’s resume but today it should be backed by the proper career choices and better awareness of the program one is choosing in the UK.

We also believe that the new policy change will allow the existing workforce to achieve their career growths on their merits and in case they are not able to, they will look for other destinations for a better benefit. For the future of applicants from Pakistan, merti based applications take you a long way!