Statement of Changes to the Immigration

The UK Home Office published the Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 733 on 12 March 2025, introducing several significant amendments to the UK's immigration policies. These changes, effective from various dates, impact multiple visa categories, including visitor visas, the Skilled Worker visa, the Ukraine Scheme, and the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).​

🇹🇹 Visa Requirement for Trinidad and Tobago Nationals

Effective from 15:00 GMT on 12 March 2025, nationals of Trinidad and Tobago will be required to obtain a visitor visa to travel to the UK. They will also need a direct airside transit visa when transiting through UK airports. This change is due to an increase in asylum claims from Trinidad and Tobago nationals, which has added operational pressures at the UK border. A six-week visa-free transition period is in place for those who already hold an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) and confirmed bookings to the UK obtained on or before 12 March 2025, allowing entry until 23 April 2025. ​

 Changes to the Skilled Worker Visa Route

1. Minimum Salary Threshold Increase

The minimum salary for Skilled Worker visas is increasing from £23,200 per year (£11.90 per hour) to £25,000 per year (£12.82 per hour). This adjustment reflects the latest pay data from the Office for National Statistics and ensures that salary requirements continue to align with the pay situation for UK workers. ​

2. Recruitment of Care Workers in England

Employers in England who wish to sponsor care workers or senior care workers must first demonstrate that they have attempted to recruit from the existing pool of care workers who have lost their sponsorship due to insufficient work or revoked sponsor licences. This measure aims to prioritise the reemployment of individuals already in the UK before considering new recruits from overseas or other immigration routes.

3. New Entrant Salary Reduction

Applicants claiming a reduced salary threshold based on training towards a recognised professional qualification must now hold a UK qualification to be eligible for the salary reduction. This ensures that salary discounts are used appropriately and not exploited as a way to lower employment costs for international workers.

🇺🇦 Updates to the Ukraine Scheme

The Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme (UPE), launched on 4 February 2025, allows Ukrainians and their eligible family members to apply for an additional 18 months of permission to stay in the UK. Changes include extending eligibility to children under 18 who were granted leave to enter the UK outside the immigration rules to join or stay with their parents. Additionally, the definition of "parent" has been aligned across the Homes for Ukraine scheme and the UPE to ensure consistency within the immigration system. ​

🇪🇺 Changes to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

The EUSS enables EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens living in the UK before the end of the post-EU exit transition period to obtain the immigration status they need to continue living in the UK. Recent changes include allowing non-EEA national applicants to use a UK-issued biometric residence card or permit that has expired by up to 18 months as proof of their identity and nationality. Additionally, applications can now be refused on suitability grounds without a deportation or exclusion order being in place, where the applicant's conduct before the end of the transition period meets the relevant EU law public policy test. ​

Accessing the Full Statement

The full Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 733 is available on the. It includes detailed explanations and the full text of the changes. For those requiring accessible formats, the Home Office offers versions suitable for users of assistive technology. ​

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