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Business Standard
22-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
UK immigration overhaul: Indians face new job, visa and salary rules
Indians working or planning to work and study in the United Kingdom must brace for sweeping changes in the immigration system, many of which come into effect from July 22, 2025. This is the first wave of changes following the Labour government's immigration white paper published in May 2025. Several Skilled Worker visa rules are being overhauled, with new restrictions on jobs, salary levels, and long-term settlement pathways. What's changing and who will it affect? According to an update from the UK Home Office, from July 22, all Skilled Worker roles must meet the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Level 6 benchmark, equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree. This change cuts out hundreds of jobs previously considered eligible. Around 180 roles—especially in hospitality, logistics, and care—will no longer qualify for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route. These are sectors that often rely on positions below graduate level, such as care assistants, chefs, and delivery supervisors. However, there is a small reprieve for employers. Any Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) issued before July 21, 2025, will still be accepted under the current rules—even if the role no longer qualifies post-deadline. Salary thresholds are going up The minimum salary requirement is also being raised for several visa categories. For the Skilled Worker visa, the threshold is increasing from £38,700 (about ₹41.8 lakh) to £41,700 (about ₹45 lakh) annually. Other routes, including Global Business Mobility and Scale-up, will also see revised salary benchmarks. Crucially, all Skilled Worker visa holders applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after July 22 must meet the new salary threshold—even if they applied earlier under the old rules. Note: Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is a UK immigration status that allows a person to live, work, and study in the UK without any time restrictions. It's a step towards permanent residency and, ultimately, British citizenship. There is no transitional relief. 'The new salary thresholds apply immediately for those seeking settlement, so employers must plan accordingly,' said a release by the UK government. What employers need to do now With the new system now live, employers are under pressure to act quickly to stay compliant and avoid disruption to staffing pipelines. Immediate steps include: • Issue CoS before July 21 for jobs affected by the new rules • Audit sponsored job roles to check if they meet RQF Level 6 • Update salary bands and HR budgets to reflect the new thresholds • Identify employees who are already on the Skilled Worker route and may still qualify under transitional arrangements • Review recruitment strategies and invest in upskilling local workers • Communicate clearly with existing staff on potential implications • Consult legal experts to minimise the risk of non-compliance More changes expected this year The white paper released in May outlines several additional proposals expected to roll out later in 2025. These include: • Increase in the Immigration Skills Charge • Revised English language eligibility standards • New family visa rules • Graduate Visa duration cut from 2 years to 18 months • Proposal to double the Skilled Worker settlement period from 5 years to 10 Ten-year wait for permanent residence? Under the government's 'earned settlement' model, most migrants would need to wait 10 years instead of the current 5 to qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain. However, those making 'Points-Based contributions to the UK economy and society' may still qualify earlier. The Home Office has not yet explained how these points will be awarded or how much faster the accelerated route will be. 'We will consult on the earned settlement scheme later this year,' said Seema Malhotra, the UK minister for migration and citizenship in a written reply to Parliament. Who is exempt from the 10-year rule? So far, partners of British citizens and victims of domestic abuse have been confirmed as exempt. They can continue to qualify for ILR after five years. EU citizens protected under the EU Settlement Scheme will also retain their existing five-year pathway, as required under Article 15 of the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement. The Home Office has not yet confirmed whether other visa categories, such as the Hong Kong BN(O) route, will be exempt. Do the new settlement rules apply to existing visa holders? This is unclear. During a statement on May 12, 2025, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: 'We will set out further details of the earned settlement and citizenship reforms later this year, and we will consult on them'. She added: 'We want the settlement rules to be amended as swiftly as possible and to apply widely, but we will consult on the detail'. So far, the government has not said whether people already on existing visa routes will be affected or whether the ten-year requirement will apply only to new arrivals. Will MPs vote on these changes? According to an FAQ shared by the UK government, most of the changes will not be subject to a parliamentary vote. The UK immigration system is governed through Statements of Changes, which automatically take effect unless a motion of disapproval is passed within 40 days. In practice, this rarely happens. For example, the major visa changes introduced by the previous Conservative government in 2024 were not voted on, despite heated debate. However, changes requiring primary legislation—such as new levies on international students or amendments to citizenship law—will need Parliament's approval. Those are expected to be introduced in stages through separate bills.
News18
21-07-2025
- Business
- News18
Building consensus among states biggest hurdle in river-linking projects: Centre
New Delhi, Jul 21 (PTI) The Jal Shakti ministry has acknowledged that building consensus among participating states on the interlinking of rivers (ILR) programme remains the most challenging aspect due to apprehensions over water-sharing. In a written response in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary underlined that the success of ILR projects hinges on inter-state agreement. 'The consensus building amongst states is the most challenging task due to apprehensions of states related to water sharing," Choudhary said. Out of the 30 link projects identified under the National Perspective Plan, five have been prioritised for implementation. This includes the Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP), which is currently under execution. With an estimated cost of Rs 44,605 crore, the KBLP aims to provide irrigation to over 10.6 lakh hectares across Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and supply drinking water to around 62 lakh people. It will also generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar energy, with completion targeted for March 2030. The modified Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal (PKC) link project, jointly taken up by Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, is expected to provide irrigation to six lakh hectares, drinking water to 21 districts in Rajasthan and 15 in Madhya Pradesh, and industrial water to regions including the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. Another major initiative under consideration is the Godavari-Cauvery link, which would divert unutilised waters from the Indravati sub-basin in Chhattisgarh and provide annual irrigation to 6.78 lakh hectares, along with drinking and industrial water to a population of over 21 million people. The draft Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) has already been circulated among the participating states. In Bihar, the Kosi-Mechi intra-state link scheme is expected to divert surplus monsoon water to irrigate over 2.1 lakh hectares and reduce flood impact downstream of the Kosi river. PTI UZM UZM KSS KSS view comments First Published: July 21, 2025, 17:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Students' group urges enforcement of inner line rule in Nagaland
Dimapur: Naga Students' Federation (NSF) on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the full implementation of the inner line regulation (ILR) provisions in Nagaland, pledging to take all necessary measures to achieve this goal. In a reminder letter to the Nagaland chief secretary, NSF's inner line regulation commission chairperson Senchumo NSN Lotha, member secretary Seve R Vadeo, and NSF vice-president Mteisuding referenced their April 4 meeting with the chief secretary. The NSF said during the meeting, a 10-point memorandum was submitted, outlining critical issues related to the stringent enforcement of ILR in the state. The federation urged the chief secretary to provide an update on actions taken regarding the memorandum at the earliest. While maintaining that it does not seek confrontation with the govt, the NSF emphasised that the current administration should recognise the implications of lax ILR enforcement. The organisation argued that stringent ILR implementation is vital for the socio-economic security of the Naga people. The NSF affirmed its commitment to enduring any hardship necessary to safeguard this security, particularly for future generations of Nagas. Additionally, it expressed willingness to fully cooperate with the government if required.
Western Telegraph
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
Fact check: Report estimated 686,000 migrants would settle over 3.5 years
On several social media channels, the party wrote: '2 Million Immigrants. That's how many people could get British Citizenship next year.' Evaluation This figure appears to come from a report which measured the number of people who could get Indefinite Leave to Remain – not citizenship – spread over a 3.5-year period between January 2026 and June 2029 – not just next year. The figure was calculated by counting all those who arrived in the UK between January 2021 and June 2024 on a long-term visa which makes them eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain. To this was added those who arrived in that period on an ineligible visa, but later switched to an eligible visa. That produced a figure of two million. But that is before taking into account people who leave the country, or who stay but never apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. After taking into account such possibilities, the report's authors estimated that around 686,000 of those two million would receive Indefinite Leave to Remain over the 3.5-year period. The facts In a press release shared with the media on May 15 – the same day that the claims were posted on social media – the Conservative Party pointed towards an analysis from the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) think tank. That report deals not with citizenship, but with Indefinite Leave to Remain. ILR – also called settlement – gives a person the right to live, work and study in the UK for as long as they like. Most people are eligible for ILR if they have lived and worked in the UK for five years, depending on their visa type. Although many people are eligible after being in the UK for five years 'some wait considerably longer before applying,' the CPS report said. Once someone has ILR they get the right to apply for British citizenship after a further 12 months. What time period did the CPS report deal with? The CPS report did not say that two million people could get ILR in 2026. Instead it looked at the number of long-term visas issued between January 2021 and June 2024 – a total of around 3.8 million. Those of the 3.8 million who arrived in 2021, have stayed since then and have the right visas, will become eligible for ILR in 2026. Those who arrived in 2022 will be eligible in 2027 and so on. Where does the two million figure come from? The CPS estimated that around two million people from the 2021-2024 cohort could be eligible for ILR over the 3.5 years between January 2026 and July 2029. Assuming they are still in the country. The think tank got to this figure by excluding visas that would not make people eligible for ILR after five years. That left 1.7 million out of 3.8 million total long-term visas issued between January 2021 and June 2024. To this number it added those who had switched from a ineligible to an eligible visa after some time in the UK – for instance changing from a student to a work visa. By adding in these people who have switched visa the CPS estimated that a further 289,000 students who arrived in the UK between January 2021 and June 2024 could become eligible for ILR between January 2026 and June 2029. That takes the total to around two million. By CPS estimates, a little under 400,000 of those could become eligible in 2026. What proportion of the two million are likely to get ILR, according to the report? Not all the two million are likely to have stayed in the country for the full five years, and some of those who do stay for the full period will still not apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. The CPS report estimated that out of the cohort of two million, around 686,000 people will obtain ILR between January 2026 and June 2029 and a further 115,000 by 2040. That is a total of 801,000 of those who came between January 2021 and June 2024. The CPS warned that some of its estimations were based on what proportion of people on certain visas had in the past eventually gained ILR. These proportions might be different in the cohort that arrived between January 2021 and June 2024. The CPS report's 'new paradigm' scenario where it assumes that the 2021-2024 cohort is much more likely to gain ILR sees around 1.2 million of them being granted Indefinite Leave to Remain. The video In a video accompanying the posts by the Conservatives on social media, the party's leader Kemi Badenoch says that the two million could claim citizenship 'from next year' – not in 2026 as the text in the posts claimed. Although it avoids the text's mistake, this still does not take into account that it will take these people a year from getting ILR before they are eligible for citizenship. That means that they will not be able to apply for citizenship until at least 2027. Links Post on LinkedIn (archived) Post on X (archived post and video) Post on Facebook (archived) CPS – Here To Stay? Estimating the Scale and Cost of Long-Term Migration (archived) – Check if you can get indefinite leave to remain (archived)
Glasgow Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Fact check: Report estimated 686,000 migrants would settle over 3.5 years
On several social media channels, the party wrote: '2 Million Immigrants. That's how many people could get British Citizenship next year.' Evaluation This figure appears to come from a report which measured the number of people who could get Indefinite Leave to Remain – not citizenship – spread over a 3.5-year period between January 2026 and June 2029 – not just next year. The figure was calculated by counting all those who arrived in the UK between January 2021 and June 2024 on a long-term visa which makes them eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain. To this was added those who arrived in that period on an ineligible visa, but later switched to an eligible visa. That produced a figure of two million. But that is before taking into account people who leave the country, or who stay but never apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. After taking into account such possibilities, the report's authors estimated that around 686,000 of those two million would receive Indefinite Leave to Remain over the 3.5-year period. The facts In a press release shared with the media on May 15 – the same day that the claims were posted on social media – the Conservative Party pointed towards an analysis from the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) think tank. That report deals not with citizenship, but with Indefinite Leave to Remain. ILR – also called settlement – gives a person the right to live, work and study in the UK for as long as they like. Most people are eligible for ILR if they have lived and worked in the UK for five years, depending on their visa type. Although many people are eligible after being in the UK for five years 'some wait considerably longer before applying,' the CPS report said. Once someone has ILR they get the right to apply for British citizenship after a further 12 months. What time period did the CPS report deal with? The CPS report did not say that two million people could get ILR in 2026. Instead it looked at the number of long-term visas issued between January 2021 and June 2024 – a total of around 3.8 million. Those of the 3.8 million who arrived in 2021, have stayed since then and have the right visas, will become eligible for ILR in 2026. Those who arrived in 2022 will be eligible in 2027 and so on. Where does the two million figure come from? The CPS estimated that around two million people from the 2021-2024 cohort could be eligible for ILR over the 3.5 years between January 2026 and July 2029. Assuming they are still in the country. The think tank got to this figure by excluding visas that would not make people eligible for ILR after five years. That left 1.7 million out of 3.8 million total long-term visas issued between January 2021 and June 2024. To this number it added those who had switched from a ineligible to an eligible visa after some time in the UK – for instance changing from a student to a work visa. By adding in these people who have switched visa the CPS estimated that a further 289,000 students who arrived in the UK between January 2021 and June 2024 could become eligible for ILR between January 2026 and June 2029. That takes the total to around two million. By CPS estimates, a little under 400,000 of those could become eligible in 2026. What proportion of the two million are likely to get ILR, according to the report? Not all the two million are likely to have stayed in the country for the full five years, and some of those who do stay for the full period will still not apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. The CPS report estimated that out of the cohort of two million, around 686,000 people will obtain ILR between January 2026 and June 2029 and a further 115,000 by 2040. That is a total of 801,000 of those who came between January 2021 and June 2024. The CPS warned that some of its estimations were based on what proportion of people on certain visas had in the past eventually gained ILR. These proportions might be different in the cohort that arrived between January 2021 and June 2024. The CPS report's 'new paradigm' scenario where it assumes that the 2021-2024 cohort is much more likely to gain ILR sees around 1.2 million of them being granted Indefinite Leave to Remain. The video In a video accompanying the posts by the Conservatives on social media, the party's leader Kemi Badenoch says that the two million could claim citizenship 'from next year' – not in 2026 as the text in the posts claimed. Although it avoids the text's mistake, this still does not take into account that it will take these people a year from getting ILR before they are eligible for citizenship. That means that they will not be able to apply for citizenship until at least 2027. Links Post on LinkedIn (archived) Post on X (archived post and video) Post on Facebook (archived) CPS – Here To Stay? Estimating the Scale and Cost of Long-Term Migration (archived) – Check if you can get indefinite leave to remain (archived)
