Immigration Blog/ Updates
UK Student Visa Route: Recent Changes Explained
01 October 2025
In 2023-24 the UK government introduced major updates to student visa rules, especially to reduce immigration. From mid-2023 and into January 2024, the rules tightened on who can bring family members to the UK and when students can switch to work visas. The goal, officials say, is to cut net migration while still welcoming talented international students.
One key change (effective 1 January 2024) means most students cannot bring dependants (spouses or children) unless on a research degree or scholarship. For courses starting on or after 1 Jan 2024, the home institution must confirm the course is a PhD/doctorate or research-based higher degree in order for dependants to qualify. In plain terms: undergraduate and taught master’s students starting from 2024 can no longer add partners or children on a student visa. The only exceptions are government-funded scholarship holders and postgraduate research students (for example, PhD candidates).
These rules apply to new visa applicants (courses beginning Jan 2024 or later). Students already studying before 2024 keep the old rules, and any dependants already in the UK on a student visa can still extend their stay if eligible. In practice, the changes mostly affect taught-course students enrolling from 2024: they lose the right to bring family. Postgraduate research (PhD) students and those on official scholarships (like Chevening or Commonwealth awards) can still sponsor dependants. For example, a master’s student starting in September 2024 would not be able to bring a spouse, but a PhD student could.
Another important change (effective from mid-2023) concerns working after graduation. New rules say international students cannot switch into a work visa until they have completed their degree. In other words, if you have a job offer, your work visa must start after your course end date. This replaced the old practice where students could switch visas before finishing. (An exception remains for PhD students: they are allowed to apply for a sponsored work visa after 24 months of study, even if the PhD isn’t finished yet.) Apart from these changes, the normal Graduate Route (post-study work visa) still applies: graduates of bachelor’s or master’s degrees can stay for up to 2 years to work or look for work (3 years for PhDs), as before. No official rule change has yet cut down that post-study period as of mid-2025.
Why make these changes? The government has been clear that it wants to reduce overall migration numbers and ensure the student route isn’t being misused. Home Office ministers noted a big rise in students coming with dependants - something they called “unreasonable” and said ending this practice would cut migration by “tens of thousands”. They argue the rules still strike a balance by letting “brightest” students come (who contribute to the economy) while protecting public services from a surge in family entries.
Other basic visa rules remain the same. Students still need to meet the usual requirements (approved course of sufficient length, track-record-of-compliance sponsor, financial funds, English language, etc.). One minor tweak made in July 2025 clarified that if a student and partner apply together, the student’s application must be approved for the partner to qualify. Otherwise, conditions like part-time work limits (20 hours/week during term, for example) and course-level rules (degree-level study, duration requirements) are unchanged.
In summary, the latest student visa changes mean that from 2023–24, most new international students cannot bring family members unless on a PhD or official scholarship, and they must complete their studies before switching to a work visa. These updates came into force in mid-2023 (for visa-switching rules) and January 2024 (for dependants rules), and they are intended to help the UK meet its migration targets while still welcoming qualified students.
Should you require any further guidance or need assistance with your immigration application, do not hesitate to contact info@ukimmigrationspecialist.co.uk today.
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The End of A-Levels? What the UK's New Degree-Level Visa Rule Means
For years, the UK's Skilled Worker visa route has been a primary pathway for overseas professionals to come and work in the country. But a significant and fundamental change took effect on 22 July 22 2025, which has altered who is eligible for this visa, and in doing so, has reshaped the UK's workforce. The change is simple but profound: the minimum skill level required for a new visa application rose.
What's Changing?
Previously, a job needed to meet a skill level of Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Level 3—which is roughly equivalent to A-level qualifications—to be eligible for sponsorship. Under the new rules, all new applicants must be sponsored for a role graded at RQF Level 6, a standard that aligns with a UK bachelor's degree.
This strategic shift meant that a large number of jobs that were once on the eligible list are no longer a viable option for new applicants coming from overseas. Estimates suggest that between 111 and 180 occupations have been removed from the list, affecting a wide range of sectors, from hospitality and construction to administrative roles.
The government's rationale was clear: it was a calculated move to reduce net migration and to push UK employers to invest more in training and developing their domestic workforce to fill these roles.
What Does This Mean for Current Visa Holders?
The new rules create a two-tiered system for a transitional period. If you are already in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa in a role below the new degree-level threshold, you are protected by transitional arrangements. This means you can continue to be sponsored in your RQF 3-5 occupation, extend your visa, or even change employers within that same job code until at least 22 July 2028.
However, there is a crucial caveat for those seeking to stay long-term. While your skill level is protected, you are still subject to the new, higher salary thresholds when you apply for an extension or a new job. This puts pressure on both the worker and the employer to meet the new financial requirements, even if the job itself remains below the degree-level standard.
In essence, the UK has made a deliberate move toward a more selective and high-skilled immigration model. For employers, the message is clear: long-term workforce planning must now be built on a foundation of domestic talent and a highly selective approach to international recruitment.
For all your immigration needs, please contact UKImmigrationSpecialist at info@ukimmigrationspecialist.co.uk or 0203 818 5282.
The UK's Care Sector: Navigating a New Era in Immigration Policy
Significant changes are coming to the UK's immigration system, and one of the most profound shifts is taking place in the adult social care sector. From 22 July 2025, the UK government is closing the door on new overseas recruitment for care workers and senior care workers. This is a crucial policy reversal that will have a major impact on both the industry and the thousands of people who wish to work in the UK.
For years, the Health and Care Worker visa route was a lifeline for the UK's social care sector, which has struggled with chronic staff shortages. In 2022, the government expanded the visa route to include care workers, a decision that led to a massive influx of applications, approximately 648,100 people, including their families, applied between 2022 and 2024. While this helped fill vacancies, it also raised concerns about migrant exploitation and the overall rapid increase in immigration numbers.
The new policy is a direct response to those concerns. The government’s official stance is that UK employers should now focus on "investing in the skills of workers already in Britain" to meet their staffing needs. In effect, the government is signalling a definitive shift: the long-term solution to the care crisis must be found domestically, not through international recruitment.
What Does This Mean in Practice?
- For New Applicants: If you are an overseas care worker or senior care worker, you will no longer be able to apply for a new visa to come to the UK from 22 July 2025.
- For Current Visa Holders: The changes are not retroactive for those already in the country. If you are a care worker or senior care worker already on a Health and Care Worker visa, you can continue to work in your role, extend your current visa, or switch employers within your occupation code. These transitional arrangements are in place until at least 22 July 2028, providing a period of stability for the existing workforce.
- Rules on Dependants: A key change is the restriction on bringing family members. Individuals who switch into a care worker role after11 March 2024, are no longer able to have their dependents join them in the UK. However, those who were already in the route before this date can still have their dependents remain with them and apply for visa extensions.
- Other Roles: It is important to note that a handful of other healthcare roles have been entirely removed from the sponsorship system because they no longer meet the new, higher skill thresholds. These include roles like medical and dental technicians, ambulance staff (excluding paramedics), and dental nurses.
This policy shift marks a fundamental change in how the UK views immigration's role in filling critical labour gaps. It places a new burden on domestic industries to develop their workforces from within, while creating a clear and separate pathway for high-skilled professionals. For the social care sector, this new chapter will require a significant rethink of long-term workforce strategy.