The Government has announced a number of immigration measures as part of the 2026 Budget, with several important changes for employers and internationally mobile workers expected during 2027.
Key announcements include:
- Skilled Worker salaries: from spring 2027, occupation-specific salary thresholds are expected to move from the median to the 25th percentile of occupational earnings, following recommendations from the Migration Advisory Committee. The general salary threshold will, however, be uprated using 2026 earnings data.
- New Entrants: as part of the spring 2027 salary reforms, the existing salary discounts for students, recent graduates and those undertaking professional training will be replaced by a single New Entrant discount.
- PhD discounts: the existing Skilled Worker salary discount for PhD holders will also be removed as part of the spring 2027 reforms.
- High Potential Individual route: eligibility will expand to graduates of the top 150 global universities, alongside a proportionate increase in the route’s overall cap. Further implementation details are expected.
- Graduate route: the general reduction in the Graduate route to 18 months is due to apply to applications made from 1 January 2027. However, the Budget announces that graduates from certain high-compliance universities with strong labour-market outcomes will benefit from a two-year Graduate visa. Further detail on qualifying institutions and implementation is awaited.
- Highly skilled workers: during 2027, the Government intends to work towards allowing certain highly skilled sponsored workers whose employment ends to benefit from a curtailment period of up to six months, giving them additional time to secure alternative sponsorship.
- Global Talent: further expansion of the endorsed funder pathway is expected in spring 2027, supporting additional R&D-intensive businesses in key Industrial Strategy sectors.
Further detail on the implementation and timing of a number of these measures is awaited. We will keep you updated as further details and a clearer implementation timeline become available.
If you have any questions about how these changes may affect your business or employees, please do not hesitate to contact our business immigrations specialists, Katie Good and Helen Apostolides.
