Overview

• The Home Office laid new rules before Parliament on October 14 that raise the English requirement to CEFR B2 for Skilled Worker, Scale‑up and High Potential Individual routes, with in‑person Secure English Language Tests verified during visa processing from January 2026.
• Employers sponsoring overseas workers will face a 32% rise in the Immigration Skills Charge, lifting annual rates to £480 for small or charitable organisations and £1,320 for medium and large firms.
• The Graduate Route will be shortened from two years to 18 months for most international students from January 2027, with PhD graduates retaining up to three years of permission.
• The HPI route will be broadened to cover more top universities, with entrants expected to rise from 2,000 to 4,000 under an annual cap of 8,000, and further Global Talent changes are planned next year.
• All Botswana nationals now require a visa to travel to the UK, effective from 3pm on October 14, with further dependant language rules to be set out in subsequent regulations.