Overview

• The Home Office laid measures in Parliament setting a B2 (A‑level) English requirement with Secure English Language Test verification for Skilled Worker, Scale‑up and High Potential Individual routes from January 8, 2026.
• International graduates’ post‑study permission will fall to 18 months from January 1, 2027, with higher student maintenance thresholds also confirmed for the 2025–26 academic year.
• Employers sponsoring overseas staff face a 32% rise in the Immigration Skills Charge to £480 per person per year for small or charitable sponsors and £1,320 for medium and large sponsors, with the parliamentary process to enact the increase beginning this week.
• The High Potential Individual route will expand to more universities, with expected entrants doubling to about 4,000 and a cap of 8,000 applications annually, alongside signalled enhancements to the Global Talent route next year.
• All Botswana nationals must obtain a visa for UK travel from 3pm on October 14, a targeted response to visitors subsequently claiming asylum since 2022.