On 5 March 2026, the UK government released a Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules alongside updated sponsor guidance.
While the changes do not introduce major structural reforms for skilled worker sponsors this time round, there are several important operational adjustments that UK sponsors should review carefully.
For businesses holding a Skilled Worker sponsor licence, these updates affect salary thresholds, compliance duties, recruitment processes and settlement requirements.
Below we outline the key changes and what employers should do next.
Key changes to the Skilled Worker Route
Temporary sponsorship concession for prison officers
Due to staffing shortages across the UK prison estate, the government has introduced a temporary sponsorship concession for prison officers.
Key provisions include:
- Prison officers can be sponsored at RQF Level 3 skill level when switching from another visa route
- The concession runs until 31 December 2027
Workers already sponsored under the Skilled Worker route can extend under transitional arrangements
Salary threshold
- For prison officers:
o Lower salary: £31,300
o Going rate: based on the 25th percentile of earnings.
These thresholds also apply until 31 December 2027.
Sponsorship length
Unlike most Skilled Worker roles, prison officers can only be sponsored for up to 3 years, rather than the usual 5 years.
Dependants
- New dependants cannot accompany prison officer applicants
- Dependents who are already in the UK will be permitted to extend their visas
This restriction is similar to measures previously applied to health and social care worker roles.
New pay reference period rules
From 8 April, sponsors must ensure that sponsors are paid the minimum salary for each pay period, rather than annually. The aim is to ensure UKVI can identify underpayment more quickly and take action where there are concerns. Workers must be paid the required salary in pay periods of at least monthly or as otherwise specified in their contract. Where employees are paid less frequently the salary paid to the worker over any three-month period must be at least equal to a quarter or the required annual salary.
Where the worker is paid more frequently (for example weekly or fortnightly), the salary paid over any 12-week period must be at least equal to 12/52 of the required annual salary.
Higher English language requirement for settlement
From 26 March 2027, applicants applying for settlement must demonstrate English language ability to level B2.
Currently, many applicants qualify with B1 level English.
This change will particularly affect workers planning long-term residence through the Skilled Worker route, and employers may wish to prepare sponsored employees early.
Sponsor guidance updates
Alongside the rule changes, the Home Office has released updated sponsor guidance. Several changes increase the compliance obligations placed on employers.
New definition of an “Eligible Role”
The updated guidance introduces a new glossary containing definitions used throughout the sponsor guidance. Of particular importance is the definition of “Eligible Role”.
Sponsors are only permitted to sponsor workers in eligible roles, meaning they must ensure that any role for which they assign a Certificate of Sponsorship meets the definition set out by UKVI:
- the role exists at the point the sponsor assigns the Certificate of Sponsorship to the worker, or the sponsor can reasonably anticipate that it will exist by the time the CoS is assigned. The role must exist either:
o within the sponsor organisation, or
o within another organisation where the sponsor is permitted to sponsor a worker to work for that organisation other than the sponsor organisation - the role requires the jobholder to perform the specific duties and responsibilities listed on the CoS, including the number of hours worked each week
- the role meets all Immigration Rules requirements for the relevant route, including the appropriate skill level and salary and salary, and complies at all times with the National Minimum Wage Act (and any regulations made under that Act) and the Working Time Regulations
- the role is appropriate to the organisation, taking into account its business model, business plan and scale
UKVI must also be satisfied that these requirements will continue to be met for the duration, or proposed duration, of sponsorship.
Sponsors must ensure workers understand their employment rights
Part 1 of the updated Sponsor Guidance includes a more detailed requirement for sponsors to ensure that sponsored workers are made aware of their worker rights in the UK.
Previously, the guidance stated that sponsors must comply with UK employment law. Under the updated guidance this has been extended to state:
“this includes ensuring and promoting the workplace-related welfare of workers they sponsor and ensuring workers understand their employment rights”.
This arguably goes much further than simply complying with employment law and places a positive duty on employers to educate sponsored workers on their rights.
This change is supported by updates to Appendix D, which now includes a record keeping requirement for sponsors to retain evidence that they have complied with this duty. Examples of acceptable evidence include:
o copies of written information provided to workers
o records of training or awareness courses delivered to workers
Right to work checks and accuracy of Certificates of Sponsorship
Part 2 of the Sponsor Guidance has also been updated to confirm that sponsors must carry out right to work checks on sponsored workers even where they are not the sponsor’s direct employee.
The guidance also emphasises the importance of ensuring the job description included on the CoS accurately reflects the role the worker will actually be carrying out.
Visa brake affecting Afghan nationals
In addition to the above changes, the government has announced a “visa brake”
Under this measure, any entry clearance applications under the Skilled Worker route from main applicants who are nationals of Afghanistan will be refused. This change will take effect from 26 March 2026.
What sponsors should do now
Although these changes are not major reforms to the Skilled Worker route, they signal continued tightening of sponsor compliance expectations.
Employers should consider:
- reviewing payroll frequency and salary monitoring
- ensuring job descriptions and CoS details are accurate
- introducing worker rights awareness processes
- updating record-keeping procedures
- checking compliance with the new Eligible Role definition
Failure to comply with sponsor duties can lead to licence suspension, downgrading or revocation.
