Could Skilled Worker visa changes be a warning of what could be coming for international graduates in the UK?
As of early April, the Skilled Worker visa – once a key route for addressing post-pandemic labour shortages, particularly in care work, and one of several pathways for international graduates to stay and work in the UK – now requires Care industry recruiters to prove they have attempted to hire workers based in England or recruit from overseas workers already in England before sponsoring overseas talent or those switching from alternative visa pathways. This additional hurdle could make it even harder for international graduates to transition into healthcare employment.
The Skilled Worker visa route is one of the most important visa pathways for international talent educated in the UK and who initially secured a Graduate Visa. Among the 25,469 individuals whose Graduate Visas expired at the end of 2023, 63% transitioned to another visa route to continue working in the UK. Notably, 42% of these workers switched to Skilled Worker visas, making it the most common route to employment for international graduates. However, if the recent Skilled Worker visa changes extend to additional industries, securing employment may become even more challenging for these graduates, as they could be classified as switching from an alternative pathway – adding further restrictions to an already complex process.
Changes to employment sponsorship
Changes to employer sponsorship requirements and salary thresholds for workers are key updates to the Skilled Worker visa. Under the new rules, certain payments will be deducted from the sponsored worker’s annual salary, meaning sponsors must determine post-deduction if the worker’s salary meets the minimum threshold set by the Immigration Rules. Employers should ensure their HR teams thoroughly review hiring practices or seek support from global mobility specialists to maintain compliance with the latest regulations for hiring and sponsoring international talent.
Early career salary stagnation?
If the latest Skilled Worker Visa updates, aimed at reducing international talent in the care sector, are any indication, will further industries face similar barriers? With speculation rising and media reports suggesting that the upcoming migration paper could introduce higher salary thresholds in industries where salaries plateau in early careers it will make it even harder for international graduates to qualify for skilled roles.
New, targeted visa pathways for international graduates
For years, I have been saying much alike, universities and employers that the UK must either improve access to the Skilled Worker visa for Graduate visa holders or establish dedicated post-study work pathways. By creating further restrictions on the Skilled Worker visa, the UK risks losing top international students to rival countries with more viable pathways to career opportunities and contribution to the economy.
UK universities are already suffering from a loss of international students reflected in the net migration being down 20% by the end of 2024 which in part can be attributed to the government’s ban on dependants for students on UK postgraduate-taught courses, making the UK a less attractive destination for international talent.
The effects are already visible: in the past four weeks alone, Dundee University has cut one-fifth of its workforce, with critics arguing that Scottish universities have become too reliant on international students.
Meeting growth targets
By 2030, the UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport estimates that the UK will need an additional one million tech professionals. The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has hinted at a future review of visa policies to support key industries like AI, tech, and science.
Although, to meet its own growth targets, it seems to me that the government must establish new visa pathways specifically for international students and graduates educated both in the UK and overseas. This new visa route should be distinct from existing pathways such as the High Potential Individual (HPI) visa, Skilled Worker visa, and Global Talent visa. It must establish realistic salary thresholds for graduates, expand global access, and offer stronger support for employers navigating sponsorship. This approach would improve the tracking of international graduate career and skill development while ensuring alignment with industry demand in key growth sectors.
About the author:
Emma Prodromou, global business expansion & immigration manager joined Mauve Group in 2005 and is responsible for ensuring ongoing immigration compliance for global workers, as well as reporting and liaising with immigration partners, consular officials, and embassies. Emma also supports clients seeking to establish overseas entities.
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