UK Immigration round-up: March 2025

Welcome to our regular immigration round-up, providing a helpful summary of what's new and in the pipeline for UK immigration, along with links to a wealth of detailed resources and courses at your disposal.

In this edition, you can find:

• UK Immigration updates
• Alerts, Webinars & Resources
• Upcoming Public Courses
• Round-up Live

UK Immigration Updates

1. Updates to the Employers RTW Guidance

The Home Office has issued a revised version of the UK's right to work guidance for employers, effective from 12 February 2025. The principal updates are as follows:

• Clipped Passport: Passports with clipped corners from British or Irish Nationals are now deemed ‘cancelled’ and are not acceptable as proof of right to work

• Birth Certificates: Clarification that a short or long birth certificate is considered acceptable when presented with official evidence of name and national insurance number issued by government agencies or previous employers

• Sponsor Licence Holders: Employers holding sponsor licences are required to conduct right to work checks on individuals they sponsor, even if these individuals are not direct employees

• Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme: Annex D has been updated to reflect the commencement of this scheme from 4 February 2025

• Biometric Residence Permits and Cards: With the discontinuation of BRPs and BRCs, employees are encouraged to create UKVI accounts to access eVisas for right to work verification

• 90-Day Entry Clearance Vignettes: Individuals issued with vignettes must create a UKVI account within 10 days of arrival or before the vignette expires, whichever is later, to access their eVisa. Employers should perform a manual right to work check on the vignette and a subsequent online check before the vignette expires to maintain their statutory excuse

2. Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules – March 2025

The new Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules was published on 12 March 2025. Below are the key points and links to the full documents:

• Visit Visa Requirement for Trinidad and Tobago: Nationals of Trinidad and Tobago now need a visa to visit the UK due to a rise in asylum claims. Transitional arrangements are in place for those with confirmed travel bookings before 3pm on 12 March 2025, arriving by 3pm on 23 April 2025

• EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) Changes:  Modifications have been made, providing clarity and updating guidelines for applicants: -

  • expired UK BRP or BRC can be used as proof of identity for up to 18 months

  • individuals with pending Administrative Reviews (AR) of EUSS decisions will not be removed from the UK

  • new restrictions on who can sponsor under the EUSS family permit application

  • applications can be refused on suitability grounds based on conduct before the end of the transition period

• ETA Exemption for French School Groups: Children aged 18 and under visiting the UK as part of an organised French school group are exempt from the ETA requirement. This exemption facilitates educational visits and strengthens cultural exchange

• ETA Exemption for British Nationals (Overseas): BN(O) passport holders are now exempt from requiring an ETA for travel to or transit through the UK

• Short-Term Study (English Language) Requirement: Applicants must demonstrate a genuine intention to study and leave the UK at the end of their course

• Skilled Worker Changes for Care Workers:

  • sponsors must recruit from a pool of existing workers before hiring new recruits

  • minimum salary floor updated to £25,000 per year/£12.82 per hour

  • changes apply only to care jobs in England

• Skilled Worker Salary and Deductions: A routine update to the minimum salary requirement for skilled workers has been implemented with new regulations concerning deductions from an applicant’s salary. This ensures that salary thresholds remain competitive, reflect current economic conditions, and provide clearer guidelines on permissible deductions and protect the rights of employees

• Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) Quotas for 2025: The annual quotas for the Youth Mobility Scheme partner countries have been updated for 2025. These revisions ensure balanced opportunities for young individuals seeking to experience life and work in the UK

  • updated quotas for partner countries, e.g., Australia (42,000 places), Canada (10,000 places), India (3,000 places)

• PhD Students Following Supervisors: PhD students can follow their academic supervisors to another institution without meeting the Academic Progress requirement, allowing them to apply for further permission from within the UK

3. Increase in Immigration and Nationality fees

Effective from 9 April 2025, the UK Home Office has announced an increase in various immigration and nationality fees. Key changes include:

• Visit Visa (up to 6 months): £115 to £127

• Skilled Worker Visa and Global Business Mobility Visa – out of country (3 years or less): £719 to £769

• Skilled Worker visa or Global Business Mobility Visa – in country (3 years or less): £827 to £885

• Certificate of Sponsorship: £239 to £525  

• Sponsor Action Plan: £1,476 to £1,579

• Naturalisation (British citizenship): £1,500 to £1,605

• Indefinite Leave to Remain (main applicant and dependants): £2,885 to £3,029

Employers will face increased costs when sponsoring overseas workers, making it more expensive to attract international talent and could exacerbate existing shortages in various sectors. Businesses relying on overseas labour will need to allocate more budget towards visa fees, impacting overall financial planning. These adjustments reflect the government’s strategy to streamline and balance immigration system costs while maintaining and improving border security measures and efficiency.

For a comprehensive list of updated fees, visit the official GOV.UK page: Home Office immigration and nationality fees: 9 April 2025 - GOV.UK

4. The Home Office has released further guidance on eVisas

The Home Office has suggested that international travel will be facilitated through the digital eVisa system. To assist travellers, online guidance has been produced. Furthermore, the Home Office has recently published a series of 'how to' videos that guide you through accessing and using your eVisa, updating and recovering your UKVI account, viewing and proving your online immigration status, and traveling with your eVisa.

Based on this guidance, it is crucial to follow these steps when traveling with an eVisa. Always ensure your UKVI account is up to date with your current details, including your name, address, contact information, and passport details. Verify the accuracy of these details before traveling abroad. Prior to departure, sign in to your UKVI account to confirm that it is linked to your current passport or travel document to avoid delays at the UK border.

If you have updated your passport details but are awaiting confirmation that your UKVI account has been updated, the Home Office advises carrying your old passport (if retained) along with your current one to prevent delays. Additionally, verify that all other personal details in your UKVI account are correct.

The opening hours of the passenger support line have been reduced, this is available for available for persons who are having difficulty demonstrating their permission to travel to their carrier. Passenger support helpline can be reached on 0800 876 6921 (free of charge), lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm UK time, and are closed at weekends and on bank holidays. If you cannot call UK 0800 numbers, the helpline can be called through +44 203 337 0927, however fees may apply depending on your phone provider.

5. Expired BRPs/BRCs are now valid until 01 June 2025

The Home Office has announced an extension for the use of biometric residence permits (BRP) and EUSS biometric residence cards (BRC) that expired on 31 December 2024, provided the holder has continuing leave. The previous end date of 31 March 2025 has now been extended to 1 June 2025. This extension follows feedback and aims to ensure a smooth transition to the new digital system. It is now estimated that around 600,000 BRP holders need to create a UKVI account, while over four million visa holders have already switched to an eVisa.

While an individual's visa status remains unaffected by the transition to the eVisa, they may face difficulties proving their immigration status to employers or when traveling into the UK if their status is not linked to an eVisa. From 1 June 2025, expired BRP cards will no longer be accepted as evidence of status for entry into the UK. Visa holders without an eVisa may encounter problems and potentially be refused entry. It is anticipated that right to work guidance will be updated to ensure visa holders use their eVisas to generate 'share codes' to provide their permission to work to employers. At the UK border, the immigration status for most passengers will now be checked digitally via automated online systems, therefore, it is crucial that personal details on UKVI accounts remain up to date to avoid disruptions.

6. Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme mandate

The Home Office has commenced the final phase of its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, opening applications for EU/EEA (excluding Irish) and Swiss nationals from 5 March 2025, ahead of mandatory implementation on 2 April 2025. This follows the successful rollout to non-European nationals, including visitors from the USA, Canada, and Australia, with approximately 1.1 million ETAs already issued. The £10, proposed to increase to £16 this year, digital permission allows multiple visits of up to six months over a two-year period or until passport expiry, whichever occurs first. Applications require biographic and biometric details and can be submitted via the UK ETA app or GOV.UK, with most decisions rendered automatically within minutes, though applicants are advised to allow up to three working days for processing.

This development marks a significant step towards the government's objective of implementing a contactless UK border system. Businesses with a global presence should ensure that their staff are aware of these changes and that those travelling to the UK apply for their ETA well ahead of any intended travel dates. An ETA will be necessary for visitors (both business and leisure), those transiting through the UK (with a temporary exemption for airside transit), and those using the Creative Worker visa route (for up to three months).

7. Potential extensions to the Youth Mobility Scheme

On 29 January 2025, a Westminster Hall debate was held to discuss the potential merits of establishing a Youth Mobility Scheme between the EU and the UK. Currently, the UK has reciprocal youth mobility agreements with 13 countries, allowing young people to live and work in another jurisdiction for up to two years, subject to specific age limits and annual quotas. The debate highlighted several key points:

• Government’s Commitment: The UK Government is dedicated to resetting its relationship with the EU, focusing on cooperation and rebuilding trust

• Youth Mobility Scheme Proposal: The Liberal Democrats proposed a youth mobility scheme to strengthen cultural, social, and economic links, and to address labour shortages in sectors such as hospitality

• Economic Benefits: The proposed scheme could provide economic benefits by filling job vacancies and contributing to the Exchequer

• EU’s Position: The EU views a youth mobility scheme as essential for broader partnerships, including those related to security and defence

• Government’s Response: While the UK Government is open to discussions, it emphasises that any agreement must align with its manifesto commitments and national interests

The bill will have its second reading in the House of Commons on 25 July 2025. It requires the Secretary of State to enter negotiations with EU member countries to extend the Youth Mobility Scheme to applicants from these countries on a reciprocal basis and for connected purposes.

8. Minimum wage for GAEs set to increase

In light of the forthcoming increase in the national minimum wage effective from April 2025, it is essential to ensure that the GAE minimum salary is adjusted accordingly to comply with the new regulations. GAE workers receive salary/funding based on their Certificate of Sponsorship, which at all times must meet national minimum wage requirements.

Sponsors are therefore required to review and adjust the salary/funding of their GAE workers to meet the new minimum wage requirements. This should be effectively communicated to GAE workers and to any third parties who are providing the funding.

9. Increase in Enforcement Activity against Illegal Working

The Home Office has reported a significant increase in enforcement activity against illegal working in January 2025, with visits to 828 premises and 609 arrests, representing rises of 48% and 73% respectively compared to the previous year.

Between 5 July 2024 and 31 January 2025, illegal working visits and arrests increased by approximately 38% compared to the same period in the preceding year. During this time, the Home Office issued a total of 1,090 civil penalty notices. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has highlighted a record-breaking January for illegal working enforcement activity, as the Home Office intensifies its efforts to combat immigration system abuse.

Under its Plan for Change, the government is committed to restoring order to the UK immigration system, with increased enforcement activity being a crucial component in identifying, disrupting, and addressing irregular migration across the country. This latest crackdown underscores the Home Office's serious stance on compliance and its readiness to take action against employers who violate immigration rules.

Employers are reminded that conducting compliant right to work checks is a fundamental legal obligation under the UK Immigration Rules. All UK employers have a responsibility to prevent illegal working. Failure to perform the correct right to work checks can have severe consequences for businesses, making it essential to understand and fulfil legal responsibilities in this area. Employers holding a Home Office sponsor licence must also ensure they comprehend and adhere to their sponsorship duties when managing a migrant workforce.

10. Migration Statistics published for 2024

On 27 February 2025, the Home Office published new quarterly and annual immigration statistics for the year ending December 2024.

Key highlights include:

• Work Visas: 210,000 visas were granted to main applicants in all work categories, a 37% decrease from the previous year but 53% higher than in 2019. Health and Care Worker visas saw an 81% reduction from the previous year's peak, with 27,000 granted. Other Worker category routes experienced an 11% decline

• Study Visas: 393,000 sponsored study visas were granted, 14% fewer than in 2023 but 46% higher than in 2019. Visas issued to dependants of students fell by 85% to 22,000 compared to 2023

• Family Visas: 86,000 family-related visas were granted, marking a 7% increase from the previous year and continuing an upward trend since 2020

• Settlement and Citizenship: 162,000 grants of settlement were issued, the highest number in 13 years. Citizenship grants have sharply increased, rising from 131,000 in 2020 to 270,000 in 2024, with most granted to non-EU nationals

• EU Settlement Scheme: 8.4 million applications have been received since the scheme's launch in 2018, with 8.2 million concluded by the end of 2024

The Migration Observatory's briefing on these statistics underscores substantial changes in UK immigration patterns throughout 2024, with total visa grants falling by 460,000, including significant reductions in Health and Care Worker visas and student dependent visas.

Alerts, Webinars & Resources 

Global employment and labor law update - We’ve recently published our first edition of our quarterly Global Employment and Labor Law update for 2025.

Key developments feature in this edition include:

• China: new flexible retirement rules and changes in Shanghai's court practice on open-ended employment contracts following fixed-term contracts
• Ireland: upcoming expanded gender pay gap reporting requirements
• Spain: a landmark Supreme Court ruling on disciplinary dismissals and an anticipated new law reducing maximum working time
• UAE: new ADGM regulations covering a wide range of topics including visas and work permits, working hours, discrimination protections, termination, and record keeping
• UK: upcoming new offence under which large employers may be held criminally liable for employee fraud
• US: new pay transparency requirements in several States

Read our latest update on legal employment and labor law developments. 

Read here 

Upcoming public courses

• Immigration UK Business – sponsor licensing course – 29/04/2025 & 01/05/2025

• Cross border working – international remote working and international assignments – 15/05/2025

• Right to work in 2025 – 20/05/2025 & 22/05/2025

Ensure you are subscribed to our training updates: Subscribe to receive training updates, briefings and event information.

For Immigration updates select: Preferences - Service lines - Employment & Labor Law - Immigration and Global Mobility.

Round-up Live 

Our Round-up Live will be held on Thursday 10 April 11am-12pm (UK time). This session gives you an opportunity to discuss the recent changes within the immigration landscape and to raise any questions about the issues that are currently affecting your business.

You can find details on how to join this session by adding it to your calendar:

Add session to calendar