Immigration Statement of Changes: What has changed in March 2025?

On 12 March 2025, the Home Office published its latest Immigration Statement of Changes. While these updates are typically released quarterly, immigration practitioners remain cautious with each update; especially following the major changes introduced on 14 March 2024, which significantly impacted economic immigration in the UK.

Care sector

A major change in this statement affects the care sector, particularly for jobs under Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes 6135 (Care Workers and Home Carers) and 6136 (Senior Care Workers).

The new rules introduce an additional requirement for sponsors before they can recruit new care workers from overseas. Sponsors must:

1. Firstly, try to recruit from a pool of skilled workers already in the UK who were last sponsored under SOC codes 6135 or 6136 and now need a new sponsor because either:
2. Their previous employer lost its sponsor licence.
3. Their previous employer failed to provide sufficient work.
4. They have been identified by a regional or sub-regional partnership as needing a new sponsor.

• Then provide confirmation from the regional or sub-regional partnership that the above requirement has been met, and that no suitable workers were available from the pool of skilled workers.  

This change, which will be effective from 9 April 2025, will make it harder and more time-consuming to apply for Defined Certificates of Sponsorships. There is also an increased likelihood of an unsuccessful application.  These changes do not apply to workers outside of England, or where employers are seeking to sponsor someone switching from another immigration route who has already been working for them for at least three months.

Skilled worker visas

Also, from 9 April 2025, the minimum salary for skilled worker visas will increase from £23,200 per year (£11.90 per hour) to £25,000 per year (£12.82 per hour).

Additionally, for those covered by transitional arrangements and applying for permission to stay or settle in the UK before 1 December 2026, the standard working week for salary calculations will reduce from 40 hours to 37.5 hours.

These are just a few of the changes, if you have any specific queries or questions relating to the changes please email AfterAthena’s immigration department at immigrationteam@afterathena.co.uk.