The Home Office tightened the Skilled Worker route again. For Indian software engineers and consultants — the largest user group of this visa — the changes are meaningful.
What changed
- General salary threshold raised to £41,700 (was £38,700)
- IT-specific going rates updated; many SOC codes now require £45k–£55k
- Shortage Occupation List replaced with a smaller Immigration Salary List
- Dependants of new care-worker visas restricted (does not affect IT roles directly)
If you're already on the visa
You're protected at your current salary until renewal. At renewal you must meet the new threshold or the going rate for your SOC code, whichever is higher.
If you're applying now
Negotiate hard on base salary before signing. Sign-on bonuses don't count toward the threshold. RSUs don't count. Only guaranteed base.
ILR clock
The five-year ILR clock is unchanged for now, but a consultation on extending it to 10 years is open. We'll cover the outcome when it lands.