IMMIGRATION WHITE PAPER CHECK IN

Karendeep Kaur
5 days ago
4 min read

two ladders with six worker men on the ladders constructing a metal boarder / wall

The Immigration White Paper was delivered to us in May 2025 and pledged the following:

The immigration system must be linked to skills and training requirements here in the UK, so that no industry is allowed to rely solely on immigration to fill its skills shortages.

Two months in, let’s see where the Government is with these proposals.

Work Reforms

We will lift the level for skilled workers back to RQF 6 and above. Salary thresholds will rise. Effective from 22 July 2025, jobs for the skilled worker route will need to meet RQF Level 6 or above roles. Resulting in over 100+ previously eligible roles no longer open for overseas applications.
We will increase the Immigration Skills Charge for the first time since its introduction in 2017, by 32% in line with inflation. Due to be implemented later this year.
We will close social care visas to new applications from abroad. For a transition period until 2028, we will permit visa extensions and in-country switching for those already in the country with working rights, but this will be kept under review. Employers will no longer be able to recruit under SOC 6135 and SOC 6136 post 22^nd July 2025 with a transition period in place for those already in the UK until 22 July 2028.
We will establish the Labour Market Evidence (LME) Group to draw on the best data available in order to make informed decisions about the state of the labour market and the role that different policies should play, rather than always relying on migration. The LME Group comprises of Skills England (targeting training needs), The Migration Advisory Committee (guiding immigration policy), The Industrial Strategy Advisory Council (focussing on domestic recruitment and training) and The Department of Work and Pensions (reducing economic inactivity and increasing workforce participation) – all will be individually tasked with reporting their findings to allow the LME Group to analyse workforce, skills and participation data amongst those industries which are relying heavily on overseas workers.
We will launch new requirements for workforce strategies for key sectors where there are high levels of recruitment from abroad. The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy policy paper was revealed in June 2025 highlighting the Government’s 10-year plan to track and promote growth across the entire economy by backing the IS-8 – eight sectors with the highest potential to raise national levels of investment and productivity. These sectors are: Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Defence, Digital and Technology, Creative Industries, Financial Services, Life Sciences and Professional and Business Services.
We will establish a new Temporary Shortage List to provide time limited access to the Points-Based immigration system. Occupations below RQF 6 must be listed on the Temporary Shortage List in order to gain access to the immigration system. The list has been released and comprises of roles which fall under RQF Level 3-5 which are deemed essential for the UK’s IS-8 industries.
Access to the Points-Based immigration system will be limited to occupations where there have been long term shortages, on a time limited basis, where the MAC has advised it is justified, where there is a workforce strategy in place, and where employers seeking to recruit from abroad are committed to playing their part in increasing recruitment from the domestic workforce. The Temporary Shortage List will expire on 31^st December 2026 yet is open to chop and change as and when necessary to include or remove occupations.
We will explore how to ensure that employers, using the immigration system, are incentivised to invest in boosting domestic talent, including options to restrict employers sponsoring skilled visas if they are not committed to increasing skills training. Plans are in place to support the IS-8 to achieve investment and growth within their sectors with an estimated £4 billion funding boost to materialise the initiative by 2035. However, some industries are complaining that the sectoral approach is uneven – for instance the advanced manufacturing and defence sectors look to benefit from specific investments and new programmes which will be welcomed across the construction sector. However, the education sector is seeing a major focus on vocational and technical education yet not so much for higher education at university level.
We will introduce reforms to allow a limited pool of UNHCR recognised refugees and displaced people to apply for employment through our existing skilled worker routes, where they have the skills to do so. Yet to be determined.
We will go further in ensuring that the very highly skilled have opportunities to come to the UK and access our targeted routes for the brightest and best global talent. Although nothing is set in stone, plans are underway to promote routes for highly skilled individuals and accelerate entry for those with critical skills. This includes:

Simplifying the Global Talent visa for top scientific and design talent.
A targeted and capped expansion of the High Potential Individual (HPI) route with the possibility of doubling the number of qualifying institutions eligible.
Increasing places to the scheme for research interns, including those working in the field of Artificial Intelligence to give businesses access to promising young talent.

The implementation phase has begun, and employers should be getting ahead of the game.

If your business is reliant on overseas talent, you should be securing your licence, forecasting growth plans for certificate of sponsorship allocations as well as budgeting for minimum salary thresholds which have increased and the additional 32% boost for the Immigration Skills Charge.

If your industry falls under one of the IS-8 eight sectors, utilise the funding that is being offered and train and develop your local talent. The pledge is to reduce net migration, but it doesn’t say that no overseas workers will be permitted across these industries – you just have to play by the rulebook.

So, how can FG Solicitors help your business?

FG Solicitors is here to navigate you through the complexities fast approaching employers in the UK – we’re here to support you through your Global expansion goals, Employment Law conundrums and Corporate & Commercial solutions.

Contact FG Solicitors today on 0808 172 93 22 or complete our quick contact form for a no obligation discussion!