Immigration spotlight: key changes from March 2026

March 2026 marked a particularly active period for UK immigration, with a series of significant reforms affecting work routes, settlement requirements, announcement of increased visa fees and the introduction of the UK’s first 'visa brake'. These changes were set out through the latest Statements of Changes and continue to have immediate and longer term implications for employers, sponsors and migrants. This Immigration Spotlight highlights the key developments from March 2026 and considers what they mean in practice as the new framework is rolled out.

The policy direction underpinning these reforms was signalled early in the month when the Home Secretary outlined the Government’s ongoing immigration priorities. These continue to focus on:

• Modernising border security and strengthening digital identity systems;

• Overhauling the pathways to settlement; and

• Increasing compliance expectations for licensed sponsors.

These priorities are reflected throughout the most recent Statements of Changes, which introduce a wide ranging package of measures affecting both employers and sponsored workers.

The most notable developments include:

• Higher English language requirements for settlement;

• New pay period salary and other compliance rules for sponsors;

• Targeted adjustments within the Skilled Worker route;

• Expansion of the Global Talent visa to cover the design sector;

• The introduction of limited nationality based restrictions through the first ‘visa brake’.

While some of these reforms took effect immediately, others will be phased in gradually, with implementation dates ranging from March 2026 through to March 2027.

A. Key business immigration routes

Pay-period

Sponsors will now be required to ensure Skilled Workers meet the required salary in every pay period, not simply on an annualised basis, from 8 April 2026. This significantly elevates the importance of maintaining accurate payroll processes and regular compliance monitoring.

Sponsor guidance

Sponsors are now required to read the sponsor guidance in full including Part 1, 2 and 3, the appendices, the route specific guidance and the glossary, and to remain aware of its contents (i.e. any updates implemented to these documents by UKVI). These documents run to several hundreds of pages, and this is a significant duty to impose on sponsors. Our previous advice to you as a sponsor will have provided a summary of these documents and your sponsor compliance duties at the point that advice was issued (including updates over the course of our advice to you). However, it is now a requirement that you fully read the relevant sponsor guidance, which changes often, and at short notice, so you should remain aware of the contents of these documents and any updates made to them in the future. UKVI expects your Level 1 User to log into the Sponsor Management System at least once a month to review the message board. This should detail the updates sponsors should be aware of, and we recommend this check is diarised monthly.

Employment rights

Sponsors have a responsibility to comply with wider UK law, including UK employment law. The guidance has now been updated to specifically require sponsors to ensure their workers understand their employment rights. We can provide you with a tailored checklist or document or roadmap that can be issued to your workers to find this information or provide training. You may also want to review employment contracts, handbooks and documents provided to workers to ensure that they are informed of their rights as mentioned above.

Right to work checks

The updated guidance also requires sponsored employers to conduct right to work (RTW) checks on anyone they 'employ or engage' (i.e. including workers who are not your direct employees). This suggests the duty may now extend to all workers, including those who are self employed or otherwise not directly employed.

UKVI has also confirmed that if a sponsor employs or engages someone who does not have permission to work in the UK, the sponsor licence will normally be revoked. This is a major shift, as most employers have not previously been required to carry out RTW checks on self employed individuals, and failing to do so has not previously resulted in immigration penalties.

The scope of this change remains unclear, as UKVI has not defined what 'engaging' a worker means within the guidance. This creates limited protection for sponsors who use self employed contractors, since any breach could lead to licence revocation - albeit on a discretionary basis.

For now, sponsored employers should consider carrying out RTW checks on all individuals they engage, including contractors, secondees and other non employees, to reduce the risk of inadvertently engaging someone without the right to work.

All the above changes are effective immediately.

Changes to the Global Business Mobility route

The Statement of Changes also amends the Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier route to reflect commitments under the UK India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. Indian service suppliers delivering services under the agreement may now receive permission to stay in the UK for up to 12 months.

This measure aims to facilitate the temporary movement of professionals as part of the UK’s international trade obligations.

B. Nationality restrictions introduced through the ‘visa brake’

On 26 March 2026, the Home Office implemented its first 'visa brake', following evidence of route misuse. Under this mechanism, visa applications will be refused if the main applicant is a national of a listed country.

The visa brake currently applies to:

• Student visa applications made outside the UK by nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan; and

• Skilled Worker visa applications made outside the UK by nationals of Afghanistan.

The restriction does not affect individuals who already hold a valid UK visa. However, any application submitted after 12:01am on 26 March 2026 will be refused - even if the applicant has already been issued a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) or Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).

The visa brake is subject to regular review. It is not indefinite but will only be lifted when the Government considers it appropriate.

C. Expansion of the Global Talent route (1 July 2026)

In most positive news, the Statement of Changes introduces a new endorsement pathway for design professionals under the Global Talent visa.

Applicants must show:

• Recognition as exceptional talent or exceptional promise;

• Professional engagement producing internationally recognised design work;

• A record of professional activity within the previous five years.

These changes are expected to improve access to the Global Talent visa for leading design professionals, supporting employers to both attract and retain high calibre talent. For applicants in qualifying research roles, the revised approach should also bring greater clarity by streamlining requirements that have previously caused confusion across the sector. In particular, individuals eligible for the fast-track route have often been applying via the full peer review process, resulting in a lengthier and more complex application than necessary.

D. Increased English language requirement for ILR (from 26 March 2027)

As part of the Government’s ‘Earned Settlement’ proposals and its wider focus on integration, a key reform is the increase to the English requirement for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

• Current requirement: B1 CEFR

• New requirement: B2 CEFR, applying to ILR applications submitted from 26 March 2027

Will affect migrants including on the following routes:

• Skilled Worker

• Global Talent

• UK Ancestry

• International Sportsperson

Innovator Founder applicants already meet B2 when initially granted permission, so this reform does not increase their requirements.

This will particularly impact individuals without a UK degree taught in English or nationality from a majority English speaking country. Employers should factor this into long term workforce planning where employees intend to progress to settlement.

Overall

The March 2026 Statement of Changes delivered a mixed package for employers and migrants.

Positive developments include:

• Expansion of the Global Talent route to the design sector; and

• Greater flexibility across certain Global Business Mobility routes.

However, the changes also introduce:

• More demanding English requirements for settlement;

• Stricter salary-related compliance obligations for sponsors; and

• Targeted restrictions through the visa brake.

Looking ahead

A broad range of visa, settlement and nationality fees are due to increase from 8 April 2026 under the Home Office’s fee schedule. The updated structure introduces rises across all major categories, with most fees increasing by around 6–7%. In addition, the Sponsorship Management System (SMS) will be unavailable from 18:00 on 7 April 2026 until 09:00 on 8 April 2026 to allow for essential upgrades to the Home Office’s sponsorship IT systems.

Taken together, these measures add further complexity to workforce planning, compliance and visa management, requiring employers to adapt proactively. Key steps may include:

• reviewing recruitment strategies in light of changes

• strengthening sponsor licence compliance and audit readiness;

• supporting applicants with higher English language and evidential requirements; and

• closely monitoring developments

Final thoughts

Despite ongoing policy changes emphasis on attracting high skilled migrants, accelerating integration and tightening eligibility, the reforms introduce new operational challenges for sponsors and applicants alike. Employers, employees, students and applicants will need to act promptly to assess the impact, re-assess recruitment plans and seek expert advice to ensure compliance and continuity.

If you would like tailored advice on how these developments may affect you, please get in touch with our team.

This article was co-authored by Akhil Srinivasan together with Padma Tadi Booth and Aneesha Varma.