Getting ready for UK visa changes in April

We now know that the increase in minimum salaries for sponsored work visas will go live on 4 April 2024 (the equivalent date for family visas is 11 April).  

Many employers with workers on non-sponsored visas and salaries below the new threshold of £38,700 are assessing what type of visas their colleagues have and whether they can be renewed in the future. For example Youth Mobility, Graduate and High Potential visas have capped visa periods and can't be renewed beyond the maximum duration.

If those visas can't be renewed and salary won't hit £38,700 by the relevant visa end date, employers need to consider whether they can accelerate their switch to sponsorship before 4 April, even if the current personal visa still has a long time to run. That avoids the risk of having to terminate employment later on because sponsorship's not viable, and from the worker's perspective gives additional employment security and starts the clock running on their pathway to settlement as a skilled worker. There's still time to arrange this before the start of April although sponsors that need a COS allocation must act quickly with current delays in the system.