Dates for New UK Visa Rules Announced | UKVI Latest Update 2024

The Home Office has released a fresh statement outlining the dates of the start of the skilled worker and partner pathways, together with other significant improvements. Together with these, other declarations were also made indicating a condensed schedule for the anticipated implementation of immigration measures this year.

The Home Secretary made a statement on January 30, 2024, mostly addressing changes to the partner route and skilled worker programs. While some of these improvements will be implemented later this year and in early 2025, most should occur in March and April of that year.

The salary requirements for skilled workers will also be modified on April 4, 2024. Thus, “What’s the cause behind these reforms?” is the key query. To summarize, the UK government has decided to implement these planned reforms due to several factors.

Therefore, increasing Home Office revenues and bringing about a large reduction in net migration will help advance the goal for digital transformation. In this update, we have included a chronology overview to help you understand the reform. Keep in mind that the dates listed in the Home Secretary’s most recent announcement are marked as new.

Latest Updates & Date of Effect

• Partner and dependent children of students are only permitted as of January 1, 2024, if the student is enrolled in a Ph.D. or other doctorate program or a postgraduate research program that begins on or after that day.
• Liberalizing modifications to visitor routes went into effect on January 31, 2024.
• For inhabitants of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates who are visiting the UK on or after February 22, 2024, the Electronic Travel Authorization will open on February 1, 2024.
• The Immigration Health Surcharge will rise to £1,035 for all other non-exempt applicants for limited immigration permission, including primary applicants in employment pathways, from February 6, 2024, and to £776 for students, student dependents, and Youth Mobility Scheme applicants.
• The maximum civil penalty for working illegally will increase to £60,000 on February 13, 2024.
• The fast evaluation of the immigration wage list, which will take the place of the shortage occupation list for the skilled worker route, will be reported on by the Migration Advisory Committee on February 23, 2024.

New Updates from the Latest Announcement

• Immigration regulations will be introduced on February 19, 2024, to implement the March 11, 2024, prohibition on caregivers and senior caregivers who are accompanied by spouses and dependent children who are skilled workers.
• Spouses, kids, and senior caretakers will no longer be able to apply as skilled worker dependents as of March 11, 2024.
• Sponsor guidelines will be updated on March 11, 2024, to mandate that care home sponsors register with the Care Quality Commission to sponsor caregivers, including senior caregivers.
• Immigration regulations will be announced on March 14, 2024, and changes to the skilled worker and partner pathways will take effect on April 4, 2024.
• Changes to the skilled worker route will take effect on April 4, 2024, and they include

1. 1. 1. Increase in the general salary requirement from £26,200 to 38,700.
      2. Modifications to the current pay scale
      3. Elimination of the 20% salary reduction for jobs in shortage
      4. Substitution of the immigration salary list for the shortage occupation list

Further Updates

• Sponsors of employees whose licenses expire on or after April 6, 2024, will no longer need to apply to renew their licenses. A license’s expiration date has been removed. This has been made clear to sponsors via the sponsor management system.
• On April 11, 2024, the £8,600 minimum income requirement for candidates pursuing the 5-year partner path will increase to £29,000, and the £8,600 marginal income requirement for dependents will be eliminated.

To Be Confirmed Mid to Late 2024

• The immigration pay list will be thoroughly reviewed by the Migration Advisory Committee; changes to the list will be made after the review.
• It is proposed to increase the minimum income threshold for applicants pursuing the 5-year partner path from £29,000 to £34,500.
• Electronic travel authorizations will be in place for all non-Visa nationals by the end of 2024.
• Bays runs out of physical immigration documents, such as biometric residency cards, permits, and other paper-based forms, on December 31, 2024. After this date, holders will need to create a UKVI account to verify their status.
• It is also anticipated that the minimum income criteria for applicants to the 5-year partner route will increase from £34,500 to £38,700 in early 2025.

Enhancements to the sponsor licensing scheme are also planned in addition to these modifications. This modification would be consistent with the Home Office’s sponsorship roadmap. However the start date for this specific reform program is currently unknown, and it is running behind schedule.