Every UK Immigration Rule Change in 2026 (So Far): Month-by-Month Timeline

UK immigration rules changed many times in 2026. The biggest changes so far are B2 English for new Skilled Worker applicants (8 January), 30-month asylum grants (2 March), the visa brake on some nationalities (26 March), fee rises (8 April), and the HC 584 package (8 October). Several big decisions are still pending, including the earned settlement policy and the future of the Temporary Shortage List. This page tracks each change with its status and links to our detailed guides.

Key points

• In force: B2 English for new work-route applicants, the visa brake, 30-month asylum grants, the April fee rises, HC 259 and most of HC 584.
• Scheduled: student maintenance rise (30 November), Graduate route cut to 18 months (1 January 2027), B2 English for ILR (26 March 2027).
• Proposed, not law: 10-year earned settlement, earned citizenship, new family migration policy.
• Before Parliament: the Immigration and Asylum Bill.

Status labels used below: In force, Scheduled (in the Rules with a future date), Proposed (policy or consultation only), Bill (before Parliament).

January to March 2026

Date	Change	Status	Read more
8 January	English requirement rises from B1 to B2 for new Skilled Worker, High Potential Individual and Scale-up applicants (HC 1333). People who held a Skilled Worker visa before 8 January need B1 when extending.	In force	Skilled Worker guide
February	Electronic travel authorisation enforcement by carriers fully in place (reported start 25 February)	In force	UK ETA guide
2 March	30-month core protection for adults and accompanied children claiming asylum on or after this date	In force; legal challenge reported	Asylum changes
5 March	HC 1691 laid: visa brake, Nicaragua and St Lucia added to the visa list, and B2 English for settlement from 26 March 2027	Laid; parts scheduled	—
26 March	Visa brake: out-of-country Student applications from nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, and Skilled Worker applications from Afghan nationals, are refused	In force; reviewed regularly	Visa brake explainer

The visa brake applies by nationality, not place of residence, and does not cancel existing visas. People already in the UK can still apply for in-country extensions. Source: GOV.UK.

April to June 2026

Date	Change	Status	Read more
8 April	Fee rises: ETA £20, ILR £3,226 (from £3,029), naturalisation application £1,709 (from £1,605); child registration falls to £1,000	In force	Full fees table
13 May	King’s Speech announces the Immigration and Asylum Bill	—	—
1 June	Tougher compliance thresholds (BCA) for student sponsors, according to law firm reports	Reported in force	Student visa guide
8 June	Guidance extends use of expired BRPs for UKVI account access to 24 months after expiry or 31 December 2026, whichever comes first	In force	eVisa guide
30 June	Immigration and Asylum Bill introduced (second reading 13 July)	Bill	Asylum changes

July to September 2026

Date	Change	Status	Read more
9 July	HC 259 laid: asylum interview omissions, deportation aligned with the Sentencing Act 2026, suspended sentences as criminality grounds, Graduate route changes for UK-born children. No change to family income or settlement.	In force from 30 July / 3 August	—
20 July	Andy Burnham becomes Prime Minister	—	—
23 July	Migration Advisory Committee recommends 28 occupations stay on the Temporary Shortage List (down from 52)	Government decision pending	TSL after 2026
3 September	HC 584 laid (main changes 8 October)	Laid; parts scheduled	See October below
15 September	Home Secretary tells MPs the earned settlement policy will be published before the end of 2026, and a new family policy in early 2027	Proposed	Earned settlement

October 2026

Date	Change	Status	Read more
8 October	HC 584 main changes: Erasmus+ students, visitors and exchanges; changes to visitor permitted activities; confirmed modern slavery victims on Skilled Worker visas can work for any employer; BN(O) children’s residence; EU Settlement Scheme changes; removal of remaining Start-up and Tier 1 Entrepreneur and Investor provisions	In force	—
8 October	New Home Office fees table published (no fee changes); Immigration and Asylum Bill factsheets published	—	Fees table
29 October	HC 584: Minister of Religion and Religious Worker changes	Scheduled	—

Source for HC 584 dates: explanatory memorandum.

Still to come

Date	What happens	Status
30 November 2026	Student visa maintenance amounts rise to match 2026/27 home student maintenance loans (HC 584). Check GOV.UK for the final figures.	Scheduled
9 December 2026	BRPs no longer accepted as identity or nationality evidence for the EU Settlement Scheme	Scheduled
31 December 2026	Temporary Shortage List and Immigration Salary List entries due to expire (except care roles 6135 and 6136)	Scheduled; decision pending
31 December 2026	Expired BRP concession ends	Scheduled
31 December 2026	Last day to apply for a 2-year Graduate visa	Scheduled
By end of 2026	Earned settlement policy expected	Proposed
1 January 2027	Graduate visa cut to 18 months for applications from this date (PhD graduates keep 3 years)	Scheduled
Early 2027	New family migration policy expected	Proposed
26 March 2027	English for ILR rises to B2 speaking and listening	Scheduled
22 July 2028	In-country switching into care worker roles ends	Scheduled
1 August 2028	£925 international student levy on English higher education providers	Subject to Finance Bill

For the Graduate deadline, see Graduate visa cut to 18 months. Source: GOV.UK Graduate visa.

What has not changed (yet)

Many people ask about changes that are still only proposals:

• ILR qualifying period. The 5-year route still applies for Skilled Worker, partner and similar routes. The 10-year earned settlement model is a proposal; the consultation outcome has not been published. Source: GOV.UK consultation page.
• Spouse visa income. Still £29,000. The Migration Advisory Committee recommended against raising it to £38,000 or more, and no decision has been published. See spouse visa minimum income.
• Citizenship. The 5-year naturalisation rules still apply. Earned citizenship would need new legislation.

What to do next

1. Find your route in the tables above and open the linked guide.
2. Note any deadline that affects you, especially 31 December 2026 for Graduate visas, expired BRPs and TSL roles.
3. Do not act on proposals as if they were law, but plan for them. Speak to a solicitor or a regulated adviser if a change could affect your status.
4. Bookmark /updates/ and the UK country hub. We update this timeline as new Statements of Changes are laid.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Last checked October 2026.