The UK Home Office has published a new Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules (HC 584), introducing amendments across a wide range of visa categories, including Skilled Worker, Student, the EU Settlement Scheme, Visitor rules, and Family and Private Life applications, according to a statement published on GOV.UK on September 3.

Most of the changes will take effect from October 8, while others come into force on separate dates — October 29, November 30, and December 9 — depending on the immigration route, the statement said.

Key changes outlined in the Home Office statement include:

Protection for trafficking victims on Skilled Worker visas: From October 8, Skilled Workers who have received a positive Conclusive Grounds decision confirming they are victims of modern slavery will be allowed, under certain conditions, to work for another employer, become self-employed, or undertake voluntary work.

Higher financial requirements for students: From November 30, the monthly maintenance requirement for students in London will rise from £1,529 to £1,570, while for those studying outside London it will increase from £1,171 to £1,203.

Expanded protection for domestic abuse victims: From October 8, dependent children aged 18 or over will be able to apply for settlement under the Victim of Domestic Abuse route, a provision previously more limited in scope.

Changes to the EU Settlement Scheme: The application deadline for joining family members will now be calculated from their most recent lawful entry to the UK rather than their first arrival. Separately, from December 9, expired biometric residence permits (BRPs) will no longer be accepted as proof of identity; a valid passport or specified document will be required instead.

Relaxed visitor visa conditions: From October 8, visitors seeking training in the UK will no longer need to prove that equivalent training is unavailable in their home country. Workshops, debates, and skills competitions have also been added to the list of permitted activities.

Groundwork for Erasmus+ return: Following a UK-EU agreement in May 2025, the UK is set to rejoin the Erasmus+ education exchange programme from 2027. The changes taking effect on October 8 laid the immigration groundwork across the Visitor, Student, and Government Authorised Exchange routes.

The Home Office said that for some categories, applications submitted before the relevant commencement date will still be assessed under the previous rules—so-called transitional protection. However, this protection does not apply to certain routes, including Skilled Worker, the EU Settlement Scheme, and Long Residence applications.

Immigration advisers have urged applicants, including Bangladeshis with pending UK visa matters, to check the specific commencement date and transitional provisions applicable to their route.

Source: GOV.UK