The UK government has started the first part of its immigration changes. These new rules mostly affect skilled workers coming from other countries, including thousands from India. The new system will start on July 22, 2025.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper shared the changes with Parliament. She said the UK immigration system is being reset to reduce the country’s heavy dependence on low-paid foreign workers.

One of the major updates is that the UK will no longer allow care workers from outside the country to apply for jobs through a visa route. This rule starts on July 22. However, care workers already living in the UK can still apply to change their visa type until July 2028.

The Skilled Worker visa rules are also changing. From now on, most new visa applicants will need at least a Bachelor’s degree or something equal. This change will not affect people who are already in the UK under the Skilled Worker visa.

UK Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Seema Malhotra, explained that salary requirements for work visas are increasing based on new national statistics. She added that the Migration Advisory Committee will take a closer look at the new salary levels and any available discounts.

The UK is also cutting down its shortage occupation list, which used to make it easier for people to get visas for some jobs. Over 100 jobs, like chefs and plasterers, are being removed from the list. A smaller group of very important jobs will stay for now, but people in these jobs will no longer get lower fees or salaries, and they won’t be allowed to bring their families.

The government has asked the Migration Advisory Committee to check this new shorter list again. They will decide whether any jobs should stay on it after 2026. Only a few roles will be allowed under strict rules, so that UK businesses are encouraged to train and hire local workers instead.

Yvette Cooper said the goal is to lower immigration numbers and spend more money on training people already living in the UK.

She told Parliament that these changes are necessary to bring order back to the immigration system. She blamed the last government for letting net migration rise too fast in just four years.

The Home Office added that this new system is also meant to stop abuse of the care worker visa. There have been cases where workers were treated badly. These changes should also help the UK depend less on low-skilled workers from other countries.