Major UK Immigration Reforms: What Individuals and Businesses in Switzerland Need to Know

The UK Government’s 2025 White Paper, Restoring Control over the Immigration System, signals the most comprehensive overhaul of the UK’s legal migration framework in over a decade. The proposals will impact businesses, skilled professionals, investors, families, and students seeking to move to the UK from Switzerland. They form part of a broader strategy to reduce migration levels and tie immigration policy more closely to domestic labour market reform.

Below, we outline the key reforms and explain what they may mean for individuals and organisations in Switzerland with a UK immigration interest.

A New Direction for UK Immigration Policy

Responding to record-high net migration levels—906,000 in 2023—the UK Government is moving away from its previous liberal approach, which had facilitated access for care workers, sub-degree skilled labour, and international students. The new White Paper proposes a stricter, contribution-based immigration model that will apply across work, family, study, and settlement routes. The UK Government’s stated objective is to reduce net migration and incentivise domestic workforce investment.

Skilled Worker Visa: Higher Salary and Skill Requirements

One of the most significant reforms for Swiss-based businesses and skilled professionals targeting the UK is the tightening of the Skilled Worker visa route:

• Skill Threshold: From 2025, roles will generally need to meet RQF Level 6 (degree level) to qualify for sponsorship. This excludes many technician and supervisory roles previously eligible under lower skill levels (RQF 3–5).

• Salary Threshold: The general salary threshold increased to £38,700 in April 2024. Occupations will no longer benefit from lower salary discounts under the former Shortage Occupation List.

• Transition Provisions: Those already holding a Skilled Worker visa for a lower-skilled role will be allowed to extend or switch within the UK, provided they remain in a qualifying role.

Swiss companies with UK operations—or those considering expansion—will need to reassess their UK recruitment strategies. Many roles previously filled through sponsorship will no longer qualify, and investment in UK-based training and workforce development will become a key expectation for continued access to skilled migration routes.

Temporary Shortage List: Conditional Access to Lower-Skilled Roles

A new Temporary Shortage List (TSL) will replace the Immigration Salary List for sub-degree roles. This list will permit temporary migration for lower-skilled occupations under strict conditions, including:

• Sector-wide workforce plans approved by the UK Government;

• Demonstrated investment in UK-based recruitment and training;

• Time-limited access and tighter compliance conditions for employers;

• Potential restrictions on dependants and additional language requirements.

Swiss employers with operations in sectors such as construction, hospitality or manufacturing that rely on lower-skilled UK-based labour will face heightened obligations and significantly reduced access to overseas recruitment.

Social Care Route Closure: Implications for the Care Sector

The Health and Care Worker visa route will be closed to new care worker recruits from overseas. From 2025, Swiss-based care providers or individuals seeking to work in the UK adult social care sector will no longer be able to apply under this route.

• Transitional protections will remain in place for existing visa holders until 2028.

• Future workforce planning in the UK care sector will be underpinned by domestic reforms, including mandatory sectoral Fair Pay Agreements.

This change is likely to exacerbate short-term staff shortages in the UK care sector. Swiss nationals previously eligible for roles in UK care homes or domiciliary care should consider alternative visa options where appropriate.

Family Visas: Higher Income Thresholds and Stricter Language Requirements

Family migration routes—including applications by Swiss nationals to join a partner or sponsor dependants in the UK—will be subject to new, more restrictive criteria:

• Minimum Income Requirement: Now set at £29,000, rising to £38,700 by early 2026.

• English Language Requirements: A new staged model will require A1 level on entry, A2 for extension, and B2 for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).

• Reduced Discretion: The UK Government aims to codify family reunion exceptions in statute, reducing the scope for appeals based on human rights grounds.

These changes may particularly affect Swiss-based couples where one partner is British or settled in the UK and seeking family reunification.

Indefinite Leave to Remain and Citizenship: Contribution-Based Model

A new “Earned Settlement” model will transform access to permanent residence and British citizenship:

• 10-Year Rule: Most work-based migrants will need 10 years of continuous lawful residence before becoming eligible for ILR (up from the current 5 years).

• Points-Based Pathway: Contributions to the UK—economic, civic, linguistic—will be formally assessed through a new points-based system.

• Integration Metrics: The Life in the UK Test will be reviewed and is likely to be aligned more closely with civic participation and language proficiency.

Swiss individuals planning long-term UK residence should be aware that acquiring ILR and citizenship will become more conditional, with greater emphasis on active contribution to British society.

Study and Graduate Visas: Increased Oversight and Restrictions

The UK is also tightening rules for international students and their post-study options:

• Restrictions on Dependants: Only PhD students and advanced researchers will be able to bring family members.

• Graduate Route Review: The post-study work route is under review, with potential limits on eligible institutions, fields of study, and salary levels.

• Stricter Sponsorship Compliance: Education providers must meet enrolment and course completion thresholds or risk losing sponsor status.

These changes will impact Swiss students considering university-level studies in the UK, particularly those hoping to remain in the UK for work after graduation.

A System in Transition

For individuals and businesses in Switzerland, the proposed reforms represent a shift in the UK’s approach to migration—from demand-led access to controlled, contribution-driven migration. While transitional protections exist for some, the overall direction is clear: higher thresholds, greater selectivity, and a tighter link between immigration and long-term integration.

Swiss employers with a UK footprint, skilled professionals seeking relocation, and families considering reunification should begin preparing for these changes now.

How Our Immigration Lawyers in Switzerland Can Help

At Richmond Chambers Switzerland, we are closely monitoring these developments. Our UK-qualified immigration lawyers can assist clients in Switzerland with strategic immigration planning, sponsorship compliance, visa applications, and long-term settlement advice.

To discuss how the reforms may affect you or your business, please contact us on +41 21 588 07 70 or complete our online enquiry form.