The United Kingdom yesterday tightened its noose for immigrants aspiring for visas when it announced a major update to its immigration rules, which significantly raised salary thresholds for Skilled Worker visas.

New Telegraph gathered last night that starting from January 1, 2025, the changes would require workers in several sectors to meet new, higher salary limits in order to qualify for the visa.

This adjustment, New Telegraph further learnt, is to ensure that only highly skilled and well compensated workers are able to enter the UK job market, with some salary thresholds increasing by as much as 82 per cent.

According to the UK government, the updated salary thresholds aim to reflect the country’s shifting economic priorities, with the goal of attracting highly skilled professionals who can contribute to sectors in need of expertise.

This overhaul will affect a wide range of industries, including technology, healthcare, and engineering, making it more challenging for workers to secure a Skilled Worker visa without a higher-paying job offer.

From this deveopments, UK would implement the most significant salary increases for Skilled Worker visa applicants in recent years. For most applicants, the minimum salary will rise from £26,200 to £38,700.

Those with a relevant PhD will see their salary requirement increase from £23,800 to £34,830, while those with a relevant STEM PhD will need to meet a threshold of £30,960, up from £20,960. For jobs on the shortage occupation list and new entrants to the workforce, the salary requirement will also increase to £30,960.

This increase signifies the government’s plan to ensure that only the most qualified individuals can access the Skilled Worker visa programme. The raised thresholds are based on median salary figures, which are expected to further limit the pool of eligible applicants to those who are among the highest earners in their fields.

DAAD Scholarship informs that for job seekers aiming to work in the UK, these changes present both challenges and opportunities. Workers in fields such as software development, engineering, and healthcare will now need to secure job offers that meet the new salary thresholds.