The Chancellor delivered the UK Budget on 28 October 2026. For migrants, it brings good news for high-skilled workers, graduates and the employers who sponsor them, but very little for people on lower-paid visas or seeking asylum.
Most of the changes will not happen straight away. The Home Office still has to change the Immigration Rules, so the details may change. Here is what we know so far.
Key changes at a glance
Lower salary thresholds for each job - The minimum salary for many sponsored jobs will be based on lower pay rates, and will be updated every year, from Spring 2027
Longer time to find a new job - The highest-skilled workers whose visa is cut short will get up to 6 months to find a new sponsor, from 2027
Longer Graduate visa - 2 years instead of 18 months, for graduates of some universities, timeline to be confirmed
Wider High Potential Individual visa - Open to graduates of the world's top 150 universities, timeline to be confirmed
Sponsorship costs not taxed - Employers paying the Immigration Skills Charge or Certificate of Sponsorship fee will not create a tax bill for the worker, from 28 October 2026
Asylum accommodation - £150 million for more large sites, to end the use of hotels, from 2027–28
Afghan Resettlement Programme - £150 million moved from the programme to police pay, immediately
If you are a worker, student or graduate
Skilled Workers: from spring 2027, the minimum salary for many jobs is expected to fall. This could make it easier to find a sponsor, change jobs or extend your visa. We will not know which jobs are affected until the new rules are published.
If your visa is cut short: only the highest-paid workers will get the new 6-month period. Most workers, including care workers, will still have much less time to find a new sponsor. If your employer has lost its licence or dismissed you, get advice quickly.
Lower-paid workers: the Budget confirms the government has "tightened" the system for low and medium-skilled jobs, and nothing in it reverses this.
Students and graduates: some graduates will get a 2-year Graduate visa, and more will qualify for the High Potential Individual visa. Check whether your university is on the list once it is published.
If you are seeking asylum, or came from Afghanistan
Asylum accommodation: the government will spend £150 million on more large sites in 2027–28, as it moves people out of hotels. If you are moved, you still have the right to legal advice and to get help with your health and safety. Tell your adviser your new address straight away.
Afghan resettlement: £150 million of savings from the Afghan Resettlement Programme will now pay for police pay. This may mean less support or fewer places in future. If you or your family are in the process, speak to an adviser.
If you are an employer or sponsor
Tax on sponsorship costs: from 28 October 2026, paying the Immigration Skills Charge or Certificate of Sponsorship fee for a worker is no longer a taxable benefit in kind. Check this with your payroll provider.
Salary thresholds: from spring 2027, lower thresholds for many jobs could widen who you can sponsor, and thresholds will now be updated each year. Review your recruitment plans and existing workers' salaries once the new rules are out.
Graduate talent: longer Graduate visas and a wider High Potential Individual route may help you recruit recent international graduates without sponsorship.
What to do now
The Budget did not change visa fees, the Immigration Health Surcharge, settlement rules or "no recourse to public funds" conditions. If you have an application due, carry on as planned. Do not delay it in the hope of new rules.
We will update this page when the Home Office publishes the new Immigration Rules.
If you are unsure how these changes affect you, your family or your business, speak to one of our advisers. Book an appointment or come to our free drop-in sessions in Coventry.
Source: Budget 2026, HM Treasury, published 28 October 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice.
