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NEW GUIDANCE ON CURTAILMENT OF PRE- SETTLED STATUS EVEN AFTER AUTOMATIC EXTENSION

As per new guidance of 8th April 2026, the Home Office will begin conducting reviews to establish continued right to status, even when people have been given an automatic extension beyond the period of their original grant.

Where it appears that the eligibility requirements are no longer met – perhaps through having had too many absences from the UK- there will be a curtailment of status if such curtailment is regarded as being “ proportionate”.

Factors such as age, health and strength of UK ties will be taken into account and people will be given a “ minded to curtail notification” to which they should respond within 21 days.

EU Settlement Scheme: cancellation and curtailment (accessible) – GOV.UK

If you would like assistance in responding, or have questions about your status in the UK, please contact us on info@jennyharveyimmigration.co.uk

SPONSORS OF WORKERS HAVE A DUTY TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH SPONSOR GUIDANCE

Amended guidance on duties and compliance, dated 6th March 2026, makes it clear that sponsors must keep up to date on guidance and its frequent changes. Please see Section C1.3 below.

Sponsor-guidance-Part-3-compliance-03-26-v1.0.pdf

We are advising our sponsor clients to check the relevant guides on a monthly basis to ensure they don’t miss anything. They can be found in the Sponsorship Collection below.

Sponsorship: guidance for employers and educators – GOV.UK

AMENDED GUIDANCE FOR SPONSORS OF WORKERS ON THE RECORDS THEY MUST KEEP

Appendix D, dated 6th March 2026, introduces a new record keeping duty for sponsors. They must now keep evidence that they have informed their sponsored workers of their employment rights.

Examples given include written information in employment contracts and evidence of training courses provided.

Workers and Temporary Workers: guidance for sponsors – Appendix D: record-keeping duties (accessible) – GOV.UK

INCREASED ENGLISH LANGAUGE REQUIREMENT FOR SETTLEMENT IN MANY ROUTES FROM 26th MARCH 2026

The current settlement requirement for English language proficiency at level B1 will increase to level B2 from 26th March 2026.

This will affect settlement applicants from a broad range of routes including the Skilled Work route and Global Talent route but also the UK Ancestry route, Bereaved Partner route ,Private Life route and Long Residence route.

END TO STUDENT VISAS FOR NATIONALS OF AFGHANISTAN, CAMEROON, MYANMAR AND SUDAN – FROM 26TH MARCH 2026


Due to what the Home Office describes as a “ Visa Break”, nationals of the above countries will no longer be granted student visas from 26th March 2026, a move aimed to prevent students claiming asylum after arrival.

Afghan nationals will similarly be unable to apply for visas as skilled workers, from the same date.

This “ Visa Break” is not, apparently, intended to be permanent and the Home Office state that they will review it regularly.

EXTENSION OF UKRAINE PERMISSION EXTENSION SCHEME BY A FURTHER 24 MONTHS

Following the initial 18 months of extra permission available for those already on a Ukraine Scheme, there is now the possibility of applying for an additional 24 months. This means a total of 3.5 years under the extension scheme. Full details of the scheme can be seen at the link below.

Applying to the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme – GOV.UK

Sadly there is still no indication that living in the UK under a Ukraine Scheme will lead to settlement in the future .

TIGHTENING OF RULES FOR TRAVEL TO AFFECT DUAL BRITISH NATIONALS WHO HAVE NO BRITISH PASSPORT

If you have British Citizenship and plan to travel to the UK on or after 25th February 2026, make sure that you first have a British passport or a certificate of entitlement in your non-British passport. It is unlikely that you will be permitted to travel without either of these, even if you have a certificate of naturalisation.

This won’t affect Dual British/Irish Nationals who will still be able to travel to the UK using an Irish passport.

Electronic travel authorisation (ETA): guide for dual citizens – GOV.UK

The guidance above provides more details and if you need advice on anything arising from it please contact us on info@jennyharveyimmigration.co.uk and we will be happy to help.

GRADUATE ROUTE REDUCTION TO 18 MONTHS

Successful Graduate Route applications submitted after 1st January 2027 will lead to grants of just 18 months of permission rather than the current two years.

This long- anticipated change will not affect PhD graduates who, like now, will still be given 3 years.

IMPORTANT NEWS FOR EMPLOYERS OF SKILLED WORKERS

With some exemptions, the Skills Charge will increase from 16th December 2025. Large employers will from then on be required to pay £1320 per year and small employers £480 per year.

Sponsors of skilled workers should also note that from 8th January 2026 skilled workers applying for the first time to enter the UK, or to remain here as a skilled worker, will need a higher standard of English language ability than the current requirement. They will need to meet the English language requirement at Level B2, the equivalent of A Level standard.

MAJOR CHANGES FOR SKILLED WORKERS AND THEIR SPONSORS

From 22nd July 2025, sponsors will generally only be able to sponsor skilled workers for roles at degree level. Many of the current occupation codes will no longer apply, though some less qualified roles will still appear on the Immigration Salary List until the end of 2026, and on a new Temporary Shortage List.

The new general minimum salary for skilled workers will be £41,700, while new entrants will generally need to be paid a minimum of £33,400.

There will also be changes to the rules on who can bring dependents .

If you are planning to sponsor a skilled worker and have a certificate of sponsorship to assign, you should do so before 22nd July.