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Latest News
UK raises English-language bar and Immigration Skills Charge for sponsored workers
From 8 January 2026, all first-time Skilled Worker, Scale-Up and HPI visa applicants must meet the tougher B2 English standard, and sponsors now pay 32 % more in Immigration Skills Charge. Employers must update recruitment processes immediately or risk refusals and compliance penalties.
2026 immigration calendar: what UK employers must do now
A legal briefing sets out the UK immigration deadlines employers face in early 2026—B2 English enforcement, shortage-list evidence, settlement consultation and the ETA go-live—urging firms to update hiring, travel and compliance processes immediately.