United Kingdom: Statement of Changes Restricts Some Aspects of Rules and Broadens Access to Other Pathways

Additions to visa national list. Effective March 5, 2026, Nicaragua and St. Lucia have been added to the visa national list (and removed from the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) national list). 

• Nationals of Nicaragua and St. Lucia must obtain a visa before traveling to the United Kingdom, which will take more time and is more costly than an ETA process. 

• As a transitionary measure, these nationals who submitted ETA applications before 15:00 (local time) on March 5, 2026 can still travel until April 2026. 

Pause of student visa issuance and skilled worker visas. Effective March 26, 2026, the United Kingdom will temporarily cease issuing sponsored student visas to nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, and skilled worker visas to Afghan nationals. 

Schools, colleges, and universities should review recruitment plans and applications from affected nationalities. Additionally, employers recruiting from Afghanistan should assess impacts on skilled worker visa pipelines. 

New Global Talent Pathway. Effective April 8, 2026, the government will introduce the ‘design endorsement’ pathway. 

Additionally, the academic fast-track criteria will be clarified. 

This broadens the category of people who can enter under the Global Talent Pathway through additional design roles in ‘design fields’ not previously catered for. 

Global Business Mobility (GMB) route changes. 

• Shorter employment requirement. Effective April 8, 2026, the GBM Secondment Worker visa overseas employment requirement will be reduced from 12 to six months. 

• Service Supplier route improvements. Effective March 26, 2026, under UK-India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement commitments, Indian nationals are now eligible for the GBM Service Supplier Route, and Indian nationals will be eligible for up to 12 months’ leave and an 1,800 annual cap of applicants. 

• The shorter employment requirement broadens the categories of foreign nationals who can qualify under the GBM visa, who may have less employment experience. This increases the pool of available foreign talent. 

• The expansion of eligibility for the GBM Service Supplier Route increases the pool of available foreign talent, joining others who are eligible under other free trade agreements.  

Settlement English threshold to be raised. Effective March 26, 2027, the English language requirement will be increased from B1 to B2 Common European Framework of Reference for Languages across the following categories: Skilled Worker, Scale-up, Innovator Founder, Global Talent, UK Ancestry, International Sportsperson, Minister of Religion, Representative of Overseas Business, Child Relative (Protection), Long Residence, Bereaved Partner, Private Life and Settlement Family Life.  

This change is intended to ensure that those granted citizenship have an English ability matching that of native speakers and integrate as would be expected of citizens.