UK reforms threaten Nigerian workers as 121 Skilled Worker jobs lose sponsorship eligibility under new rules. Tom Nicholson/Getty Images
UK immigration reforms eliminate 121 skilled jobs from visa eligibility, risking deportation for Nigerian workers on CoS.
EPICSTORIAN — Over 10,000 Nigerian nationals working under the Skilled Worker visa scheme in the United Kingdom may face deportation following a major immigration policy change that took effect on July 22, 2025.
The UK government has removed more than 100 job roles from the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) eligibility list, impacting a wide range of industries and altering the path for foreign skilled labor.
UK Immigration Reform Targets Skilled Worker Visa Roles
The new immigration framework has raised the skill requirement from RQF levels 3–5 to Level 6, aligning with jobs that require at least a bachelor’s degree. As a result, roles previously available to mid-skilled workers from abroad no longer meet the criteria for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa program.
Affected sectors include hospitality, agriculture, health associate roles, trades, and creative industries.
The changes eliminate eligibility for 121 job roles that are now absent from both the Immigration Salary List and the Temporary Shortage Occupation List.
According to official updates on job eligibility rules, these roles are now excluded from future visa applications unless employers meet stricter pay and skill requirements.
Tinubu-Starmer Policy Shift Impacts Nigerian Workers
The move, introduced under UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, is already causing uncertainty for many Nigerian workers.
President Bola Tinubu’s administration has yet to issue a formal response, though the implications are significant for bilateral migration dynamics.
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Employers who regularly depend on overseas labor will now need to rely more heavily on local recruitment strategies or raise compensation levels to retain foreign staff.
Specific roles affected by the reform include managers and proprietors across agriculture and hospitality, community support officers, creative professionals such as translators and designers, and protective service roles like police officers and firefighters.
New Skilled Worker Visa Salary Threshold Announced
The new policy also adjusts the salary requirement. For most roles, the threshold has increased to £41,700. Health and care positions remain at £25,600, but the revised guidelines require that this amount be the final take-home salary after all deductions, including accommodation and transport costs.
As detailed in the Skilled Worker visa guidance, employers must now ensure compliance with stricter financial conditions for all future sponsorships.
Employers to Reassess Staffing Amid Policy Shift
With RQF Level 6 now set as the baseline, entry-level roles such as administrative assistants, IT support technicians, and customer service associates are no longer eligible for visa sponsorship.
Businesses accustomed to filling these positions with international staff must now explore domestic alternatives or adjust salaries accordingly to meet the new threshold.
According to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, the policy is aimed at reducing net migration and building a more self-sustaining workforce. “These new rules mean stronger controls to bring migration down,” she said, adding that the reform supports long-term investment in UK-based skills and training.
