Skilled Worker Visa 2025: Impact On UK Aviation Roles

[Editor2]

The UK government’s White Paper of 12 May 2025 and the Statement of Changes effective 22 July 2025 introduced some of the most far-reaching immigration reforms in recent years.
Designed to reduce net migration, these measures are reshaping the sponsored work route and creating specific challenges for the aviation industry. Employers must adapt their workforce and mobility strategies to remain compliant while continuing to attract key talent.

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Key Changes for Aviation Roles​

Skilled Worker Sponsorship: Now Limited to Graduate-Level Roles​

• Minimum skill level raised to Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Level 6 (degree-level).
• Exceptions apply only to the Temporary Shortage List (TSL) or the Immigration Salary List.
• Engineering Technicians (SOC 3113) remain sponsorable under the TSL but are subject to restrictions.
• Cabin Crew (SOC 6213) can no longer be sponsored, as the role is below RQF Level 6 and excluded from the TSL.
• Workers already sponsored under RQF 3–5 roles before 22 July 2025 may remain in the system but cannot bring dependents.

New Salary Thresholds​

• General Skilled Worker threshold increased from £38,700 to £41,700.
• Role-specific thresholds in aviation are substantially higher:
  • Pilots (SOC 3511): £80,400
  • Aerospace Engineers (SOC 2126): £52,400
  • Mechanical Engineers (SOC 2122): £46,800
• Only guaranteed basic gross pay counts. Fluctuating pay (bonuses, overtime, allowances) is excluded.
• Repayments of immigration or business costs can reduce qualifying salary figures unless conditional.

These changes, combined with already high immigration costs, increase the risk that certain roles may no longer qualify for sponsorship.

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Settlement and ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain)​

• Standard qualifying period for ILR will rise from five years to ten years.
• A proposed “earned settlement” system may allow earlier eligibility for individuals with strong economic or social contributions, subject to further consultation.
• Pilots face particular challenges due to the absences rule: long-haul schedules can mean exceeding 180 days abroad annually, potentially preventing settlement even when they remain UK-based. Without concessions, this could force repeated visa renewals without a clear route to settlement.

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Other Anticipated Changes​

• Higher Immigration Skills Charge is expected.
• A new family migration framework will be introduced.
• English language requirements will rise—both for workers and their dependents.
• Wet leasing rules and existing aircrew exemptions remain unchanged.
• Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is now mandatory for non-visa nationals unless covered by an exemption.
  • Exemption applies for aircrew, but not for positioning, deadheading, or supernumerary roles, which require ETA clearance.

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Impact on Sponsorship and Recruitment​

The aviation sector faces unique challenges in adapting to these reforms:

Area	Key Change	Employer Action
Sponsorship	Restricted to degree-level roles; Cabin Crew excluded; Engineering Technicians limited	Audit existing sponsorships; sponsor only eligible roles
Salary	Thresholds significantly higher	Review compensation structures; adjust budgets
Dependents	Restricted for lower-skilled roles	Manage employee expectations early
Settlement	ILR period extended to 10 years; pilot absences may cause issues	Explore retention strategies; monitor consultation outcomes

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Final Thoughts​

The July 2025 reforms introduce stricter sponsorship rules, higher salary thresholds, and longer timelines for permanent residence. For the aviation industry—where mobility, international recruitment, and specialist skills are essential—these changes increase both compliance obligations and workforce planning pressures.
Employers should act early, review salary and sponsorship policies, and prepare for the longer-term implications of the reforms to remain competitive in attracting and retaining aviation talent in the UK.

 

[rogerthomson]

These reforms really tighten the screws on aviation. Removing cabin crew from sponsorship eligibility feels shortsighted — airlines depend on global recruitment to keep operations running smoothly. It’s another case of policy made in theory without much attention to operational reality.

 

[zara_k]

Completely agree. The new RQF Level 6 restriction means most aviation support roles are effectively excluded. It’s going to squeeze regional carriers the hardest. Raising pilot salary thresholds while ignoring variable pay shows how disconnected the Home Office is from the industry’s pay structure.

 

[natalie_porter]

Exactly — and the 10-year ILR rule is especially tough on long-haul pilots. Their schedules naturally exceed the 180-day absence rule, so even those based in the UK might never qualify for settlement. Without targeted concessions, this reform risks deterring top global talent.

 

[petter]

The aviation sector now stands as a microcosm of post-reform immigration paradoxes: an industry intrinsically transnational, governed by legislation that privileges immobility. By conflating permanence with presence, the policy undermines the very global expertise it seeks to regulate.