UK considers easing work visa rules, Nigerian professionals

The United Kingdom could soon make it easier for foreign professionals, including Nigerians, to secure employment under its work visa programme, following a series of recommendations aimed at addressing labour shortages across key sectors of the economy.

The proposals were put forward by the UK’s independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), which has advised the government to review salary requirements across several immigration routes in a move that could widen access to jobs for skilled workers from countries such as Nigeria and India.

If adopted, the recommendations would reshape the Skilled Worker visa route, one of the most common pathways used by foreign professionals seeking employment in the UK.

A key recommendation by the committee is the reduction of occupation-specific salary thresholds.

Rather than requiring salaries to meet the current median earnings level for a particular occupation, the MAC proposed that salary requirements should be pegged to the 25th percentile of earnings for each role.

The change would effectively lower the minimum salaries employers are required to offer for many positions, making it easier for businesses to recruit overseas talent while potentially increasing opportunities for foreign workers.

The committee recommended retaining the overall salary threshold of £41,700 for Skilled Worker visa applicants.

It also presented an alternative option of £48,400 for consideration by the UK government.

Analysts say the proposed reforms could provide relief to industries struggling with persistent labour shortages, particularly in information technology, engineering, healthcare, construction, and education.

The committee further recommended introducing a single salary threshold of £33,400 for new entrants into the labour market under the Skilled Worker route.

According to the MAC, the measure is designed to support younger professionals and recent graduates by allowing them to access employment opportunities without employers having to meet salary levels typically associated with experienced workers.

For many Nigerian graduates and early-career professionals seeking international employment, the proposal could lower entry barriers into the UK labour market if implemented.

The committee also called for changes to salary concessions currently available to applicants holding doctoral qualifications.

Under the proposal, salary discounts linked to PhD qualifications would be removed.

In cases where postdoctoral concessions are still considered necessary, the MAC recommended replacing the existing arrangement with a single salary threshold of £41,700 applicable for a maximum period of four years.

The recommendations extend to the UK’s Global Business Mobility pathways, which are used by multinational companies to transfer employees into the country.

For Senior or Specialist Workers and UK Expansion Workers, the committee proposed aligning salary requirements with median earnings for each occupation.

Meanwhile, Graduate Trainees would be subject to a uniform salary threshold of £33,400, with occupation-specific salary requirements eliminated.

The advisory body also recommended setting a minimum salary threshold of £30,900 for jobs listed under the Temporary Shortage List, while maintaining the requirement for employers to pay prevailing market rates.

The latest recommendations come against the backdrop of rising UK visa application fees, which have increased across several categories in recent months.

Under the revised fee structure, short-term visitor visas valid for up to six months now cost £135, up from £127. Two-year visitor visas have risen from £475 to £506, while five-year and ten-year visas now cost £903 and £1,128 respectively.

The fee increases also affect transit, student and family visa categories as part of reforms to the UK’s immigration system and cost framework.