Thousands of Nigerians working in the United Kingdom under the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) and Skilled Worker visa routes are facing growing uncertainty following sweeping changes to the UK’s immigration rules.
The UK government, in a bid to curb rising immigration figures, has removed over 100 job roles from eligibility for sponsorship, while simultaneously hiking salary thresholds across several categories.
The new regulations, which came into effect on July 22, 2025, impact both the Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker visa routes.
Among the major changes is the increase of the general Skilled Worker salary threshold to £41,700, a significant jump of over 30% from previous levels. Although health and care roles remain at £25,600, stricter enforcement now mandates that this figure must reflect take-home pay after deductions like accommodation and transport, ensuring employers do not disguise lower wages with inflated benefits.
Also stirring alarm is the UK Home Office’s decision to delist over 100 job roles from the CoS eligibility list. Affected occupations span several sectors, including:
Agriculture, hospitality, logistics, and forestry management roles (SOC 1211–1258)
Health, community and welfare roles, such as pharmaceutical technicians, youth workers, and counsellors (SOC 3211–3224)
Protective services, including lower-rank police officers, fire service officers, and prison staff (SOC 3312–3314)
Creative professions, covering authors, translators, dancers, photographers, and designers (SOC 3411–3429)
Additionally, the government has raised the minimum skill level requirement to RQF Level 6, equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree. This change effectively sidelines jobs that previously qualified at Level 3 to 5 roles that encompassed many technical, support, and supervisory positions.
Nigerians Most Affected
These new rules have sent shockwaves through the Nigerian diaspora in the UK, many of whom are employed in roles now deemed ineligible for future sponsorship.
According to travel and immigration consultants, Nigerians currently on CoS visas tied to delisted occupations may be stranded when their current visa terms expire, typically between one to five years, since renewal will no longer be an option under the revised scheme.
“It’s a major blow,” said a travel agent based in Lagos. “Many Nigerians took up roles in community care, logistics, and hospitality thinking they’d build a life in the UK. Now, the rules have changed midstream.”
According to UK Home Office data, 10,245 Nigerians were issued Skilled Worker visas in 2021, dropping slightly to 8,491 in 2022, before surging to 26,715 in 2023, largely fueled by the booming demand for care workers.
However, the tide appears to be turning. In 2024, a marked decline in Health and Care Worker visa approvals for Nigerians has been observed in the first half of the year, suggesting the government’s tightening grip is already being felt.
Many current visa holders now fear they will be forced to return home after their current sponsorship ends, while prospective migrants are left reconsidering their plans entirely.
Experts and rights groups have warned that these changes could have far-reaching effects—not only on migrant communities but also on sectors in the UK reliant on foreign labour. The health and care sectors, in particular, could face renewed staffing crises if foreign talent becomes harder to access.
Meanwhile, the UK government has defended the new policy as a necessary measure to “restore fairness” to the immigration system and reduce unsustainable inflows.
