UK considers easing work visa requirements for skilled Nigerian, other foreign workers

The United Kingdom may soon relax some of its work visa requirements for skilled foreign professionals following fresh recommendations from the country’s independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC).

The proposals, if adopted by the UK government, could create more opportunities for qualified workers from countries such as Nigeria and India to secure employment in Britain, particularly in sectors facing persistent labour shortages.

According to the committee, occupation-specific salary thresholds under the Skilled Worker visa route should be reduced by basing them on the 25th percentile of earnings rather than the current median salary benchmark. The change would lower the minimum salary employers are required to offer for many sponsored positions.

Despite recommending lower occupation-based salary thresholds, the MAC advised that the general salary requirement should remain at £41,700. It also presented an alternative option of increasing the threshold to £48,400 for government consideration.

The proposed reforms are expected to improve access to jobs in key sectors including information technology, engineering, healthcare, construction and education, where employers continue to struggle to fill vacancies.

The committee further recommended the introduction of a single salary threshold of £33,400 for new entrants into the Skilled Worker route. The measure is designed to make it easier for young professionals and recent graduates to access the UK labour market without employers having to meet salary levels associated with more experienced workers.

In addition, the MAC proposed ending the salary discounts currently available to visa applicants with PhD qualifications. Where concessions remain necessary for postdoctoral workers, the committee suggested a uniform salary threshold of £41,700, applicable for a maximum period of four years.

The recommendations also cover the Global Business Mobility routes used by multinational firms to transfer employees to the UK.

Under the proposals, salary requirements for Senior or Specialist Workers and UK Expansion Workers would be aligned with median earnings for their respective occupations. Graduate Trainees, meanwhile, would be subject to a single salary threshold of £33,400, with occupation-specific salary requirements removed.

For jobs listed under the Temporary Shortage List, the advisory body recommended a minimum salary threshold of £30,900, while maintaining the requirement for employers to pay market-rate wages.

The recommendations come amid recent increases in UK visa application fees across several categories.

Short-term visitor visas valid for up to six months now cost £135, up from £127. Fees for 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 revised fees also affect transit, study and family visa categories as part of the UK government’s broader immigration policy adjustments.