The right visa depends on your situation : Skilled Worker with a job offer, Student to study, Family to join a partner. Each route has its own thresholds, timelines, and pitfalls.
Three main routes, three different logics
The Skilled Worker visa requires a licensed UK employer and a salary of at least £41,700 a year (the threshold was raised on 22 July 2025). The Student visa requires a confirmed place at a licensed institution and proof of sufficient funds to cover your living costs. The Family visa requires a household income of at least £29,000 a year to join a partner already settled in the UK. Three routes, three applications, no shortcuts.
2026: the rules are changing faster than you think
The Skilled Worker salary threshold has risen twice in a year. Visa fees rose again by 6 to 7% on 8 April 2026. And since that same date, the Home Office no longer just checks your annual salary : it checks that every single payment, month by month, meets the threshold. An application built on last year's rules can be refused today for a reason that did not exist six months ago.
Another change under way : the government wants to extend the time before Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from 5 to 10 years for most sponsored profiles, with a points based system based on your income and background. The consultation closed in February 2026 ; the reform is not yet in force, but it has been agreed in principle. Planning for this change from your very first visa changes how we build your application.
You do not have to keep track of these changes alone.
- We identify the fastest route for your profile from our very first conversation.
- We build an application that complies with the rules in force on the day you apply, not last year's rules.
- We track ongoing reforms so your application is never caught off guard.
What a mistake costs you
A refused visa means non refundable fees : between £819 and £2,064 depending on the route, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge (£1,035 per year per adult). And it is often far more costly than the money lost : a job that was waiting for you, a school place that only opens once a year, a lease signed without any certainty you could move in.
What we do for you
We identify the right route from our first conversation, build an application that reflects the rules in force on the day you apply, and track regulatory changes so your application is never built on outdated information. You do not need to become a specialist in UK immigration law. It has been our job for 11 years.
See also the complete guide : How to move to London.
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