Effective July 22, 2025, the United Kingdom Home Office implemented sweeping changes to its immigration policy, removing over 100 previously eligible skilled job roles from the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) system and raising salary thresholds for those that remain.
The new rules have triggered growing uncertainty among thousands of Nigerians working in the UK under Skilled Worker visa schemes.
The policy overhaul aims to reduce net migration by delisting roles previously classified under the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Levels 3 to 5, unless explicitly listed on a newly created Temporary Shortage Occupation List.
The move has been widely interpreted as a tightening of the UK’s borders and a recalibration of its skilled migration strategy.
According to the PUNCH report, the job roles removed span several key sectors including agriculture, hospitality, health, welfare, creative industries, and law enforcement.
Affected occupations include dispensing opticians, youth workers, counsellors, police officers, prison wardens, dancers, authors, translators, and photographers, among others. Many Nigerian professionals currently working in these fields are now at risk of being ineligible for future visa renewals.
In addition to delisting job roles, the UK Home Office increased the salary threshold for general Skilled Worker visas from approximately £26,000 to £41,700.
Health and care worker roles are still required to meet a minimum annual salary of £25,600, exclusive of accommodation and transport deductions.
UK-based travel expert and CEO of Phika Travels and Tours, Kayode Alabi, warned that many Nigerian professionals may soon find themselves without sponsorship renewal options.
“Their fate will hang in the balance because at the end of their current sponsorship, those whose jobs have been removed from CoS eligibility will not be able to find a new job in that category,” Alabi stated.
Even roles that remain eligible face new hurdles. “By the time that sponsorship expires, will your company be able to pay the new salary threshold? That is the issue,” Alabi added.
Several Nigerian workers in the UK have expressed fear and confusion about their future. One caregiver whose visa expires in August said,
“My sponsorship will expire in August, and the new regulation has made it impossible to get a new job because of the salary threshold. I may likely return home.”
Another worker who arrived in February 2023 stated, “Our current jobs have been removed, meaning we will be jobless next year unless we can find eligible roles that meet the new threshold.”
The Chief Executive Officer of Cardinal E-School and Edu Services, Mr. Sulaimon Okewole, projected that more than 10,000 Nigerians may be forced to return home due to the new measures.
“It is no doubt that over 10,000 Nigerians will be affected by this new regulation, as they will probably return home or find another destination,” Okewole stated.
He further warned that migration trends may shift away from the UK. “Professionals who previously saw the UK as a viable destination may now find their options limited unless they secure roles that meet the higher salary bands.”
Data from the UK Home Office shows that 26,715 Skilled Worker visas were granted to Nigerians in 2023, a sharp increase from 8,491 in 2022.
However, the number is expected to decline in 2024 as new restrictions take effect, with significant reductions already observed in the Health and Care Worker visa category.
Families in Nigeria are also beginning to feel the impact. Eniola, a student at the University of Ibadan, shared her concern about her mother, a caregiver in the UK.
“She has practically lost her job because the sponsorship will come to an end in November,” she said.
As the UK enforces tighter immigration controls, thousands of Nigerian migrants now face a critical juncture—uncertain of their future in a country where they have built careers, homes, and lives.