HC 584: Skilled Worker and work route changes laid on 3 September 2026

Statement of changes HC 584 was laid on 3 September 2026. From 8 October 2026, SW 18.3 lets a Skilled Worker with a positive Conclusive Grounds decision have their work conditions changed, so that any work is allowed except as a professional sportsperson. From 29 October 2026 it changes the Minister of Religion and Religious Worker routes. It does not change any Skilled Worker salary figure or SOC code table.

What’s changing

For the Skilled Worker route, HC 584 changes two paragraphs of Appendix Skilled Worker. There are no changes to Appendix Skilled Occupations, Appendix Immigration Salary List or any salary figure. Both changes start on 8 October 2026.

Rule	Change
SW 18.3 (new, APP SW2)	A Skilled Worker may have the conditions in SW 18.2(b) to (e) changed if both of these are true: they have been referred into the National Referral Mechanism, and they have a positive Conclusive Grounds decision made during their most recent permission. Any work is then allowed, including self-employment and voluntary work, except work as a professional sportsperson, including as a sports coach
SW 9.2 (APP SW1)	“Ecctis” is replaced by “the qualification and language assessments provider”

The explanatory memorandum says Skilled Worker visa holders cannot normally take other work if they are not working in the job they were first sponsored to do. The change lifts that limit for Skilled Workers whom the Home Office Competent Authorities have identified as victims of modern slavery. They can work for any employer for the rest of their existing permission.

The memorandum says an earlier change in HC 1691 removed the name “Ecctis” from the Rules, but missed one place in Appendix Skilled Worker. SW 9.2 corrects it at the first chance. See HC 1691, changing job or employer and second jobs.

The statement also changes the Minister of Religion and Religious Worker routes, and some other work and training routes. They are explained below.

Who it affects

• Skilled Workers who have a positive Conclusive Grounds decision made during their most recent permission.
• Ministers of Religion and Religious Workers, and their sponsors and dependants.
• Government Authorised Exchange participants (new Erasmus+ scheme) and Student applicants (new maintenance figures).
• Start-up route dependants, who are still eligible to apply.

When it starts

Date	Changes that start
8 October 2026	Most changes, including Appendix Skilled Worker (APP SW1, APP SW2), Appendix Start-up (APP SU1 to APP SU4), Appendix A: Attributes, Appendix EU, Erasmus+ changes in Appendix Visitor and Appendix Student, and Appendix Government Authorised Exchange schemes
29 October 2026	Appendix T2 Minister of Religion (APP MOR1 to APP MOR10) and Appendix Temporary Work – Religious Worker (APP RW1 to APP RW10)
30 November 2026	Student maintenance figures (APP ST8 to APP ST10)
9 December 2026	Appendix EU: biometric residence permits (APP EU16)

A transitional rule applies to the Student, Minister of Religion and Religious Worker changes, among others. An application made before the start date is decided under the Immigration Rules in force the day before. (Implementation section)

What changed in the Minister of Religion route?

The explanatory memorandum says the Appendix T2 Minister of Religion changes follow a review of the route. They start on 29 October 2026.

Rule	Change
Introduction	The route is for a person who has a key leading role within their faith-based organisation in the UK. Examples are a minister of religion, a missionary or other religious worker in a mainly pastoral role, or a member of a religious order. T2 Minister of Religion is a route to settlement
MOR 5.1(h)	The sponsor confirms the role will not mainly involve non-pastoral duties, such as school teaching, media production, domestic work or administrative and clerical work. The exceptions are a senior position within the sponsor’s organisation, or an applicant who is a member of a religious order
MOR 7.1, MOR 7.2, MOR 7.4	The funds requirement does not apply if the applicant will not be entitled to be paid the National Minimum Wage for the role. In that case, the A-rated sponsor must confirm on the certificate of sponsorship that it will maintain and accommodate the applicant for the whole of the permission
MOR 25.1, MOR 25.2, MOR 25.6	The same approach for a dependent partner and dependent children
MOR 10.1	Permission is granted for whichever is shorter: up to 14 days after the period of employment stated on the certificate of sponsorship, or 3 years
MOR 10.2	Deleted. The explanatory memorandum says the upper limit on how long an applicant can stay on the route is removed, to line up with other work routes

What changed in the Religious Worker route?

The explanatory memorandum says the Appendix Temporary Work – Religious Worker changes start on 29 October 2026.

Rule	Change
Introduction	The route is for a person who wants to support the activities of religious institutions in the UK by doing religious work. A person can stay for up to a maximum of two years. The route is not a route to settlement. A minister of religion must apply on the T2 Minister of Religion route if the work involves leading a congregation in performing rites, rituals and preaching the essentials of the creed as core duties
RW 4.1(i), RW 4.2	The requirement for the sponsor to advertise is replaced. The role must be supernumerary, or involve living mainly within and being a member of a religious order. Or the applicant must have done religious duties outside the UK for the same faith-based organisation the sponsor is part of, for at least 6 months just before the date of application, with a letter from the overseas organisation
RW 4.3	The role must mainly involve non-pastoral religious duties, and must not include the core duties of a minister of religion
RW 6.1, RW 6.2, RW 6.4	The funds requirement does not apply if the applicant will not be entitled to be paid the National Minimum Wage for the role. The A-rated sponsor must confirm on the certificate of sponsorship that it will maintain and accommodate the applicant
RW 16.1, RW 16.2, RW 16.6	The same approach for dependants

See the Religious Worker route.

What changed for other work and training routes?

• Government Authorised Exchange. GAES1 adds an Erasmus+ scheme for participants doing eligible traineeships, teaching placements and training assignments in the UK. GAES2 deletes The Ofgem International Staff Exchange Scheme, which the explanatory memorandum says is no longer in operation. See the Government Authorised Exchange route.
• Start-up. SU1 states that the Start-up route closed on 13 July 2023. SU2 deletes SU 1.1 to SU 12.2. The explanatory memorandum says main applications have not been possible since April 2023, and dependants are still eligible to apply.
• Appendix A: Attributes. The explanatory memorandum says references to Tier 1 (Investor) entry clearance and extension applications are removed, as the deadline was 17 February 2026. The point-scoring requirements for Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) entry clearance and extension applications are removed too.
• Student maintenance. From 30 November 2026, ST 12.3(a) changes from £1529 to £1570, ST 12.3(b) from £1171 to £1203, and ST 12.4 from £1529 to £1570. The explanatory memorandum says this matches the maintenance loans available for home students for the 2026/2027 academic year.

Other changes in this statement

• Part Suitability: SUI 11.4 adds that an applicant has acted to frustrate immigration controls. People in the UK who failed to report for bail, or absconded from bail or custody, can be refused.
• Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse: eligibility is extended to adult dependent children.
• Erasmus+: new definitions in the Introduction (job shadowing, participative observation, skills competitions, traineeships, youth workers). Visitor study at state-funded schools and academies. A new “Erasmus+ Activities” section in Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities. Changes to Appendix Student and Appendix Child Student, including exemption from work placement duration limits.
• Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities: visitors no longer need to show that training is not available in their home country. Artists, entertainers and musicians can attend rehearsals. There is a new definition of “entertainment staff”.
• Appendix EU and Appendix EU (Family Permit): changes include a three-month deadline for first-time joining family members. The biometric residence permit option is removed from 9 December 2026. The EU Settlement Scheme travel permit route is deleted. Some children and their primary carers have a right to keep pre-settled status following the Ayoola judgment.
• Appendix AR (EU) is deleted.
• Appendix Hong Kong British National (Overseas): the five-year continuous residence requirement is removed for dependent children. “BN(O) Household Member” is replaced by “BN(O) Adult Child” in the Introduction.
• Appendix FM and Appendix Private Life: families in the Family Returns Process can raise human rights claims without a formal application, fee or specified form. Part 1: changes to paragraph 34G(4) and a new paragraph 34BB 2A.
• Appendix Long Residence: changes to keep varied applications consistent. Appendix Child Relative (Sponsors with Protection): a new age eligibility requirement.
• Small changes to correct paragraph references and drafting errors.