On 5 March 2026, the Home Office published Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 1691. The changes do not all start on the same day. Some took effect at 3:00pm GMT on 5 March 2026, while others start on 26 March 2026, 2 April 2026, 8 April 2026, 29 April 2026, and 1 July 2026. For many applicants, the most important question is not that the rules changed, but which routes are affected, from when, and whether existing applications are protected under the old rules.
Immigration Rule Changes – Quick Summary
The March 2026 immigration changes affect several areas of UK immigration law, including asylum and protection leave length, Skilled Worker salary compliance rules, Student and Skilled Worker restrictions for certain nationalities, changes to visitor nationality rules, Ukraine permission extensions, EU-related provisions, and a future increase in settlement English language standards from B1 to B2 on many routes from 26 March 2027. Not every applicant is affected immediately, and many transitional provisions mean that applications made before the relevant commencement date may still be decided under the earlier rules.
Why this update matters
HC 1691 is not just a technical housekeeping statement. It changes real outcomes for real applicants. In particular, it introduces a different approach to some protection-route grants made on or after 2 March 2026, confirms future B2 English requirements for settlement across multiple routes from 26 March 2027, tightens some procedural rules around further submissions, and updates operational rules affecting categories such as Skilled Worker, Student, Visitor, Ukraine and Global Talent.
The Key Changes Applicants Should Understand
1) Protection status: some new grants may now be shorter
For asylum claims or further submissions resulting in refugee status or humanitarian protection, HC 1691 distinguishes between cases made on or before 1 March 2026 and those made on or after 2 March 2026. Earlier cases generally keep the minimum 5-year protection permission model. Newer cases may receive 30 months, although some children and recently aged-out former unaccompanied children can still receive 5 years. This is one of the most important practical changes in the whole statement because it may mean earlier extension applications for some people granted protection.
2) Settlement English is going up from B1 to B2 on many routes
A major future-facing change is the increase in English language level for many settlement applications. For applications made before 26 March 2027, the relevant standard remains B1 CEFR on affected routes. For applications made on or after 26 March 2027, the standard becomes B2 CEFR in speaking and listening across a wide range of categories, including parts of Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Innovator Founder, UK Ancestry, Scale-up, Long Residence, Private Life, Settlement Family Life, Bereaved Partner and others. Applicants planning settlement in 2027 or later should prepare early rather than wait until the last year of their route.
3) Skilled Worker salary compliance is being tightened
HC 1691 adds more detailed salary-payment compliance wording for sponsored workers. The rules now make clearer that required salary must be met in the relevant pay periods, with monthly or other contractual frequency, and that salary paid over the relevant reference period must match the required annual level on a pro-rated basis. For sponsors, this is a compliance issue as much as an immigration issue. For workers, it means employers must not assume that meeting the annual figure on paper will be enough if actual pay cycles do not comply with the rule structure.
4) Student route restriction for certain nationals
HC 1691 inserts a new Student provision stating that a person must not be applying for entry clearance as a Student if they are a national or citizen of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar or Sudan. This is highly route-specific and will matter particularly to affected overseas applicants and advisers screening eligibility before submission.
5) Skilled Worker route restriction for Afghan nationals
The Statement also adds a Skilled Worker rule stating that a person must not be applying for entry clearance as a Skilled Worker if they are a national or citizen of Afghanistan. That makes this update especially important for firms advising on sponsorship and overseas recruitment.
6) Nicaragua and St Lucia move onto the visa national list
The Visitor nationality rules were changed so that Nicaragua and St Lucia are inserted into the visa national list, with a limited transitional arrangement for people from those countries who already had an ETA by 3:00 pm GMT on 5 March 2026 and arrive no later than 3:00 pm BST on 16 April 2026. This is a classic example of why travel timing matters: whether a person booked and obtained authorisation before the cut-off can change the correct route entirely.
7) Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme now clearly allows staged extensions
The Ukraine route wording now states that this will usually involve an initial grant of up to 18 months, followed by a further grant of up to 24 months. The rules also preserve permission with access to public funds, work and study, subject to ATAS where relevant.
8) Global Talent gets a new design-industry endorsement route
HC 1691 introduces a new Global Talent design-industry endorsement framework, including evidence around a CV, recommendation letters, media recognition, awards, exhibitions, publications, or international distribution and sales. This is relevant for creative professionals who were previously less clearly catered for in the endorsed-funds or academic-style structures.
What applicants should do now
If you are planning a UK immigration application in 2026, the safest approach is to check three things before submission:
First, which commencement date applies to your route.
Second, whether your application benefits from a transitional provision because it was made before the new rule date.
Third, whether the change affects only entry clearance, or also permission to stay, settlement, administrative review, or appeals.
For example, some HC 1691 changes explicitly say that where an application was made before the relevant date, it will still be decided under the rules in force immediately before that change took effect. That can make timing strategically important.
Who is most affected by HC 1691?
The applicants most likely to be affected are:
- people applying on protection routes after early March 2026
- sponsors and workers using the Skilled Worker route
- applicants planning settlement from 2027 onward
- Student applicants from the named affected countries
- travellers from Nicaragua and St Lucia
- applicants on Ukraine-related permission routes
- Global Talent applicants in design fields
That is why this update is not just a technical legal publication; it has practical application consequences across multiple live routes.
Frequently asked questions
Does HC 1691 affect existing applications?
Sometimes no, sometimes yes. Many parts of HC 1691 contain transitional wording stating that applications made before the relevant commencement date will be decided under the rules in force immediately before that date. The exact answer depends on the route and the date the application or sponsorship step was completed.
Does HC 1691 change ILR English requirements?
Yes. For many relevant settlement routes, the required English level moves from B1 to B2 for applications made on or after 26 March 2027.
Does HC 1691 change Skilled Worker rules?
Yes. It adds a restriction on entry clearance applications by Afghan nationals, introduces route wording for prison service officers in certain contexts, and tightens salary compliance wording around pay periods and required salary.
Does HC 1691 change visitor travel rules?
Yes. It moves Nicaragua and St Lucia into the visa national list, subject to a transitional ETA arrangement for some travellers who already had ETA approval before the cut-off on 5 March 2026.
Does HC 1691 shorten refugee leave?
For some protection grants linked to claims or further submissions made on or after 2 March 2026, yes. The rules provide for 30 months in some cases, while certain children can still receive 5 years.
