FROM THE ABROAD PROCESS LIBRARY
UK Immigration Changes: October 2026 Rules and What Is Coming
Published 22 October 2026 · Source checked 2026-10-22
Last checked: 22 October 2026. The UK Home Office published a Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules (HC 584) on 3 September 2026. Most changes took effect on 8 October 2026, with more dates coming. The bigger change for students, a shorter Graduate route, starts on 1 January 2027. Check GOV.UK for the exact wording that applies to you.
Dates to know
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 8 October 2026 | Most HC 584 changes took effect, including Skilled Worker, Appendix EU, Hong Kong BN(O), Long Residence and Victim of Domestic Abuse amendments. Applications made before this date are decided under the rules in force on 7 October. |
| 29 October 2026 | Minister of Religion and Religious Worker amendments. |
| 30 November 2026 | Student maintenance (money you must show) rises. |
| 9 December 2026 | A further Appendix EU identity document change. |
| 1 January 2027 | Graduate route shortens for bachelor’s and master’s graduates. |
Student maintenance from 30 November 2026
The monthly maintenance amount rises from £1,529 to £1,570 for students studying in London, and from £1,171 to £1,203 for students studying outside London. These figures come from a law firm summary of HC 584. Confirm them in the statement before you plan your finances.
Graduate route from 1 January 2027
Bachelor’s and master’s graduates will get 18 months on the Graduate route instead of two years if they apply on or after 1 January 2027. PhD graduates keep three years. The rules, set in an earlier statement (HC 1333, 14 October 2025), fix the length by the date you apply, not the date of the decision. GOV.UK says 2 years applies to applications made on or before 31 December 2026.
To apply you must be in the UK on a Student visa, and your university must have told the Home Office that you completed your course. Ask your university when it will report your completion, so you do not miss the date.
Skilled Worker
HC 584 does not introduce a new general salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas. One change lets Skilled Workers who are recognised as victims of modern slavery work for another employer for the rest of their permission.
What you can do now
- If you are finishing a UK degree, check whether you can apply for the Graduate route before 31 December 2026.
- If you are applying to study in the UK, plan for the higher maintenance amounts from 30 November 2026.
- If you are applying for a work visa, read the Skilled Worker rules on GOV.UK for the date of your application.