UK Immigration Rule Changes March 2026 (HC 1691): What Migrants Need to Know

Immigration Rules Statement of Changes HC1691 – English language etc

There has been a great deal of speculation – including in the GSN Immigration blog and GSN Immigration vlog – that the Immigration Rules Statement of Changes published on 5th March (HC 1691) would contain some important items about earned settlement and changes to the asylum rules. As you know, the Home Secretary has been talking a lot about this in recent times. 

However, it turned out to be rather a “damp squib”. The only really significant relevant change in this respect had already been announced in Parliament; this was the change from a five-year grant of protection leave to 30 months’ leave at a time, ie a “safe return” scheme (see our blog https://gsnimmigration.co.uk/uk-asylum-rules-30-month-refugee-leave/, 4th March, and associated vlog).

There were a few relatively minor items about asylum but little about settlement, so we are going to have to wait to find out much about this. 

It is worth noting that the Secretary of State could have introduced new rules about asylum and earned settlement if she had wanted to. Asylum and settlement are subjects that are both governed by the Immigration Rules and the Rules can impose a change either immediately or at some point in the future. They are very flexible and – very importantly – can become applicable law without any debate in Parliament. To put the same thing in a slightly different way, the Secretary of State is very powerful in Parliament but evidently she chose not to do it yet.

The things of most interest in the Statement of Changes are probably the “visa brake” imposed on certain countries for student and working visa applications, but this had already been announced (see our blog https://gsnimmigration.co.uk/uk-emergency-visa-brake-student-visa-ban, 5th March).

And, talking of visas, yet two more countries have been made “visa national” countries, ie countries whose nationals require a visa to visit the UK – St Lucia and Nicaragua. This list is steadily growing. 

And the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme is being extended for a further 24 months. 

Another thing of interest and importance is that the English language requirement for settlement is going to be increased to B2 (where it has not been already) but this will not kick in until 2027. This requirement will have to be met by those applying for eg partner visas under Appendix FM but is already in place for some of those on working visas.

So when we find out anything else new and interesting we will let you know. 

Oliver Westmoreland

Senior Immigration Lawyer