The UK will introduce a series of immigration rule changes from October 8, 2026, covering Erasmus+, modern slavery victims, domestic abuse victims, the EU Settlement Scheme and Hong Kong British National (Overseas) dependants.
The changes were presented to Parliament on September 3, 2026, through Statement of Changes HC 584.
Some provisions will come into effect on different dates. Changes affecting ministers of religion and religious workers will begin on October 29, 2026. The student maintenance requirement will change on November 30, 2026, while the biometric residence permit changes under the EU Settlement Scheme will take effect on December 9, 2026.
Erasmus+ activities
The amendments will support the UK’s association with the Erasmus+ programme from 2027.
The UK and EU agreed in December 2025 that the UK would associate with Erasmus+. Protocol I to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement was amended in April 2026 to implement the arrangement.
The Immigration Rules will define activities linked to Erasmus+, including job shadowing, participative observation, skills competitions and traineeships. A definition of youth workers under the programme will also be added.
Visitors taking part in Erasmus+ projects will be allowed to study at UK state-funded schools and academies for up to six months.
They will also be able to:
- provide or receive training at a UK organisation or educational institution
- attend courses at a UK organisation or educational institution
- undertake a traineeship lasting up to 30 days
- participate in practical learning through job shadowing
- take part in coaching or training assignments at UK sports organisations
Visitors will also be allowed to attend workshops, debates and skills competitions if they meet the relevant eligibility requirements.
Applicants will need to show that they are genuine Erasmus+ participants. Those under 18 may need permission from a parent or legal guardian and their home institution.
The Student and Child Student routes will be amended to accommodate Erasmus+ programmes that do not lead to an approved qualification.
Erasmus+ participants will also be able to study certain courses at lower qualification levels, including courses at Regulated Qualifications Framework Level 2.
The rules will exempt qualifying Erasmus+ programmes from some restrictions on work placements. This will allow placements to begin with newly licensed sponsors and permit placements that make up more than the usual proportion of a course.
Erasmus+ students will also be allowed to study at a state-funded school or academy where the institution has a sponsor licence and is sponsoring the programme.
The Government Authorised Exchange scheme will add Erasmus+ as an approved scheme.
The government cited an estimate that around 60,000 Erasmus+ participants came to the UK in 2019. It expects future participation to be higher because the programme has expanded and demand may have built up since the UK stopped taking part.
Protections for victims
Skilled Workers identified by the Home Office as victims of modern slavery will be allowed to work for any employer for the remainder of their existing permission.
The Victim of Domestic Abuse route will also be extended to adult dependent children whose relationship with their sponsor has broken down because of domestic abuse.
The Home Office estimates that the extension could lead to between 163 and 447 additional grants each year.
EU Settlement Scheme
The rules will allow some pre-settled status holders who no longer meet the EUSS eligibility requirements to remain within the scheme where it would not be proportionate to remove their status.
The application deadline for first-time joining family members will be amended to three months from their latest legal entry into the UK after December 31, 2020.
Applicants whose previous EUSS application was rejected or refused after they entered the UK without an EUSS family permit will face additional conditions. They will need to show reasonable grounds for applying more than three months after that entry or re-enter the UK with an EUSS family permit to trigger a new deadline.
The option to use a biometric residence permit as proof of identity and nationality will be removed. The Home Office said almost all BRPs expired by December 31, 2024.
The rules will also reflect the Court of Appeal’s judgment in Ayoola v SSHD [2025] EWCA Civ 1519.
Under the changes, certain children with pre-settled status may retain that status and later qualify for settled status where their EU citizen parent previously worked or was self-employed in the UK and the child needs to remain in the UK to complete their education.
The child’s primary carer, and any dependant under 18 of that carer, may also be able to obtain or retain pre-settled status where necessary for the child’s education.
The EUSS travel permit route will be removed. Status holders who obtain a new passport will instead be able to use the Update My Details service from outside the UK to link their status to the new passport.
The EUSS administrative review route will also be deleted because it closed to new applications in April 2024 and all applications have now been concluded.
Hong Kong BN(O) settlement
Eligible dependent children on the Hong Kong BN(O) route will no longer need to complete five years of continuous residence before qualifying for settlement.
They will be able to settle alongside their parents if the parents meet the settlement requirements.
Student visa finances
The financial maintenance requirement for international students will increase from November 30, 2026.
The new level will match the maintenance loans available to home students for the 2026/27 academic year. The accommodation offset will also be updated.
The memorandum does not specify the revised amount.
Other changes
The rules will also:
- clarify that people who previously failed to report for bail or absconded from bail or custody may be refused permission on suitability grounds
- clarify the date of application following a fee waiver request
- confirm that applicants have one period to enrol their biometrics even if they vary an application
- allow families in the Family Returns Process to raise human rights claims without a formal application, fee or specified form
- amend financial requirements for certain ministers of religion and religious workers who are not paid the National Minimum Wage
- remove the upper limit on how long an applicant can remain under the Minister of Religion route
- replace advertising requirements for some religious workers with an affiliation requirement
- remove the Ofgem International Staff Exchange Scheme, which is no longer operating
- clarify visitor rules on training, rehearsals and entertainment staff
- remove outdated provisions relating to the Tier 1 Investor and Entrepreneur routes
- remove provisions for new main applicants under the Start-up route
- align terminology for Hong Kong BN(O) dependants
- correct inconsistencies in the Long Residence route
- add an age requirement to the Child Relative route, which is intended for applicants under 18
