New Skilled Worker Modern Slavery Protections and Erasmus+ Rules Explained

Key Points

• A new Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules is being laid before Parliament today, incorporating new protections for Skilled Worker visa holders to prevent living in modern slavery and enabling a greater involvement of the UK in Erasmus+.
• Skilled Worker visa holders who are identified as victims of modern slavery will be allowed to work in any job for the rest of their visa’s duration, instead of the visa being restricted to their sponsor.
• The step is intended to help minimise the risk of future exploitation and promote the disclosure of victims, according to Migration and Citizenship Minister Jo White.
• UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has so far withdrawn over 7,500 sponsor licences, including 1,800 in the care sector.
• Separate changes will make it easier for the UK to rejoin the Erasmus+ programme as agreed in the Common Understanding package between the UK and the EU at the May 2025 UK-EU summit.
• The Standard Visitor route will be enhanced to enable Erasmus+ learners to study at state schools and academies for a maximum of six months; there will be additional training, traineeships and sports coaching provisions.
• The Student route will be updated in order to allow Erasmus+ courses to not always be for an approved qualification; and state school establishments will be able to apply to be a licensed sponsor.
• For Erasmus+ students, a new Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) scheme will allow supernumerary work placements and internships.
• The changes will be laid on 3 September 26 and will enter into force in phases on 8 October 26, 29 October 26, 30 November 26 and 9 December 26.

London (Britain Today News) September 03, 2026 — A new Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules, laid before Parliament today, will give Skilled Worker visa holders who have been recognised as victims of modern slavery the freedom to take up work in any occupation for the remainder of their visa, while also unlocking a series of reforms that pave the way for the UK’s fuller participation in the European Union’s Erasmus+ exchange programme. The Migration and Citizenship Minister, Jo White, confirmed the changes in a written statement to the House of Commons, describing the reforms as part of a wider effort to protect vulnerable migrant workers from exploitation and to strengthen the UK’s post-Brexit educational and cultural ties with Europe.

What Changes Has the Government Announced to the Immigration Rules?

The Home Secretary is laying a Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules before the House of Commons, covering two distinct areas of policy. The first concerns Appendix Skilled Worker, and specifically the protections available to visa holders who have suffered exploitation at the hands of their sponsoring employer. The second relates to a series of amendments across the Visitor, Student and Government Authorised Exchange routes, all designed to support the United Kingdom‘s return to the Erasmus+ programme. In her written statement, Jo White said:

“My right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary is today laying before the House a Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules.”

The two strands of reform, though separate in purpose, are being introduced together in the same legislative package.

Why Are Skilled Worker Protections Being Introduced for Modern Slavery Victims?

According to the Minister’s statement, the sponsorship system that underpins the Skilled Worker route is intended to guarantee that overseas recruits have a genuine job offer, are paid appropriately, and are able to exercise their employment rights. However, the Government acknowledges that this has not always been the reality for every visa holder. Jo White stated:

“We have seen instances of Skilled Worker visa holders who entered the UK in good faith, complied with the terms of their visa and have experienced exploitation. This is simply unacceptable.”

The Minister went on to confirm that the crackdown on rogue employers “continues” and that this includes

“taking action against sponsors who have exploited or enslaved their workers.”

What Did Jo White Say About the Scale of Sponsor Licence Enforcement?

Setting out the Government’s enforcement record, the Minister disclosed that UKVI has, to date, revoked more than 7,500 sponsor licences. Of that total, 1,800 revocations occurred within the care sector alone, a sector that has repeatedly come under scrutiny over allegations of worker exploitation linked to Skilled Worker sponsorship. Despite this record, Jo White acknowledged that

“there is more to be done to ensure that victims are protected and supported by our Immigration system, as set out in the Immigration White Paper.”

signalling that today’s changes are intended to build on, rather than conclude, the Government’s existing enforcement efforts.

How Will Victims of Exploitation Be Able to Change Jobs Under the New Rules?

The central protection introduced by the changes concerns the employment flexibility available to recognised victims. Under the amended Appendix Skilled Worker, individuals who entered the UK legally and have subsequently been formally recognised as victims of modern slavery will be permitted to change jobs.

“to undertake work in any occupation for the remaining duration of the visa validity.”

This represents a significant departure from the standard Skilled Worker conditions, which normally tie a visa holder to a specific sponsor and occupation. Jo White explained the rationale behind the change directly in her statement:

“This incentivises victims to come forward early and guards against those who seek to weaponise the sponsorship system to exploit vulnerable workers.”

The measure is therefore framed as both a protective safeguard for individuals and a deterrent against employers who might otherwise use immigration status as a tool of coercion.

What Is Erasmus+ and Why Is the UK Rejoining It?

The second major strand of the Statement of Changes relates to the Erasmus+ programme, the EU’s flagship scheme for education, training, youth and sport exchanges across Europe. Jo White confirmed in her statement that she is

“expanding the provisions of the Visitor Immigration route to facilitate new short-term activities under the Erasmus+ programme, which the UK agreed to rejoin as part of the UK-EU Common Understanding package, at the UK-EU summit in May 2025.”

The changes being introduced today are therefore a direct legislative consequence of that summit agreement, translating a diplomatic commitment into practical Immigration Rules that will allow Erasmus+ participants to lawfully undertake a broader range of activities in the UK.

How Will the Standard Visitor Route Change for Erasmus+ Participants?

Several new provisions are being added to Appendix V: Visitor. Most notably, visitors participating in Erasmus+ will be permitted to study at UK state schools and academies, with state-funded institutions able to host Erasmus+ participants under short-term study placements lasting up to six months. Jo White’s statement makes clear that safeguards will accompany this expansion:

“The changes to Appendix V: Visitor will also introduce new eligibility requirements and safeguards to ensure Erasmus+ participants are legitimate and, where necessary, have permission from their parent or legal guardian and their home institution to undertake Erasmus+ activities in the UK.”

Beyond schooling, the Minister confirmed that changes to Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities mean

“all Visitors will now be able to partake in workshops, debates, and attend skills competitions.”

while a dedicated new section reserved specifically for Erasmus+ activities will allow participants to

“undertake courses and provide or receive training, and undertake traineeships, all at UK-based organisations and academic institutions.”

Additionally, Erasmus+ participants will be able to take part in

“coaching and training assignments at UK-based sports organisations through the Standard Visitor route.”

What Safeguards Apply to Erasmus+ Visitors?

The statement is explicit that expanding access does not come without checks. New eligibility requirements will apply, and where participants are minors or otherwise require it, evidence of parental or guardian consent, alongside authorisation from their home institution, will be required before Erasmus+ activities can be undertaken in the UK.

What Amendments Are Being Made to the Student Immigration Route?

To accommodate the

“wide array of activities being undertaken through the Erasmus+ programme.”

Jo White confirmed that further amendments are being made to Appendix Student. These changes will allow Erasmus+ participants to undertake study activities at RQF level 2 and above, or SCQF level 5 and above for courses delivered in Scotland. Crucially, courses undertaken through Erasmus+ will be exempted from the usual requirement that a course must lead to an approved qualification. The Minister added that.

“where an Erasmus+ course includes a work placement, the course does not need to lead to an approved qualification and, for below-degree courses, the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies does not need to be assigned by a student sponsor that is not a probationary sponsor.”

Study conditions under Appendix Student and Appendix Child Student will also be amended to permit Erasmus+ participants to study at a state-funded school or academy, provided that institution holds a sponsor licence and formally sponsors the Erasmus+ student. To make this possible, Jo White confirmed that further changes to sponsor licence arrangements will allow

“state-funded schools and academies to hold sponsor licences to sponsor inbound Erasmus+ students.”

a notable extension of sponsorship eligibility beyond the higher and further education institutions that have traditionally held such licences.

How Will the Government Authorised Exchange Scheme Support Erasmus+ Participants?

A further change concerns the Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) visa scheme, which is used to facilitate structured exchange placements in the UK. Jo White stated that she will be

“opening a new scheme on the GAE Immigration route to facilitate eligible Erasmus+ programme placements.”

This new scheme

“will permit those entering the UK for Erasmus+ to partake in a range of supernumerary work placements and internships as an Erasmus+ participant.”

giving Erasmus+ participants a further, dedicated legal route into UK-based placements outside of the Visitor and Student categories.
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When Will the New Immigration Rules Come Into Effect?

The Statement of Changes itself is being laid before Parliament on 3 September 2026. However, the individual reforms will not all take effect on the same date. According to the statement, the changes will be introduced in stages, coming into force on 8 October 2026, 29 October 2026, 30 November 2026, and 9 December 2026 respectively, with the precise implementation date for each element detailed within the Statement of Changes document itself. This phased approach suggests the Government intends to allow sponsors, schools, colleges and visa applicants time to adjust to the different elements of the reform as they roll out over the autumn and winter of 2026.

What Does This Mean for Employers, Schools and Visa Holders Going Forward?

Taken together, the two strands of reform reflect a dual policy objective: tightening protections for some of the most vulnerable participants in the UK’s employment-based immigration system, while simultaneously widening the UK’s educational and cultural links with Europe through Erasmus+. For Skilled Worker sponsors, the changes serve as a further reminder that UKVI continues to actively pursue licence revocations against employers found to be exploiting overseas staff, with more than 7,500 revocations already recorded. For schools, colleges, universities and sports organisations, the Erasmus+ amendments open up new sponsorship and hosting opportunities that were not previously available under the Visitor, Student and GAE routes. For prospective Erasmus+ participants and Skilled Worker visa holders alike, the coming months will determine how smoothly these Rules translate from parliamentary statement into practical, everyday immigration casework.