Seafood Industry Warned of Major Risks from UK Visa Overhaul

The UK’s new Skilled Worker visa rules took effect on 22 July 2025, raising pay and skill thresholds. Seafish warns the changes could strain seafood catching, processing, and retail if hiring stalls.

The Home Office confirmed the measures in Statement of Changes HC 997. Salary floors increase, the Immigration Salary List (ISL) starts winding down, and many roles below degree level lose eligibility. Some new applicants also lose the right to bring family.

What changed and when

• Effective date: 22 July 2025, under HC 997.
• General Skilled Worker salary floor: £41,700.
• ISL/TSL, STEM PhD, or New Entrant floor: £33,400.
• Skills threshold: roles must now be RQF 6 (degree level) unless covered by the ISL or the interim Temporary Shortage List (TSL).
• ISL sunset: the ISL will be phased out by 31 December 2026.
• Dependants: new Skilled Worker hires in RQF 3–5 jobs on the ISL/TSL cannot bring dependants.
• Settlement: applications filed after 22 July 2025 must meet the new pay floors.

Seafood roles most affected

• Fishmongers (SOC 5433 Fishmongers and poultry dressers; Fishmongers): Removed from the ISL from 22 July 2025. This ends access to discounted salary thresholds for sponsorship in this code.
• Deckhands on large vessels: Experienced deckhands (vessels 9m+, with 3+ years’ full-time experience) remain eligible under the transitional lists, but new applicants in these lower-RQF roles cannot bring dependants.
• Processing and retail operatives: Many shop-floor and plant jobs sit below RQF 6 and will not qualify unless listed on ISL/TSL. As the ISL ends in 2026, employers must plan for the general threshold.

Industry warnings and supply chain risks

Seafish economists describe “major risks” from higher salaries, the RQF shift, and loss of ISL relief for fishmongers, warning of possible disruption across catching, processing, and retail counters.

The Fishing Daily reported on 11 August 2025 that these pressures could reduce throughput, raise costs, and hit availability in supermarkets and independents if vacancies stay open.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the combined effect of tighter eligibility and higher pay floors will be felt most in roles that previously sat at RQF 3–5, where firms relied on the ISL to sponsor key staff.

Key takeaway: shortages and higher wage bills could reduce capacity across the seafood supply chain unless employers act now.

What employers should do now

1) Map roles and eligibility
– Confirm the correct SOC code and RQF level for each vacancy. Only RQF 6+ roles are widely eligible unless the job appears on the ISL/TSL.
– For deckhands (vessels 9m+), confirm the experience requirement (3+ years) and that duties align with transitional coverage.

2) Calibrate pay
– Set salaries at or above £41,700 (general) or £33,400 (ISL/TSL/STEM PhD/New Entrant).
– Check any occupation “going rate” in Appendix Skilled Occupations.

3) Sponsorship actions
– Keep your sponsor licence current and assign an accurate Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) with the correct SOC code, salary, and duties.
– Explain clearly that new hires in RQF 3–5 roles on the ISL/TSL cannot bring dependants.

4) Applications and timing
– For applications submitted on or after 22 July 2025, apply the new thresholds and rules. For those already in-route, use transitional provisions where they apply.
– Plan early for settlement. Skilled Worker holders typically apply using Form SET(O); ensure pay meets the new floor at the time of application. Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-settle-in-the-uk-form-seto

5) Compliance and side work
– From 22 July 2025, supplementary work must be RQF 6 or on the ISL. Update HR policies and rota planning.

For the latest official route guidance, see the Skilled Worker visa page: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa

How this plays out on the ground

• Independent fishmonger in a coastal town: Losing ISL relief on SOC 5433 means a sponsored counter lead must now meet the £41,700 general floor (or map to a genuine RQF 6 managerial role). If that salary is unaffordable, the shop may shorten opening hours or switch to pre-packed lines, reducing customer choice and local jobs.

• Whitefish trawler (24m) seeking an experienced deckhand: Transitional rules keep eligibility for a crew member with 3+ years experience. But the worker cannot bring dependants if sponsored under RQF 3–5 coverage, and the pay must meet the £33,400 floor (or higher if the going rate requires). Owners face higher wage bills and may cut trips if crews can’t be filled.

Funding context and limits

• England’s Fisheries and Seafood Scheme (FaSS) 2025 round totals £6 million.
• FaSS reopened in June and closed to new applications at 5pm on 25 July 2025 due to strong demand.
• Projects must complete by 31 March 2026, with larger bids assessed in September.
• FaSS can support productivity, training, and resilience projects—but it does not change Skilled Worker visa rules or reinstate ISL relief.
• Firms looking to automate filleting lines, invest in chilling, or train supervisors toward valid RQF 6 roles may still benefit where awards are available.

Policy backdrop

After 2020, the UK lowered the skill bar to RQF 3 to support post-Brexit hiring. In 2025, ministers reversed course amid political pressure and high net migration.

The March 2025 white paper set the direction, and HC 997 delivered the first set of changes on 22 July. Pay floors are uprated using 2024 ASHE data across sponsored work routes. Practitioners note roughly 180 occupations dropped from eligibility with the shift back to RQF 6.

What to watch next

• The Immigration Salary List (ISL) remains only until 31 December 2026. Unless a replacement appears, employers will need genuine RQF 6 role designs or alternative labour plans by 2027.
• Monitor any late-2025 or 2026 Statements of Changes for updates to Appendix Skilled Occupations, the TSL, or dependant rules.

Bottom line for seafood businesses

• Budget for higher salaries: £41,700 general, £33,400 for ISL/TSL.
• Re-check SOC mapping; upgrade duties to RQF 6 where accurate and lawful.
• Be transparent with recruits about no-dependants in RQF 3–5 transitional roles.
• Expect tighter hiring through 2026 as the ISL winds down; start domestic training and retention schemes now.

Notes for current visa holders

• If you’re already sponsored as a Skilled Worker, you can usually extend and change employers under transitional rules.
• Settlement applications after 22 July 2025 must meet the new pay floors.
• Legacy entrants from before 4 April 2024 face uprated minimums: £31,300 for the general threshold and £28,200 for certain PhD routes.
• From 22 July, supplementary jobs must be RQF 6 or on the ISL, which reduces options for second shifts in lower-level roles. Plan ahead now.