The government plans to give the highest-skilled sponsored workers up to six months to find a new job if their employment ends, under measures announced in Budget 2026 on 28 October. This article is general information only and is not personal immigration advice. The change would lengthen the visa curtailment period — the window after a sponsored job ends before permission is cut short — which advisers currently describe as typically around 60 days.

What the Budget actually promises

The Budget document states that the government will allow the highest-skilled workers to access a curtailment period of up to six months, with the length varying according to how long they worked in their previous, highly paid job. Implementation is planned for 2027. The document does not yet define which workers count as highest-skilled or highly paid, nor does it set out the detailed rules that would put the promise into practice.

Not a rule in force today

That distinction matters. The announcement does not change anyone's visa conditions today, and it is not a blanket extension for all Skilled Worker visa holders. Workers whose employment ends now remain subject to the existing rules, and sponsors and workers should not rely on the longer period until the detail is published.

Why the government says it is changing the rule

The measure sits within a wider Budget package aimed at skilled migration, including lower occupation-specific salary thresholds from spring 2027 and a wider High Potential Individual route. Until the Home Office publishes the implementing rules, the practical questions — who qualifies, how the period is calculated, and what work is permitted during it — remain unanswered. Anyone affected should check the current GOV.UK guidance for their route and seek regulated advice for their own circumstances.

Sources: GOV.UK Budget 2026, Nara Solicitors, Wonkhe.