Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF): What Employers Need to Know

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The Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) sits at the heart of UK skills and immigration policy. If you sponsor overseas workers or hire staff whose qualifications determine their visa eligibility, understanding the RQF - and the July 2025 changes that affect it - is essential for staying compliant and avoiding costly mistakes.

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Key Takeaways

Essential Points for Employers

• The RQF ranks qualifications from Entry Level to Level 8, and the level assigned to a role directly affects Skilled Worker visa eligibility.
• From July 2025, the minimum skill threshold for Skilled Worker sponsorship has risen, removing many RQF Level 3 roles from eligibility.
• Employers must check that the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code for each sponsored role still meets the new RQF requirements.
• Existing sponsored workers are not automatically affected, but renewals and new applications must meet the updated thresholds.
• Failure to assign the correct RQF level to a role is a sponsor compliance risk that can trigger a licence review.

What Is the Regulated Qualifications Framework?

The Regulated Qualifications Framework is the system used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to categorise and compare qualifications. Ofqual regulates the framework in England. Every recognised qualification is assigned a level from Entry Level up to Level 8, allowing employers, educators and government bodies to compare qualifications consistently across different sectors and awarding bodies.

RQF Levels at a Glance

• Entry Level - basic literacy and numeracy skills
• Level 1 - GCSEs at grades 3 to 1 (D to G), foundation learning
• Level 2 - GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), NVQ Level 2
• Level 3 - A Levels, T Levels, NVQ Level 3, BTEC National
• Level 4 - Certificate of Higher Education, Higher Apprenticeship
• Level 5 - Foundation Degree, Higher National Diploma
• Level 6 - Bachelor's Degree, Graduate Apprenticeship
• Level 7 - Master's Degree, Postgraduate Certificate
• Level 8 - Doctorate (PhD)

How RQF Levels Relate to Immigration

For UK immigration purposes, the Home Office uses RQF levels as a proxy for skill when assessing whether a job qualifies for a Skilled Worker visa. Each Standard Occupational Classification code is mapped to an RQF level, and the role must meet or exceed the minimum threshold set in the Immigration Rules to be eligible for sponsorship.

The July 2025 Immigration Changes and the RQF

The UK government's Immigration White Paper, published in May 2025, introduced significant changes to the skill and salary thresholds that govern Skilled Worker sponsorship. The most consequential change for employers is the rise in the minimum skill level required for a role to be eligible for a Skilled Worker visa.

What Has Changed?

• The minimum skill threshold for Skilled Worker sponsorship is rising from RQF Level 3 to RQF Level 6 for most roles, with implementation expected in 2025 and 2026.
• This removes a significant number of roles - particularly in hospitality, retail, construction trades and some care roles - from Skilled Worker eligibility.
• Salary thresholds are also increasing alongside the skill level changes, meaning roles that survive the skill threshold cut must also meet higher pay requirements.
• A new Immigration Salary List replaces the previous Shortage Occupation List, removing the 20 percent salary discount that previously applied to shortage roles.

Which Sectors Are Most Affected?

Sectors that relied heavily on sponsoring workers into RQF Level 3 roles face the greatest disruption. These include social care, hospitality, food manufacturing, retail management and certain construction trades. Employers in these sectors need to audit their current sponsored workforce and assess which roles will no longer qualify for future visa applications or renewals under the new rules.

What RQF Level 6 Means in Practice

RQF Level 6 broadly corresponds to a bachelor's degree or equivalent. For a role to qualify for Skilled Worker sponsorship under the new threshold, the SOC code assigned to it must be mapped to RQF Level 6 or above. This does not necessarily mean that every individual worker must hold a degree - it means the role itself must be assessed as requiring degree-level skill. However, in practice, many roles previously available to non-graduate overseas workers will no longer be sponsorable.

Examples of Roles Likely to Remain Eligible

• Software developers and IT professionals
• Engineers and architects
• Healthcare professionals such as nurses and allied health workers
• Accountants and financial analysts
• Teachers and education professionals
• Senior managers with degree-level SOC mappings

Examples of Roles That May Lose Eligibility

• Care workers and home carers (already removed for overseas recruitment outside of existing visa holders)
• Chefs below senior level
• HGV drivers and delivery operatives
• Retail supervisors and team leaders
• Some construction and maintenance trades

How Employers Should Respond

The changes require a structured review of your sponsored workforce and your future hiring plans. Acting early reduces the risk of being caught with roles that no longer qualify when visa renewal applications are submitted.

Steps to Take Now

1. Audit every current sponsored worker's role and identify the SOC code and RQF level assigned to it.
2. Cross-reference those SOC codes against the updated eligible occupations list published by the Home Office.
3. Identify which roles fall below the new RQF Level 6 threshold and will no longer qualify for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
4. Review the expiry dates of current visas for workers in affected roles and assess renewal risk.
5. Consider whether any affected roles can be restructured or regraded to meet the new skill threshold.
6. Speak to an immigration adviser before making any sponsorship decisions based on the new rules.
7. Update your sponsor management processes to reflect the new requirements going forward.

Checking SOC Codes and RQF Mappings

The Home Office publishes a list of eligible occupations for the Skilled Worker route, each with a SOC code and a corresponding RQF level. Employers should use the eligible occupations guidance on gov.uk as the primary reference point. The Office for National Statistics also publishes SOC code descriptions that help determine which code most accurately reflects a given role.

The RQF and Right to Work Checks

The RQF is relevant not only to sponsorship decisions but also to the broader right to work framework. When verifying that a sponsored worker is working within the terms of their visa, employers should confirm that the role the worker is actually performing matches the RQF level and SOC code recorded on the Certificate of Sponsorship. Assigning a worker to duties that fall outside their sponsored role is a sponsor compliance breach, regardless of whether both roles are otherwise skilled.

Keeping Records Up to Date

• Maintain a record of the SOC code and RQF level for every sponsored worker's role.
• Document any changes to job duties and assess whether a new Certificate of Sponsorship is required.
• Keep copies of job descriptions that demonstrate the role meets the required skill level.
• Record the qualifications or experience that support the RQF level assigned to the role.

Scotland and Northern Ireland: Separate Frameworks

It is worth noting that Scotland uses the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) rather than the RQF, and Northern Ireland uses the Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales (CQFW) alongside the RQF. For immigration purposes, the Home Office uses RQF equivalencies when assessing qualifications gained in these nations or overseas. Employers should use Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) to obtain a formal equivalency assessment when a worker's overseas qualifications need to be mapped to an RQF level for visa purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between RQF Level 3 and Level 6?

RQF Level 3 broadly corresponds to A Levels or equivalent vocational qualifications such as BTEC Nationals. RQF Level 6 corresponds to a bachelor's degree. For Skilled Worker visa purposes, Level 6 requires a significantly higher degree of complexity, autonomy and skill in the role than Level 3.

Do I need to hold a degree to work in an RQF Level 6 role?

Not necessarily. The RQF level is assigned to the role, not the individual. However, you must be able to demonstrate that the duties of the role require degree-level skill and knowledge. In practice, workers in such roles will often hold a degree or equivalent professional qualification.

Will existing Skilled Worker visa holders be affected by the July 2025 changes?

Workers already in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa are generally not immediately affected. However, when their visa comes up for renewal, the role must meet the rules in force at the time of the new application. Employers should review upcoming renewals well in advance of expiry dates.

How do I find out if my role is still eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship?

Check the eligible occupations list on gov.uk, which sets out every SOC code eligible for the Skilled Worker route along with the corresponding RQF level and minimum salary threshold. If your role's SOC code no longer appears on the list or falls below the new skill threshold, it is not eligible for sponsorship.

What happens if I sponsored a worker in a role that is no longer eligible?

If the role no longer qualifies under the new rules, you cannot renew the worker