On 9 April 2025, the UK Home Office officially removed “Sports Massage Therapist” from its Skilled Worker visa eligibility list—just weeks after delisting “Thai Massage Therapist.” Under the new rules, only those already in the UK with valid work permits may renew them. New applicants are no longer eligible, regardless of their qualifications or experience.
What’s more concerning is that this visa reclassification reflects a downgrade of massage occupations to below degree-level status, signaling that these are no longer considered skilled jobs under UK immigration criteria.
For thousands of Thai therapists who have trained rigorously in the healing arts of Nuad Thai, the message is clear: their profession no longer meets the UK’s threshold for skilled migration,
To compound matters, in mid-June, West Yorkshire Police and immigration officers raided Yonlada Thai Massage in Huddersfield on suspicion of illegal activity.
The operation led to the arrest of two individuals on charges related to controlling prostitution and the detention of four Thai women who were found working illegally. Though the case is under investigation, sensational UK media coverage has already linked Thai massage to criminality.
Source: Khaosan English