The UK government recently introduced significant new rules for care work visas. Starting from April 9, 2025, care providers in England must prove they have attempted to recruit workers already in England who need new sponsorship before hiring from overseas. This marks a major shift in how the care sector manages its workforce and international recruitment.
These changes aim to ensure that care workers who have already come to the UK to work in adult social care have opportunities to continue their careers. The government wants to reduce reliance on overseas recruitment and support existing care workers who may need new sponsors. Many care workers have found themselves without sponsorship because their previous employers lost their licenses or couldn't provide enough work.
The new requirement applies only to care worker and senior care worker roles with working locations entirely in England. Care work applications in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland remain unaffected by these latest changes. The rules don't apply to workers already sponsored in these roles before April 9, 2025.
Care providers seeking to recruit a new worker from overseas, or those switching from another visa route, must confirm they have attempted to recruit a worker resident in England. This focuses on workers who need new sponsorship because their employer has lost their license or has not provided sufficient work.
The rules include exceptions for international care workers or senior care workers who are already sponsored. There's also an exception for providers seeking to sponsor someone switching from another immigration route who has already been working for them for at least three months. This helps protect established working relationships.
These changes need to be considered alongside earlier restrictions implemented in March 2024. From March 11, 2024, care workers and senior care workers under the Health and Care Visa cannot bring dependents as part of their visa application. Workers already on the route can remain with their dependents, including when extending, changing employers, or settling.
The government has been actively tackling exploitation in the care sector. Between July 2022 and December 2024, more than 470 sponsor licenses in the care sector were revoked to clamp down on abuse and exploitation. Since October 2020, more than 49,000 workers have been associated with these sponsors.
Seema Malhotra, Minister for Migration and Citizenship, stated that those who have come to the UK to support the adult care sector should have the opportunity to do so, free from abuse and exploitation. The government has taken action to ensure employers cannot flout the rules or exploit international workers.
Stephen Kinnock, Minister of State for Care, emphasized that international care workers play a vital role in the social care workforce. He noted that prioritizing care workers already in the UK will get people back to work, reducing reliance on international recruitment, and ensure the social care sector has the care professionals it needs.
Employers should also take into account the updated salary thresholds when planning new hires. The minimum salary of £25,000 per year (£12.82 per hour) must be met for care workers on the Health and Care visa route.
Employers in the care sector must now more than ever comply with immigration rules and uphold their sponsorship duties. The Home Office continues to crack down on rogue employers in high-risk sectors, making compliance essential to maintaining the ability to sponsor workers.
However, the process has become more complex for those hoping to come to the UK as care workers. Employers will need to demonstrate that they have tried to recruit from existing UK-based care workers before offering positions to overseas candidates.
Care workers should also be aware of the increased salary thresholds and restrictions on bringing dependents that came into effect in March 2024. These changes significantly affect the overall package available to international care workers.
These rule changes are part of a broader set of immigration reforms the UK government is implementing. The government plans to set out more details in its upcoming Immigration White Paper, which will address plans to reduce legal migration levels.
The success of these measures will depend on how effectively regional partnerships can connect employers with available care workers, and whether the existing pool of workers in the UK can meet the sector's needs. For now, both employers and care workers need to understand and adapt to these significant changes in the visa landscape.
These changes aim to ensure that care workers who have already come to the UK to work in adult social care have opportunities to continue their careers. The government wants to reduce reliance on overseas recruitment and support existing care workers who may need new sponsors. Many care workers have found themselves without sponsorship because their previous employers lost their licenses or couldn't provide enough work.
The new requirement applies only to care worker and senior care worker roles with working locations entirely in England. Care work applications in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland remain unaffected by these latest changes. The rules don't apply to workers already sponsored in these roles before April 9, 2025.
How the New System Works
Under the new rules, employers must obtain confirmation from a regional or sub-regional partnership that they have made genuine efforts to recruit locally before sponsoring a new overseas worker. These partnerships were established to prevent and respond to exploitative employment practices in the international recruitment of care staff.Care providers seeking to recruit a new worker from overseas, or those switching from another visa route, must confirm they have attempted to recruit a worker resident in England. This focuses on workers who need new sponsorship because their employer has lost their license or has not provided sufficient work.
The rules include exceptions for international care workers or senior care workers who are already sponsored. There's also an exception for providers seeking to sponsor someone switching from another immigration route who has already been working for them for at least three months. This helps protect established working relationships.
Salary Thresholds and Other Requirements
The minimum salary threshold for Skilled Workers increased on April 9, 2025, to £25,000 per year (£12.82 per hour) from the previous £23,200 (£11.90 per hour). This change affects care workers on the Health and Care visa route.These changes need to be considered alongside earlier restrictions implemented in March 2024. From March 11, 2024, care workers and senior care workers under the Health and Care Visa cannot bring dependents as part of their visa application. Workers already on the route can remain with their dependents, including when extending, changing employers, or settling.
The government has been actively tackling exploitation in the care sector. Between July 2022 and December 2024, more than 470 sponsor licenses in the care sector were revoked to clamp down on abuse and exploitation. Since October 2020, more than 49,000 workers have been associated with these sponsors.
Context and Reasons for the Changes
The new requirements come as part of broader efforts to align the immigration system with domestic workforce planning. The government aims to ensure that businesses can access needed skills while maintaining fair conditions for workers already in the UK.Seema Malhotra, Minister for Migration and Citizenship, stated that those who have come to the UK to support the adult care sector should have the opportunity to do so, free from abuse and exploitation. The government has taken action to ensure employers cannot flout the rules or exploit international workers.
Stephen Kinnock, Minister of State for Care, emphasized that international care workers play a vital role in the social care workforce. He noted that prioritizing care workers already in the UK will get people back to work, reducing reliance on international recruitment, and ensure the social care sector has the care professionals it needs.
What Employers Need to Do
Care providers must now review their recruitment processes to ensure compliance with the new hiring obligations. They need to establish relationships with regional partnerships to facilitate the required confirmation process when recruiting.Employers should also take into account the updated salary thresholds when planning new hires. The minimum salary of £25,000 per year (£12.82 per hour) must be met for care workers on the Health and Care visa route.
Employers in the care sector must now more than ever comply with immigration rules and uphold their sponsorship duties. The Home Office continues to crack down on rogue employers in high-risk sectors, making compliance essential to maintaining the ability to sponsor workers.
Impact on Current and Future Care Workers
These changes may provide new opportunities for care workers already in the UK whose sponsors have lost their licenses. The requirement for employers to prioritize recruiting from this pool means these workers may find it easier to secure new positions.However, the process has become more complex for those hoping to come to the UK as care workers. Employers will need to demonstrate that they have tried to recruit from existing UK-based care workers before offering positions to overseas candidates.
Care workers should also be aware of the increased salary thresholds and restrictions on bringing dependents that came into effect in March 2024. These changes significantly affect the overall package available to international care workers.
Looking Forward
The care sector will need to adapt to these changes and may experience shifts in workforce composition as a result. The emphasis on prioritizing workers already in the UK might reduce the influx of new international care workers, at least in the short term.These rule changes are part of a broader set of immigration reforms the UK government is implementing. The government plans to set out more details in its upcoming Immigration White Paper, which will address plans to reduce legal migration levels.
The success of these measures will depend on how effectively regional partnerships can connect employers with available care workers, and whether the existing pool of workers in the UK can meet the sector's needs. For now, both employers and care workers need to understand and adapt to these significant changes in the visa landscape.
