Closure of the care worker visa - what now?

Closure of the Care Worker visa – what now?

The government recently announced major changes to the immigration rules, which came into effect on 22 July 2025. One of the most controversial changes is the closure of the Skilled Worker visa route for care workers for overseas applicants. Whilst there are transitional arrangements in place for those already in the UK, this change will have real consequences for the care sector going forward.

The closure of the care visa is part of a broader strategy to reform the Skilled Worker route, by raising the skill and salary threshold, effectively reverting to the pre-Brexit visa system. A Skilled Worker visa now requires the role to be at RQF Level 6 (degree-level). This change abolished over 100 eligible occupations, making the number of roles capable of sponsorship more limited, aiming the Skilled Worker route for more senior and specialist roles. Care worker roles are below degree level, and as such care workers can now only be sponsored if they fall under the transitional arrangements for those already in the UK.

The new rules also increased the Skilled Worker minimum salary standard threshold to £41,700 (up from £38,700). 

Background

The healthcare sector has long faced significant recruitment challenges, with employers struggling to fill roles from within the domestic workforce. In response to some of these challenges, the now former government launched the Health and Social Care visa under the Skilled Worker visa regime in August 2020, allowing employers within the sector to access the overseas talent pool for certain qualifying occupations.

The scope of the visa was extended in February 2022 to include care workers and senior care workers (SOC codes 6135 and 6136). This resulted in a substantial increase in the number of visa applications under the Health and Social Care visa. Whilst this was very welcomed by the care sector, the popularity of this route significantly contributed to the record-breaking net migration figures in 2023 and 2024 (906,000 and 728,000 respectively) and as a consequence, the Home Office set out to take action.

The Home Office identified the care sector as high-risk, and as such, it has seen a marked increase in compliance visits. This increased compliance activity resulted in many care providers either having their sponsorship licences suspended or revoked altogether for non-compliance with the immigration rules. This left many sponsored workers in the care sector without work, and if they were unable to secure new employment with a new sponsor within 60 days of their sponsorship ending, faced having to return overseas.Additionally, new rules introduced in March 2024 prohibited care workers sponsored under the Skilled Worker route from bringing their dependants to the UK and required care providers in England to be registered with the CQC in order to apply for sponsor licence to sponsor care workers.

By the end of 2024, employers were also required to demonstrate they’d made an effort to recruit displaced care workers already in the UK, before offering sponsorship to an overseas candidate, and were also prohibited from passing on sponsorship-related costs, such as the sponsor licence application fee, Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) fee, and Immigration Skills Charge (ISC), to sponsored workers. All these changes were aimed at disincentivising care providers in the use of overseas talent and to actively encourage employers to recruit from within the UK.

Recent changes to the immigration rules effecting the Care Sector

Since 22 July 2025, employers are unable to sponsor any new workers from overseas in care worker roles, namely SOC codes 6135 – Care Workers and 6136 – Senior Care Workers. The rules also specifically prohibit the use of SOC codes 6131 – Nursing auxiliaries and assistants as a substitute for the care worker SOC codes to circumvent the rule changes.Any licence holder found to be doing this will have their sponsor licences revoked. 

Existing workers already in the UK and working for their sponsor for at least 3 months prior to their certificate of sponsorship being issued, will be able to switch from another visa route to a Skilled Worker visa until 22 July 2028, and currently after 5 years of continuous residence in the UK under the Skilled Worker route, care workers will still be eligible to apply for permanent settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain, or ILR). However, from 22 July 2028, it will no longer be possible to sponsor new entrant care workers altogether. 

Health and social care workers still retain the minimum salary requirement of £25,000 per year, or 12.82 per hour, and are not subject to the increase in the standard Skilled Worker minimum salary of £41,700.

The government is very clear on its position. The new rules are designed to not only encourage care providers to recruit from the significant pool of displaced international care workers already in the UK but also encourages the sector to attract and train resident workers for these roles.

What should care providers do?

These changes mean that care providers should assess their current workforce and expediate existing sponsorship plans as soon as possible. Care sector employers must also rethink their recruitment strategies. With overseas hiring closed, businesses must focus on domestic recruitment, investing in training programmes, and utilising the existing pool of international care workers that are already in the UK. 

The Home Office continue to focus on the care sector in terms of compliance activity. It would therefore be sensible for employers to conduct a full review of their sponsor licence obligations. This would include reviewing that right to work checks have been completed for all employees (but particularly those who are sponsored) and documented correctly, and all reporting duties and record keeping has been adhered to, in order to minimise the risk of losing the sponsorship licence altogether.

Further changes to come?

We are expecting further changes to come in the not-too distant future, including raising the Immigration Skills Charge (currently at £5,000 for a 5-year visa), increasing the qualifying residence period for ILR from five to 10 years and increasing the level of English language skills required for certain visa categories. All of these proposed changes will affect those sponsored within the care sector. 

Conclusion

Many of the actual and expected changes to the immigration rules during the rest of 2025 and beyond demonstrate the government's clear and continued commitment to further reduce migration into the UK.  This continued emphasis on reducing net migration and tackling worker abuse is valid—but it must not ignore the care sector’s recent reliance on overseas labour to fill shortages. Unless fair pay agreements and recruitment reform are backed by real funding, front line workers, vulnerable care recipients, and providers alike will feel the strain.

The new immigration rules for care workers are set to significantly reshape how care providers approach staffing. With international recruitment becoming more difficult and costly, providers will likely face upward pressure on wages and a shrinking pool of overseas candidates. This shift places greater urgency on attracting, retaining, and developing domestic talent. In the lead-up to July 2028 and beyond, care providers must implement long-term recruitment strategies focused on the resident workforce, supported by increased investment. Additionally, the strategic use of AI and technology may help ease workforce pressures by improving efficiency, supporting administrative tasks, and enhancing care delivery.

This article was written by Constantine Law partner, Rebecca Tester, and first appeared in Care Markets Magazine.