Care Worker Sponsorship Ends: What’s Next for UK Providers?
4th July, 2025
Following the publication of the Immigration White Paper on 12 May 2025 , the first Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules was published on 1 July 2025.
Our summary of the Immigration White paper can be found here.
The changes that are currently being put before Parliament for approval are significant, not to mention 138 pages long! Having taken the time to read, understand and digest these, those relevant to care providers are summarised below.
End of sponsorship for overseas care workers
From 22 July 2025, employers will no longer be able to sponsor workers based overseas in care or senior care worker roles.
This follows the change announced on 1 July that the skill level required for sponsorship of the Skilled Worker visa is increasing on 22 July 2025 from RQF Level 3 to RQF Level 6. This will mean that c.180 jobs are no longer eligible for visa sponsorship. The role of care worker (SOC Code 6135, previously 6145) and senior care worker (SOC Code 6136, previously 6146) is placed at RQF Level 2 and has only been eligible for sponsorship since 15 February 2022 as an exception to the rules.
The closure of this route to those based overseas means that UK based care providers will no longer be able to assign Defined Certificates of Sponsorship to new applicants coming to the UK to work as a carer or senior carer and so may need to revisit their future recruitment plans and expedite any planned overseas recruitment to ensure Defined Certificates are validly assigned before 22 July. This means that the ‘care worker recruitment requirement’ (which is being abolished rom22 July) must be met before assignment otherwise the visa application will be rejected.
Impact on UK based recruitment
The Statement of Changes includes transitional arrangements that will benefit the sector in the short-term but will ultimately see all sponsorship of carers and senior care workers be phased out by 22 July 2028 at the latest (this date is subject to review and the Government has reserved its position to bring this date forwards).
The thousands of businesses in the sector who rely heavily on sponsored carers and seniors will be able to retain their existing sponsored workers and crucially, extend their visas by issuing new Certificates of Sponsorship until 22 July 2028.
Sponsors will also be able to recruit new carers and seniors by sponsoring them with an Undefined Certificate of Sponsorship before 22 July 2028 in limited circumstances:
- If they are already legally working for the sponsor under SOC Code 6135/6145 or 6136/6146 and have been for at least the three months immediately before the date the Certificate of Sponsorship was assigned; or
- If they already hold a Skilled Worker visa, sponsored in one of the care worker Codes and are moving sponsor.
These transitional arrangements will allow UK-based recruitment to continue until 22 July 2028, however it is important to note that the Home Office will keep a close eye on sponsorship under these Codes and is able to bring forward this end date.
Keeping employees up to date and answering their questions will be key in the coming weeks and is something that we can support with upon request whether through written communications or briefings.
Salary changes
One piece of good news for providers is that the minimum salary required for sponsorship of a care worker or senior care worker is not increasing as it is for hundreds of other roles. It will remain at the higher of £25,000 per annum and £12.82 per hour.
Immigration Salary List (ISL) and Temporary Shortage List (TSL)
Somewhat confusingly, the new rules provide for two “shortage” lists which will, for the time being, run alongside each other.
The ISL has been expanded to include roles recommended previously by the Migration Advisory Committee as being the subject of skills shortages in the UK. Care Workers and Senior Care Workers remain on the ISL.
In addition, the new TSL has been prepared to capture roles at RQF Levels 3, 4 and 5 which on the face of it are not eligible for sponsorship from 22 July 2025 but, which are viewed as critical to the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy.
The roles on both of these Lists will be removed on 31 December 2026 except in the case of carers and senior care workers, which will be removed on 22 July 2028. It is important to be aware that the Home Office have made it clear that they can bring these dates forward.
When sponsoring someone for a role on the ISL or the TSL, the worker will not be entitled to sponsor their family members for dependant visas. This is consistent with the rules imposed on carers and senior care workers in March 2024.
Supplementary employment
The sector relies heavily on Skilled Worker visa holders carrying out supplementary employment for up to 20 hours per week outside of their main role.
From 22 July 2025, the rules on supplementary employment are changing. Anyone who is granted a Skilled Worker visa under the new rules from 22 July 2025 onwards will only be able to carry out supplementary employment in the same role they are sponsored in, or a role at RQF Level 6 or a role on the ISL.
This won’t prevent providers using sponsored nurses, seniors and carers to carry out supplementary employment in caring roles but will mean that employers need to be even more careful to avoid inadvertent illegal working and ensure their right to work checks are done correctly.
What’s on the horizon?
The announcement on 1 July 2025 made it clear that by the end of this year we will see:
- the Immigration Skills Charge increasing;
- a new ‘family policy framework’ being introduced; and
- the English language requirement increasing.
One notable absence from the announcement was any update regarding the proposed increase from 5 years to 10 years for Skilled Workers to settle in the UK and obtain ILR. The government has suggested that there will be a consultation on these issues over the course of the rest of this year, with a view to introducing the changes at some point afterwards, presumably in 2026.
We know that there are more changes to come too, including the proposed introduction of right to work checks for agency workers and that care sector sponsors remain under close scrutiny and cannot become complacent.
To discuss the changes in immigration rules in detail contact Flora Mewies, or one of our expert immigration team.
Please note that this briefing is designed to be informative, not advisory and represents our understanding of English law and practice as at the date indicated. We would always recommend that you should seek specific guidance on any particular legal issue.
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