🇬🇧 UK Closes Overseas Care Worker Visa: What It Means, Who’s Affected, and What Comes Next
By WILLING RERUITMENT– June 2025
In a landmark shift in UK immigration policy, the government has formally closed the visa route for overseas care workers a move with sweeping implications for the adult social care sector. The decision, announced in May 2025, halts all new Health and Care Worker visa applications from abroad, ending a five-year programme that brought more than 220,000 international care workers to the UK since 2020.
The change comes as part of a broader immigration reform agenda aimed at reducing net migration. But it also arrives amid persistent workforce shortages in adult social care, where vacancies remain stubbornly high, and the sector remains heavily reliant on migrant labour.
🕰️ What Has Changed and When?
Under the new rules, the UK government has:
Closed the overseas route for care worker visa sponsorship as of May 2025.
Instituted a transition period lasting until 2028 for current visa holders already living and working in the UK. This allows them to extend their visa, switch to new employers, or seek skilled routes.
Enforced a new rule requiring employers to prioritise UK-based migrant care workers at risk of job loss before they can recruit from overseas again (gov.uk).
Maintained restrictions introduced in March 2024, which bar most care workers from bringing dependants unless they were already in the UK prior to that date (nhsemployers.org).
📊 Who’s Affected?
The decision impacts not only current visa applicants overseas, but also the thousands of migrant care workers already living in the UK, many of whom entered the workforce through licensed care providers.
Over 220,000 care workers have come to the UK through this route since 2020.
In the last two years alone, more than 470 employers have lost their sponsorship licences due to non-compliance or fraud, leaving many migrant staff stranded without work or recourse.
The adult social care sector in England currently reports 131,000 vacancies, according to Skills for Care, and there are an additional 34,000 nurse vacancies across the NHS (rcn.org.uk, skillsforcare.org.uk).
Organisations such as Unison, Care England, and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) have issued strong warnings that this move could exacerbate staffing pressures and strain care delivery. A 2024 RCN survey found that 42% of internationally educated nursing staff were planning to leave the UK, citing exploitation, uncertainty, and lack of career security.
🛠️ How Is the Government Responding?
To mitigate the disruption, the government has proposed a mix of regulatory and sector-focused reforms:
1. Transition Period Until 2028
Existing care visa holders can remain in the UK until 2028, with full rights to:
Extend their visa
Switch employers (to other licensed sponsors)
Explore other immigration routes, such as the Skilled Worker visa
During this time, employers must demonstrate they have considered displaced UK-based migrant workers before hiring anyone new from abroad.
2. Higher Salary Thresholds and Tighter Oversight
To tackle exploitation and raise sector standards, care providers are now required to offer higher minimum salaries for sponsorship eligibility. Oversight has also increased, with the Home Office revoking licences for non-compliance or unethical practices (theguardian.com, clydeco.com).
3. Fair Pay Agreement and Sector Reform
Inspired by European models, the government is planning to introduce a sector-wide Fair Pay Agreement, which would establish minimum terms and wages across all care roles.Proposals also include a universal career structure and greater access to funded training, aiming to create a more consistent, professionalised care workforce.
Additionally, new language testing standards will be phased in, requiring improved English fluency for new and renewing applicants (nursinginpractice.com).
4. The Adult Social Care Workforce Review
These changes are being informed by the Adult Social Care Workforce Review, led by Baroness Louise Casey. Due to conclude in 2027, the review will shape long-term recruitment, retention, and pay strategy for the sector from 2028 onward.
🧭 What Should Affected Workers Do Now?
If you’re currently in the UK on a care visa, here’s what you need to know:
✅ Extend Your Stay
You may continue working and living in the UK under your existing visa terms and can apply to renew or switch employers until 2028. Visit www.gov.uk and search for "Health and Care Worker visa" for details.
✅ Explore New Routes
Consider switching to a Skilled Worker visa if you're in a senior role or qualified nurse. These roles carry higher salary thresholds but offer stability and a pathway to settlement.
✅ Seek Legal Advice
If your employer loses their sponsor licence, you have a 60-day grace period to find a new one. Contact registered immigration advisers via www.gov.uk (search: "Find an immigration adviser") or support charities like:
Improve your long-term prospects by earning a Level 2 or 3 Health and Social Care diploma and strengthening your English skills if needed. Free and low-cost courses are available through www.open.ac.uk, www.findcourses.co.uk, and local colleges.
💬 Final Thoughts
The closure of the overseas care visa marks a significant turning point in the UK’s approach to staffing its health and social care sectors. While the government pledges to invest in domestic solutions, care providers and migrant workers now face a period of deep uncertainty. For the 220,000+ workers already in the country, the path forward requires vigilance, informed decisions, and—above all—a clear understanding of the evolving system.
As the sector reforms take shape, one thing is clear: those who have dedicated their lives to care work are still needed—and deserve the tools to continue building their lives in the UK.
📰 Stay Informed
We understand that policy changes like this can be overwhelming, especially when they affect your future, family, and livelihood. That’s why we’ll continue to monitor updates from official sources including the Home Office, Department of Health and Social Care, the NMC, and trusted organisations such as Nurses.co.uk, Unison, and Skills for Care.
We'll update this page regularly as new information becomes available, including any changes to visa eligibility, salary thresholds, training support, or legal protections for care workers.
For now, if you have questions, need help navigating your visa options, or want personalised advice, don’t hesitate to reach out. Your work matters and we're here to support you every step of the way.
