Care sponsorship under the Health and Care Worker visa has narrowed sharply since 2024. The route remains open for NHS clinical roles and senior care positions, but overseas recruitment of care workers and senior care workers into England's adult social care sector was restricted in 2024 and reformed again in April 2025. Today's picture is much smaller than the 2022-2023 peak.
Last reviewed: May 2026
TL;DR: NHS sponsored roles (nurses, doctors, allied health professionals) remain open on the Health and Care Worker visa. Direct overseas recruitment of care workers (SOC code 6135) and home care assistants by most adult social care providers has been restricted since March 2024 and further reformed in April 2025. Senior care worker roles continue to be sponsored, but at higher thresholds. Always verify the current rules at GOV.UK before relying on a job offer.
- The Health and Care Worker visa is the sponsored route for qualifying NHS and care roles. Eligibility, fees, and current SOC codes are at GOV.UK: Health and Care Worker visa.
- Successful applicants are exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge and pay a reduced visa application fee compared with the standard Skilled Worker rate.
- Overseas recruitment of care workers and senior care workers in England's adult social care sector was reformed in March 2024 and again in April 2025. Verify current eligibility at GOV.UK before applying.
- English language requirement is CEFR level B1 across four skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing), with the usual exemptions for nationals of English-speaking countries and degree holders taught in English.
- Salary thresholds change periodically and differ between NHS roles (often set by national pay scales) and private care roles (set by SOC code going rates). Verify the current threshold for the specific role on GOV.UK.
- The sponsoring employer must hold a valid Worker sponsor licence and the role must be on the eligible SOC code list at the date of the Certificate of Sponsorship.
What the Health and Care Worker visa covers in 2026
The Health and Care Worker visa is a sub-route of the Skilled Worker visa with concessions specifically for qualifying NHS and care roles. The concessions include a reduced application fee, an exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge, and a faster processing service in some cases. The eligibility tests (skill level, salary, English language, sponsor licence) follow the wider Skilled Worker framework.
To qualify, the applicant must:
- Have a job offer from a UK employer holding a valid Worker sponsor licence and an eligible Health and Care entity status.
- Hold a Certificate of Sponsorship issued for an eligible SOC code on the published Health and Care eligible occupations list.
- Be paid at or above the relevant salary threshold (which differs between NHS-pay-scale roles and private-sector roles).
- Meet the English language requirement at CEFR B1 across four skills.
- Have enough money to support themselves on arrival (or be exempt because the sponsor has certified maintenance).
The route can lead to settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) after five years of continuous lawful residence on the Health and Care Worker visa, subject to the usual continuous residence and salary conditions. The current eligibility framework is at GOV.UK: Health and Care Worker visa eligibility.
What changed in 2024 for care worker recruitment
Until early 2024, care workers (SOC code 6135) and senior care workers in adult social care could be sponsored under the Health and Care Worker visa subject to the standard route requirements. The 2022 and 2023 cohorts of overseas care workers grew very quickly, and a number of high-profile compliance failures (including reports of sponsor abuse, debt bondage, and underpayment) led to government concern.
From March 2024, the government tightened the route for overseas care worker recruitment:
- Care workers sponsored from outside the UK were no longer permitted to bring dependants on most new applications.
- Sponsoring care providers in England were required to be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) or, for non-CQC services, to satisfy alternative regulatory requirements.
- UKVI tightened its compliance focus on sponsor licences in the adult social care sector, with a higher rate of revocations.
The official announcement of the 2024 changes is published at GOV.UK: changes to the Immigration Rules, with the Statement of Changes papers giving the legal detail.
What changed in April 2025
In April 2025, the government announced further reforms aimed at reducing direct overseas recruitment of care workers into adult social care. The changes prioritised the recruitment of care workers already in the UK (for example, those whose previous sponsor's licence had been revoked and who were looking for a new sponsor) over fresh overseas recruitment.
The practical effect is that direct overseas recruitment of care workers (SOC code 6135) by adult social care providers in England is now much narrower than it was in 2022 or 2023. The route did not close entirely, but the eligible employer pool, the eligible roles, and the dependant rules were all narrowed. The detail and current position should be verified at GOV.UK before any application is made or any job offer accepted.
The 2025 changes did not affect:
- NHS sponsored roles (nurses, doctors, midwives, paramedics, allied health professionals).
- Senior care worker roles meeting the higher skill and salary thresholds.
- Health and Care visa holders already in the UK who were extending or switching employers.
Where care sponsorship is still available
As of the May 2026 review of this guide, the following broad categories of care-related sponsorship continued to operate, subject to the detailed current rules:
- NHS clinical roles: registered nurses, midwives, doctors at all grades, dentists, pharmacists, and the various allied health professional categories (radiographers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, paramedics, speech and language therapists, dieticians, podiatrists, and others). The NHS workforce is the largest user of the Health and Care Worker visa.
- Senior care worker roles: typically requiring qualifications, supervisory responsibilities, and a salary above the standard care worker rate. Eligibility under the current SOC code structure should be verified case-by-case.
- NHS support roles: a limited set of NHS support and ancillary roles on the eligible SOC code list, where the salary meets the going rate.
- Private medical and dental practice: clinical roles in private practice, hospital groups, and dental chains, where the practice holds a Worker sponsor licence.
For job-seekers, the practical first step is to confirm that any prospective employer is on the official register of licensed sponsors and that the offered role is on the current eligible SOC code list. Both checks can be done at GOV.UK.
NHS roles vs adult social care: different rules
The Health and Care Worker visa applies to both NHS clinical roles and adult social care roles, but the operational reality differs sharply:
- NHS sponsored roles are typically advertised through NHS Jobs and through NHS trust recruitment portals, sponsored by the relevant NHS trust or NHS-affiliated employer. The salary follows the national NHS pay scale (Agenda for Change for non-medical staff, the medical and dental pay scales for doctors and dentists). The route is the most stable and predictable of the care sponsorship options. Find NHS trust contact details at NHS: find an NHS trust.
- Adult social care roles are advertised through social care job boards, individual care provider websites, and recruitment agencies. The salary is set by the SOC code going rate, not by a national pay scale. Sponsorship in this sector has been narrowed by the 2024 and 2025 reforms, with stricter sponsor compliance requirements.
A job-seeker should be wary of recruitment agencies that charge applicants for placement into UK care roles. Charging a worker for a Certificate of Sponsorship or for the Immigration Skills Charge is unlawful in the UK. Agency fees billed to candidates are sometimes a red flag for sponsor non-compliance and have been a cause of subsequent licence revocations.
Salary thresholds and English language requirements
The Health and Care Worker visa uses two structures for salary thresholds:
- National pay scales: NHS roles paid on Agenda for Change or the equivalent medical and dental scales use the national pay rate for the band as the salary threshold. The pay scale for the role is the going rate.
- Going rates per SOC code: private-sector roles and non-NHS sponsored roles use the going rate published in the SOC code list, alongside the general route threshold.
Both salary structures are reviewed periodically. Recent increases in the general threshold and certain SOC code going rates have raised the practical bar for sponsorship across many care roles. Verify the current threshold for any specific role at GOV.UK: Health and Care Worker visa eligibility before relying on a salary figure.
The English language requirement is CEFR B1 across speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The requirement is met by:
- Passing an approved Secure English Language Test at B1 or above.
- Holding an academic qualification (such as a degree) that was taught in English and is recognised by Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC).
- Being a national of a country recognised by the Home Office as English-speaking (the current list is on GOV.UK).
For some clinical roles, the regulator (for example, the Nursing and Midwifery Council for nurses, the General Medical Council for doctors) requires a higher English language standard than the visa minimum. The professional standard is what determines registration to practise, separately from the visa.
How to verify a care employer's sponsor licence
Before accepting any job offer, paying any agency fee, or arranging any travel, a candidate should verify the prospective employer's sponsor licence on the official register. The process is:
- Download the latest register of licensed sponsors (workers) from GOV.UK.
- Search the spreadsheet for the employer's registered legal name (not just the trading name).
- Confirm the entry shows the relevant route (Worker - Skilled Worker - Health and Care visa).
- Confirm the rating is A. A B-rating is a red flag because the sponsor cannot issue Certificates of Sponsorship for new workers.
- Check the CQC register (or equivalent regulator in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland) to confirm the employer is regulated to provide care services.
- Confirm in writing the SOC code, salary, weekly hours, and location of the proposed role.
- Be sceptical of any arrangement where the candidate is asked to pay the Immigration Skills Charge or the sponsor licence fee; both are unlawful to recharge to the worker.
The combination of an on-register sponsor, a regulated care entity, and a clear documented role offer is the minimum starting position. Anything less should be checked with an OISC-registered immigration adviser or an SRA-regulated solicitor before committing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still get a UK care visa in 2026?
It depends on the role and the employer. NHS clinical roles continue to be sponsored under the Health and Care Worker visa. Senior care worker roles meeting the higher skill and salary thresholds remain available. Direct overseas recruitment of care workers (SOC code 6135) by adult social care providers in England was narrowed by the 2024 and 2025 reforms. Verify the current eligibility for the specific role and employer at GOV.UK before applying.
Is the UK care visa ending?
The Health and Care Worker visa has not closed, but the rules on overseas recruitment into adult social care have tightened substantially since March 2024 and again in April 2025. The route remains open for NHS roles, senior care roles, and other qualifying health roles. Government policy on the care segment has shifted more than once, so check the current position at GOV.UK before relying on the route.
Can NHS care assistant jobs be sponsored on a visa?
NHS support roles are sponsored only where they appear on the eligible SOC code list and meet the salary threshold. A care assistant role's eligibility depends on the specific SOC code under which the role is classified, the salary, and the sponsoring NHS trust's status. Many lower-banded NHS support roles fall below the threshold; check the role's SOC code and salary with the NHS trust HR team and against the current GOV.UK guidance.
Do care visa holders pay the Immigration Health Surcharge?
No. Health and Care Worker visa holders are exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge. They are also charged a reduced visa application fee compared with the standard Skilled Worker route. This is one of the main concessions that distinguishes the Health and Care sub-route from the wider Skilled Worker visa.
Can dependants come with a care visa holder?
Rules on dependant entry for care workers were narrowed in 2024. NHS sponsored clinical roles and senior care roles meeting the relevant thresholds typically retain dependant entry, but care worker SOC code 6135 dependant entry was restricted for new applications. Verify the current dependant rules for the specific role at GOV.UK before applying.
How do I check if a care employer can sponsor a visa?
Download the register of licensed sponsors (workers) from GOV.UK and search for the employer's registered legal name. The entry shows the route, sub-rating, and A or B status. Also check that the employer is registered with the Care Quality Commission (or the equivalent regulator in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland) and confirm the role, SOC code, salary, and hours in writing before any commitment.
Is it lawful for an agency to charge me for a UK care visa job?
Recharging the Certificate of Sponsorship fee or the Immigration Skills Charge to the worker is unlawful in the UK. Some agency administrative fees are permitted, but the scope is narrow. Candidates asked to pay large agency placement fees, sponsor licence costs, or Immigration Skills Charges should be cautious; such arrangements have been a recurring cause of sponsor licence revocations and worker exploitation cases. Take advice from an OISC-registered immigration adviser if in doubt.
