The UK government has introduced new rules that will require care providers in England to prioritise hiring international care workers who are already in the UK before recruiting from overseas. These changes, set to take effect from April 9, 2025, are part of the government’s wider strategy to reduce reliance on overseas recruitment and restore order to the immigration system.
What Are the New Sponsorship Rules for Care Workers?
From April 9, 2025, care providers in England must prove that they have attempted to recruit a care worker already in the UK who requires new sponsorship before issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to a worker from overseas.
This rule aims to:
- Help international care workers already in the UK secure employment and continue their careers.
- Reduce reliance on new overseas recruits and support domestic workforce stability.
- Ensure ethical recruitment and compliance with the sponsor licence system.
Who is Affected by the New Care Worker Sponsorship Rules?
This change applies only to care providers in England.
- Employers in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are not subject to this requirement.
- This does not affect care workers already sponsored and employed under existing Skilled Worker visas.
Stronger Compliance and Crackdown on Sponsor Licence Abuse
The government is also tightening enforcement against employers who abuse the visa system. Since July 2022, over 470 sponsor licences in the care sector have been revoked due to compliance failures and worker exploitation, affecting more than 39,000 workers.
Additional compliance measures include:
- Barring employers who repeatedly break immigration or employment laws from hiring overseas workers.
- Ensuring sponsored care workers are not charged sponsorship-related costs such as visa fees and the Immigration Skills Charge.
Changes to Salary Thresholds for Skilled Worker Visas
In line with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, the government has updated salary thresholds for workers on the Skilled Worker visa. From April 9, 2025:
- The minimum salary for care workers will increase to £12.82 per hour.
- Salaries for health and education roles (including doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, and teachers) will be adjusted based on national pay scales.
What This Means for UK Care Providers
For care providers in England, the new rule adds another layer of sponsorship responsibility and workforce planning. Employers must:
- Demonstrate active recruitment efforts for international care workers already in the UK before issuing a CoS to overseas candidates.
- Ensure all new hires meet updated salary thresholds and right to work check requirements.
- Maintain full compliance with sponsor licence duties to avoid licence revocation.
How Borderless Can Help
Navigating the changing sponsorship landscape can be complex. Borderless provides expert support on:
- Sponsor licence compliance and workforce planning.
- Managing Skilled Worker visa salary and sponsorship changes.
- Ensuring a smooth transition for workers affected by employer licence revocations.
Read more about how these changes impact your business: [Insert Blog Link]
Need guidance? Get in touch to ensure your care home remains compliant and ready for the April 2025 changes.
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