New Sponsorship Rules for Care Workers in England: What Employers Need to Know

Charlie Health and Care Worker Visas 20 March 2025 | Updated On March 21, 2025 | 0

The UK government has introduced new rules for sponsoring care workers and senior care workers under the Skilled Worker route.

These changes aim to support displaced care staff already in the UK while reducing worker exploitation in the care sector.

According to the update, before sponsoring new recruits from overseas or from other immigration categories, care providers in England must first attempt to recruit from the existing pool of care workers and senior care workers who are seeking new employment.

This ensures that workers already in the UK, who may have lost their sponsorship due to employers losing their sponsor licences or being unable to provide sufficient work, are given priority.

Engagement with Regional Partnerships

To enforce this requirement, sponsors must engage with the relevant regional or sub-regional partnership in their area.

These partnerships have been established to:

Help displaced care workers find new sponsorship opportunities.
Prevent exploitation within the care sector.
Support the stability of the care workforce.

Before submitting a sponsorship application for a new worker from overseas or another immigration category, sponsors must obtain confirmation from the regional partnership stating that they have actively engaged in this recruitment process and that no suitable workers were available.

Who is Affected?

These changes apply only to care worker sponsorships in England.

They do not affect applications for work in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. Additionally, the new requirements do not apply to:

Workers who were already sponsored in these occupations before the changes took effect, including those changing employers.
Individuals switching from other immigration routes, provided they have been working lawfully for their sponsor for at least three months.

Why Are These Changes Being Implemented?

The UK care sector has seen an increase in Skilled Worker visa holders losing their sponsorship, often due to employers facing financial difficulties or regulatory issues. By prioritising recruitment from this existing pool, the government aims to provide stability for care workers already in the UK while ensuring ethical recruitment practices in the sector.

Care providers looking to sponsor new workers must:

Engage with their regional or sub-regional partnership.
Attempt to recruit from the pool of displaced care workers.
Obtain confirmation that no suitable candidates were available before seeking overseas recruits.

Employers should stay updated on immigration rules to ensure compliance and to support a sustainable workforce in the care sector.

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