From 22 July 2025, UK care providers will no longer be able to sponsor new overseas applicants for care worker or senior care worker roles under the Health and Care Worker visa. This government decision is a major shift that all CQC registered providers must respond to strategically.
“An ageing population means that 540,000 new care workers will needed by 2040.”
The New Rules
Ban effective 22 July 2025: CQC-registered providers can no longer assign Certificates of Sponsorship to new applicants applying from abroad for care worker (SOC 6135) or senior care worker (SOC 6136) roles.
No entry from overseas: Applications made from outside the UK for these roles will be refused, even if the provider is licensed.
Transitional flexibility until 22 July 2028: Care workers already in the UK on a Health and Care visa can extend their visas or switch employers within the sector.
In-country switchers: (e.g. students or family visa holders) may be sponsored, but only if the provider has employed them for at least 3 months in a relevant role.
Thousands of care homes and domiciliary providers have relied on international recruitment to plug chronic workforce gaps. With this pathway closing, many providers, especially smaller or rural ones, may struggle to maintain safe staffing levels.
While the government hopes to encourage more British workers into care, without major reforms to pay, status, and training, this outcome is far from guaranteed. In the long term, unless backed by workforce investment or policy revision, the ban risks creating more harm than good across an already overstretched sector.
How Care Providers Can Adapt
Refocus Recruitment Strategies Locally
Engage more deeply with local recruitment pipelines, including colleges, apprenticeships, return to care initiatives, and underutilised domestic workers.
Improve pay, flexibility, and working conditions to reduce reliance on overseas staff.
Staff retention will play a huge role in continuing to provide care services.
Identify potential candidates already in the UK
Look for those on student, graduate, or family visas. Employ them in care roles for at least three months, then sponsor them if they meet eligibility.
Use Technology to Pre-Filter Applicants
Website plugins like Pairly Pro allow providers to list job placements through their website, making it easier than ever to find available jobs and apply. It also automatically filters out overseas sponsorship requests to save on admin time.
What the Future Might Hold
The future of overseas recruitment in social care is uncertain. The July 2028 extension period could be cut short, so providers should prepare for a tighter regulatory landscape in the coming years.
Workforce planning will become increasingly important, with a growing emphasis on strategic staffing, retention efforts, and upskilling of local teams. At the same time, given persistent staffing shortages, there may be lobbying efforts for sector-specific exemptions to the ban or adjustments to its scope. However, whether these efforts will succeed remains unclear.
The visa changes are a turning point for UK care providers. While the end of new overseas recruitment is challenging, early planning, smarter local recruitment, and tech-enabled hiring processes can help providers stay resilient.