New Hiring Rules for Care Workers in England

From April 2025, care providers in England must follow new rules when hiring international care workers and senior care workers. These updates are part of the UK government’s plan to strengthen the care sector, reduce reliance on overseas recruitment, and address ongoing issues around visa compliance and fair employment.

For employers, the changes mean adjusting hiring strategies and rethinking how to manage sponsorships, not only for new hires coming from abroad, but also for care workers already in the UK.

What’s Changing for Employers

Local Recruitment Must Come First

Before offering sponsorship to care workers from overseas or from another immigration route, employers in England must:

• Prove they have attempted to recruit care workers already in England.
• Work with regional or sub-regional partnerships to access available local talent.
• Advertise job vacancies and keep a record of their recruitment efforts.

These requirements only apply to care workers (SOC 6135) and senior care workers (SOC 6136). They do not apply to roles like nursing assistants (SOC 6131) or to care workers in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.

New Salary Thresholds

Minimum salary requirements for Skilled Worker and Health and Care Visa holders have increased to £25,000 per year (or £12.82 per hour).

This applies to care workers and senior care workers on the Agenda for Change pay scale. The government has clarified that deductions for immigration or business costs cannot be counted toward meeting the salary threshold.

Clarified Exemptions

You do not need to follow the new recruitment rules if:

• The care worker is already sponsored in England.
• The applicant is switching visa routes but has worked for the provider for at least three months.

Who Is Affected?

Employers

Employers must:

• Adjust their recruitment processes.
• Stay compliant with sponsorship rules.
• Work closely with regional partnerships.

Failure to comply could lead to penalties or loss of sponsorship licences.

Care Workers Already in the UK

International care workers who are already in the UK - especially those affected by sponsorship revocations - will now have better access to new job opportunities. Employers are expected to prioritise hiring these workers before looking abroad.

This also means employers may see more applications from workers who:

• Need help updating their visa after losing a job.
• Want to change employers.
• Are taking on second jobs in the care sector.

Overseas Applicants

Sponsorship is still possible, even if employers can only consider overseas applicants after demonstrating they’ve attempted local recruitment. These overseas candidates must still:

• Meet the new salary threshold.
• Comply with UK visa requirements.

How Jobbatical Can Help

Hiring from overseas is now more complex, but it’s far from off the table. The UK still faces a shortage of care workers, and global hiring continues to be part of the solution. What’s changed is the need for more structured and compliant processes.

Jobbatical fully supports employers both when relocating a new hire or supporting an existing worker, making the relocation process easier for your team and stress-free for your employees.

• Visa transfers for care workers changing employers
• Extensions for employees whose visas are close to expiring
• Second-job approvals for part-time work within the care sector
• Full relocation support for new overseas hires when eligible

At Jobbatical, we help you meet legal requirements, avoid unnecessary delays, and create a smooth experience for every employee, no matter where they’re coming from. 

Need help adjusting to the new rules?

Talk to our immigration team to make global hiring easier and keep your workforce supported.