The Care & Social Care Recruitment Playbook

Role Eligibility and Genuine Vacancy Requirements

UKVI is now assessing care roles much more carefully than in previous years.

The Home Office will look beyond the job title and assess the actual work being carried out.

Employers should carefully review:

• job descriptions;

• day-to-day duties;

• reporting structures;

• working hours; and

• salary arrangements.

  
  

If the duties do not genuinely match the occupation code being used, the visa application may be refused.

In more serious cases, the sponsor licence itself may also be at risk.

Salary Rules in 2026

Salary compliance remains one of the highest-risk areas for care sector sponsors.

Sponsored workers must usually be paid:

• the minimum salary threshold for the route; and

• the relevant going rate for the occupation code.

  
  

For care worker and senior care worker roles, the salary must generally be at least £25,000 per year based on a 37.5-hour working week, or £12.82 per hour, whichever is higher.

However, simply stating the correct salary on the Certificate of Sponsorship is not enough.

UKVI is increasingly reviewing how salary works in practice, particularly where workers have variable hours.

Employers should closely monitor:

• unpaid leave;

• salary deductions;

• fluctuating working hours;

• Incorrect hourly rate;

• reduced hours; and

• inconsistencies between contracted salary and actual pay.

  
  

Poor payroll practices are now one of the main reasons for compliance action in the care sector.

Why CQC Registration Is So Important

Immigration compliance and regulatory compliance are now closely connected in the care sector.

The CQC requirement generally applies where:

• the worker is being sponsored under occupation code 6135 or 6136; and

• the role is based fully or partly in England.

  
  

In these cases, the sponsor will usually need to:

• be carrying out a regulated activity; and

• hold active Care Quality Commission (CQC) registration.

  
  

There are limited transitional exceptions for some workers who:

• were granted Skilled Worker permission in a care worker or senior care worker role before 11/03/2024;

• have continuously held permission in those roles since then;

• are sponsored by the same employer; and

• will continue working for that employer.

  
  

However, even where a worker benefits from an exception, the sponsor itself must still hold any required regulatory registration.

If the required registration is not held or lapses, the sponsor licence may be revoked.

Dependants and Family Members

One of the biggest changes to the care sector route was the restriction on dependants introduced in 2024.

Most new applicants sponsored as care workers or senior care workers can no longer bring dependants to the UK.

However, there are limited exceptions. For example:

• a child born in the UK may still be eligible to apply as a dependant; and

• where both partners are applying as care workers or senior care workers, their children may still be eligible to apply as dependants.

  
  

This has significantly reduced overseas interest in care sector sponsorship.

Employers should ensure candidates understand these restrictions before recruitment begins.

English Language Requirement

Applicants must usually demonstrate English language skills at CEFR Level B2.

However, a lower requirement of CEFR Level B1 can apply where:

• the applicant’s most recent permission was as a Skilled Worker; and

• that permission was granted subject to an English language requirement at Level B1.

Employers should check the worker’s previous immigration status and English language evidence before assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Settlement After 5 Years

Sponsored workers can still qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after completing 5 years in an eligible immigration category, provided they continue to meet the requirements.

This includes:

• continuous lawful residence;

• salary compliance;

• ongoing sponsorship; and

• meeting the absence limits.

  
  

In most cases, workers should avoid spending more than 180 days outside the UK during any rolling 12-month period.

Employers should keep accurate absence and travel records for sponsored staff.

Compliance Checklist for Employers

Care providers should regularly audit the following documents and records:

• passports and immigration status documents;

• right to work checks;

• Certificates of Sponsorship;

• signed employment contracts;

• job descriptions;

• payroll records and payslips;

• absence and annual leave records;

• travel history records; and

• proof of CQC registration.

  
  

Regular internal audits are now essential for sponsor licence protection.

Final Thoughts

The Health and Care Worker visa route remains legally available for eligible care roles.

However, in 2026, overseas recruitment is no longer a simple volume recruitment strategy.

The Home Office now expects sponsors to demonstrate strong compliance systems, genuine recruitment practices, and proper workforce planning.

Care providers that focus on compliance, staff retention, and sustainable recruitment practices will be in a much stronger position moving forward.

Need Advice?

Our UK immigration team works closely with care providers across the UK.

We assist employers with:

• sponsor licence applications;

• compliance audits;

• mock Home Office audits;

• Skilled Worker sponsorship;

• right to work compliance; and

• workforce planning.

  
  

If you require support with care sector sponsorship or compliance, please contact our team.