| Key Points |
|---|
| The UK government will close the Health and Care Worker visa route for new overseas care workers starting in 2025. Transitional provisions will allow existing care workers in the UK to extend or switch their visas until 2028. A domestic workforce strategy, including Fair Pay Agreements, will replace international recruitment in the adult social care sector. |
Major Shift in Immigration Policy: UK to End Care Worker Visa Route
On May 12, 2025, the UK government unveiled a major shift in its immigration strategy via a new White Paper for student, worker and settlement routes. Central to these reforms is the planned closure of the Health and Care Worker visa route for new overseas applicants in the adult social care sector.
This move marks a sharp departure from the UK’s recent approach, which heavily relied on international labour to address persistent staffing shortages in care homes and domiciliary services.
What Is Changing?
Under the proposed reforms:
- From 2025 onwards, no new applications under the Health and Care Worker visa route will be accepted for care workers (code 6145) and senior care workers (code 6146).
- These roles were temporarily added to the Skilled Worker route in 2022, allowing easier recruitment via the Shortage Occupation List. That policy is now being reversed.
What Happens to Existing Visa Holders?
The government has introduced transitional measures:
- Care workers already in the UK can extend their visas or switch routes until 2028.
- After 2028, international recruitment for these roles will no longer be supported under the UK’s immigration system.
Why the UK Is Ending the Care Worker Visa
The White Paper outlines two main justifications for ending the UK care worker visa route:
1. Overreliance on Overseas Labour
The government argues that the sector has become structurally dependent on low-paid migrant workers. Data cited includes:
- Over 50% of care visas between 2021 and 2023 were issued to dependents.
- By 2024, that figure rose to 75%, raising concerns about the long-term settlement impact.
2. Poor Working Conditions in the Sector
The Home Office contends that:
- Labour shortages stem not from a lack of workers but from low pay, limited career prospects, and poor conditions.
- Cases of worker exploitation, underpayment, and substandard housing further justify the closure.
New Domestic Workforce Strategy
In place of international recruitment, the UK will shift focus toward building a sustainable domestic care workforce. Key initiatives include:
Fair Pay Agreements
- A new sector-wide bargaining system to establish minimum standards for wages, hours, and job security.
- Modelled after similar systems in France and New Zealand.
Removal from Sponsored Work Framework
- Care roles will no longer be eligible under the Points-Based System.
- The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) will not advise on future eligibility.
- The sector is also excluded from the upcoming Temporary Shortage List.
Challenges and Implications for Employers
This policy change represents a fundamental rethinking of how the UK links immigration with social care workforce planning. While the long-term goal is to improve conditions and reduce turnover through domestic reform, short- to medium-term labour shortages are likely.
Care providers that have relied on overseas recruitment—particularly in areas with limited local workforce pools—will need to:
- Develop new hiring strategies
- Invest in retention and training
- Prepare for significant operational changes