Over the past six months, the Government has introduced significant reforms affecting international workers in the care sector. From the publication of the Immigration White Paper in May to the Home Office’s Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules released on 1 July, several changes have been announced, some of which officially take effect today — 22 July 2025.
These changes present a serious challenge for the entire care sector, restricting access to international care workers and raising concerns about the future of service provision and business growth.
One of the most impactful developments is that from 22 July 2025, employers can no longer sponsor new overseas applicants for:
- Care Worker (SOC 6135)
- Senior Care Worker (SOC 6136)
This marks a full closure of the international recruitment route for these roles moving forward as Employers cannot assign new Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) to anyone applying from outside the UK for these positions.
The Industry now sits in a transitional period, until July 2028, and there are restrictions for care workers who are already in the UK, including:
- Extensions: Only existing visa holders in SOC 6135 or 6136 roles can extend their stay.
- Switches: Only people already in the UK (eg. on other visas) may switch to the Skilled Worker route if they have worked for the same sponsor for at least 3 months.
The proposals include the Full Closure of sponsorship options by 22nd July 2028
- After this date, care and senior care roles will be removed entirely from:
- The Immigration Salary List (ISL)
- The Temporary Shortage Occupation List (TSOL)
- Which will fully shut down sponsorship options, including for in-country applicants or visa renewals, effectively ending the Skilled Worker route for these roles.
These changes dismantle a recruitment pathway that has played a critical role in sustaining the UK’s care workforce, filling over 100,000 roles since the introduction of the Care Worker visa in 2022. With the closure of this route to new overseas applicants, the care sector now faces a renewed period of instability and pressure.
Workforce shortages, which are already a pressing issue, are expected to intensify, particularly in residential and domiciliary care settings where reliance on international staff has been significant. The removal of this recruitment option raises serious questions about how care providers will meet service provision obligations and maintain safe staffing levels, especially in high-demand areas.
Without considered alternative solutions, the sector may struggle to maintain service quality and continuity, putting both vulnerable individuals and care businesses at risk.
What can we do?
We at Alium are here to help, we can support the development of your workforce plan – just call our team today 02034 189717!
