Care Worker Visa Sponsorship UK (2026)

The UK care sector faces a chronic staffing shortage, and international recruitment has become essential to filling the gap. Care workers and senior care workers can be sponsored under the Health and Care Worker visa — a sub-category of the Skilled Worker visa that offers reduced fees, faster processing, and exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge. This makes it one of the most accessible visa routes for workers coming to the UK.

However, the care sector also has the highest rate of sponsor licence revocations and compliance issues. Some employers exploit sponsored workers by charging illegal recruitment fees, providing substandard accommodation, or threatening visa cancellation. This guide helps you find legitimate sponsors, understand your rights, and navigate the application process.

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How care worker sponsorship works

The Health and Care Worker visa is a dedicated sub-route of the Skilled Worker visa, designed to make it easier and cheaper for health and care professionals to work in the UK. Here is how the process works:

1. Find a licensed sponsor. Your employer must hold a valid sponsor licence under the Skilled Worker route. Care homes, domiciliary care agencies, NHS trusts, and private healthcare providers can all hold licences. Check the Home Office register or use SkilledWorker search to find active care sponsors.
2. Receive a job offer. The role must be a genuine care position at an eligible skill level. Care workers (SOC 6145) and senior care workers (SOC 6146) both qualify. The job must be a minimum of 30 hours per week — zero-hour contracts do not qualify.
3. The employer assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). This digital record includes your job title, salary, SOC code, and working hours. The employer creates it through the Home Office Sponsorship Management System.
4. You apply for the Health and Care Worker visa. You need your CoS reference number, proof of English language ability (minimum CEFR B1 level), a valid passport, and a criminal record certificate from any country you have lived in for 12+ months in the past 10 years.
5. Decision. Standard processing takes 3-8 weeks. The Health and Care Worker route often benefits from faster processing. Once approved, you can start work from the date specified on your CoS.

Salary thresholds for care roles

Care roles benefit from significantly lower salary thresholds compared to other Skilled Worker visa categories. The going rate is the minimum salary you must be paid:

These lower thresholds exist because care work is recognised as essential but lower-paid. The salary must still meet at least the national minimum wage for all contracted hours. For 2026, the National Living Wage for workers aged 21+ is £12.21 per hour, which translates to roughly £19,000 for a full-time role — so the going rate of £23,200 for care workers is the binding constraint.

Health and Care Worker visa benefits

The Health and Care Worker visa offers several advantages over the standard Skilled Worker route:

• Reduced visa application fee: You pay £284 (up to 3 years) or £551 (over 3 years), compared to £719-£1,420 for the standard Skilled Worker visa.
• Exempt from Immigration Health Surcharge: Standard Skilled Worker applicants pay £1,035 per year for NHS access. Health and Care Worker visa holders pay nothing — a saving of over £3,000 for a 3-year visa.
• Faster processing: Applications are typically prioritised, though formal priority services are also available for an extra fee.
• Dependants allowed: Your spouse/partner and children under 18 can come to the UK and work in any occupation.
• Path to settlement: After 5 years of continuous residence, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), leading to permanent residency and eventually British citizenship.

Types of care roles sponsored

The care sector encompasses a wide range of roles that can be sponsored:

• Residential care workers: Working in care homes, nursing homes, and residential facilities. This is the most common sponsored care role.
• Domiciliary care workers: Providing care in people's own homes. Includes personal care, meal preparation, medication administration, and companionship.
• Senior care workers: Supervisory roles with responsibility for overseeing care teams, care planning, and medication management. Higher salary threshold (£25,000) but also more career progression.
• Support workers: Working with people with learning disabilities, mental health conditions, or physical disabilities. Includes supported living services.
• Live-in carers: Providing 24-hour care in a client's home. Accommodation is often provided, but your salary must still meet the going rate based on contracted hours.

Common care employers and what to check

Care sponsors fall into several categories:

• Large care groups: Companies like HC-One, Barchester Healthcare, Care UK, and Four Seasons Health Care operate hundreds of care homes and are experienced sponsors with dedicated HR teams.
• NHS trusts: The National Health Service sponsors care assistants, nursing assistants, and healthcare support workers. NHS roles typically come with better terms, pension, and union representation.
• Domiciliary care agencies: Agencies providing home care services. These can range from large national providers to small local agencies. Check carefully — smaller agencies may have less experience with sponsorship.
• Local authority care providers: Council-run care services sometimes hold sponsor licences and can offer good terms and job security.

CQC registration and why it matters

Every care provider in England must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Before accepting a job offer from a care sponsor, check their CQC rating at cqc.org.uk. CQC rates providers as Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, or Inadequate.

An employer rated "Requires Improvement" or "Inadequate" is at higher risk of having their sponsor licence reviewed or revoked by the Home Office. If your sponsor loses their licence, you have only 60 days to find a new sponsor or leave the UK. Choosing a CQC-rated "Good" or "Outstanding" employer reduces this risk significantly.

Red flags and how to protect yourself

• Recruitment fees: It is illegal for a UK employer to charge you for sponsorship, recruitment, or visa processing. Report any employer who asks for payment to the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA).
• Document retention: No employer should hold your passport or immigration documents. This is a sign of exploitation.
• Zero-hour contracts: The visa requires a minimum of 30 hours per week. Zero-hour contracts do not qualify for sponsorship.
• Below-minimum-wage pay: Even though the going rate is £23,200, your hourly rate must meet the National Living Wage. If the employer calculates your hours in a way that pushes you below minimum wage (e.g., not paying for travel time between domiciliary visits), this is illegal.
• B-rated sponsors: Some care providers have compliance issues and receive a B-rating. An A-rated sponsor is always preferable. B-rated sponsors are under closer Home Office scrutiny and more likely to lose their licence.
• Licence revocations: Check the sponsor register regularly. Some care providers lose their licence, which directly affects your visa status. SkilledWorker tracks licence changes so you can monitor your employer.

Tips for care worker visa applicants

1. Verify the sponsor first. Check the Home Office register for an A-rating, then check CQC for the latest inspection rating. Both should be clean before you accept any offer.
2. Get everything in writing. Your contract should clearly state your salary, hours, role, and location. It should match what appears on your Certificate of Sponsorship.
3. Never pay recruitment fees. Legitimate employers do not charge you for sponsorship. If an agency or employer asks for money, walk away and report them.
4. Prepare your English language evidence. You need at least CEFR B1 level (IELTS 4.0 in each component). If English is your first language or you have a degree taught in English, you may be exempt — check the detailed requirements on GOV.UK.
5. Understand your rights. As a sponsored worker, you have the same employment rights as any UK worker: minimum wage, holiday pay, sick leave, and protection from unfair dismissal. Your employer cannot threaten to cancel your visa as a form of workplace control.
6. Plan for settlement. After 5 years on the Health and Care Worker visa, you can apply for ILR. Keep records of all your employment dates, payslips, and tax returns — you will need them for the settlement application.
7. Consider career progression. Senior care worker roles (SOC 6146) pay more and offer supervisory experience. Registered nurse roles (SOC 2231) are also sponsored under the same visa route with a higher salary. Plan a progression path.

Frequently asked questions