The UK authorities has formally stopped issuing new Well being and Care Employee visas to overseas care employees, efficient July 22, 2025.
The transfer marks a big coverage shift as a part of efforts to scale back migration, significantly in lower-wage sectors.
The coverage is meant to spice up native employment and handle misuse of the visa sponsorship system.
Nonetheless, care business stakeholders argue it may worsen workforce shortages already affecting social care suppliers throughout the UK.
In response to TravelBiz, the transfer goals to prioritise UK-based employees and cut back abuse of the visa system. Nonetheless, critics warn the sudden halt might worsen present staffing shortages within the nation’s already strained social care sector.
Nonetheless, no new abroad candidates can be accepted underneath this visa class going ahead. As soon as the present visa time period ends, choices for renewal or switching to a different care-related visa might now not be out there.
Care employees underneath SOC Code 6145 have been beforehand on the UK’s Scarcity Occupation Record, permitting simpler entry via decrease wage thresholds, diminished charges, and quicker processing. With the most recent coverage change, these advantages now not apply.
For overseas nationals already within the UK on a sound Well being and Care Employee visa, the Dwelling Workplace has confirmed that they won’t face elimination. Holders of the visa might proceed of their present employment till the visa expires.
They could additionally stay eligible to modify employers if the brand new position stays legitimate underneath their present visa circumstances, lengthen their present visa underneath transitional preparations, or preserve dependent sponsorships granted previous to the change.
In some circumstances, potential migrants might take into account enrolling in UK-based training programmes, after which they may apply for post-study work choices or transition to different in-demand job sectors reminiscent of IT, engineering, or building.
The most recent adjustments come amid rising political stress to regulate immigration numbers, particularly in response to current knowledge exhibiting a surge in overseas employee entries in low-wage occupations.
