New visa regulations for care workers and students will become effective from April 9, as part of efforts to curb immigration challenges in the United Kingdom.
Under the new rules, care providers must first attempt to hire foreign workers already residing in the UK before recruiting from overseas. The Home Office said the move is designed to reduce reliance on international hires and ensure better oversight of recruitment practices.
In addition, the minimum salary requirement for Skilled Worker visas will rise from £23,200 to £25,000 per year (or £12.82 per hour) to align with the national minimum wage increase.
Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, stated that while international care workers play a vital role in the sector, the government is committed to tackling exploitation and ensuring fair employment opportunities.
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“We must do all we can to get victims of rogue operators back into rewarding careers in adult social care,” he said. “Prioritising care workers already in the UK will help reduce our reliance on overseas recruitment.”
The government has also introduced stricter measures to combat abuse of the short-term student visa route. Caseworkers will have expanded powers to refuse applications suspected of being fraudulent. The Home Office expressed concerns that some applicants use the visa as a means to enter the UK without genuine study intentions.
Between July 2022 and December 2024, more than 470 sponsor licenses in the care sector were revoked due to non-compliance. Recent data shows a sharp decline in visa applications, with nearly 400,000 fewer foreign nationals applying for work or study permits since stricter immigration policies were implemented.
Visa applications in the health and care sector saw a significant drop of 79%, from 299,800 in 2023 to 63,800 in the same period last year. The government hopes the new measures will further tighten immigration controls while maintaining essential workforce support in key sectors.
Reported by The Conclave.
