From 9 April 2025, employers in England who wish to sponsor care workers or senior care workers under the Skilled Worker route must meet new Home Office requirements.
These changes aim to tackle abuse and poor practice in the care sector and to make sure international recruitment is fair and responsible.
Here's a breakdown of what's changing and what you'll need to do.
Who Is Affected?
These rules apply if you are:
- Sponsoring a care worker (code 6135) or senior care worker (code 6136)
- Assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) on or after 9 April 2025
- The job is based entirely in England
- The worker is outside the UK, or in the UK but doesn't meet certain exceptions
The Two Key New Requirements
You may need to comply with:
- Care Worker Regulation Requirement
- Care Worker Recruitment Requirement
This article focuses on the recruitment requirement, which applies in most cases when hiring a care worker for a job in England.
What Is the Care Worker Recruitment Requirement?
Before sponsoring a care worker, you'll usually need to:
- Contact your local regional care partnership – they hold a list of "displaced workers" (care staff in the UK who lost their sponsorship and now need a new employer).
- Check whether any of these displaced workers might be suitable – by reviewing their qualifications or interviewing them.
- Keep records – you must document your decision-making and show why the person you chose is right for the job.
You can find your regional care partnership via the GOV.UK website under support for international adult social care workers.
Who Counts as a "Displaced Worker"?
A displaced worker is someone who:
- Is in the UK
- Was previously sponsored as a care worker (codes 6135 or 6136, or older codes 6145/6146)
- Needs new sponsorship because their previous sponsor:
- Lost their sponsor licence
- Couldn't provide enough work
- Or they were identified by the care partnership as needing help to find new sponsorship
Are There Any Exceptions?
Yes. You don't need to follow the recruitment requirement if:
- The worker is in the UK and was last sponsored under the same eligible occupation code, even if they're changing sponsor
- The worker has already been legally working for you as a care worker for at least 3 months under a different visa
- The job is not based entirely in England
In these cases, you should explain the exemption when assigning the CoS, either in the job description or through a sponsor note.
If You Hire a Displaced Worker
If you do find a suitable candidate from the displaced worker pool:
- Use an Undefined CoS
- Include this exact statement in the job description or sponsor note: "Candidate has been recruited from the displaced worker pool."
Failing to include this may lead to the visa being refused.
If You Don't Hire from the Displaced Worker Pool
If no one in the displaced pool is suitable and you hire someone else, you must:
- Ask the regional care partnership for confirmation that you contacted them – this will be recorded by UKVI.
- When assigning the CoS, include the name of the partnership(s) and confirm you couldn't find a suitable candidate.
Again, this should go in the job description or a sponsor note.
If you fail to include this information, or UKVI cannot verify your engagement with the care partnership:
- Your CoS request may be rejected
- The worker's visa application may be refused
- You could even risk losing your sponsor licence if false information is provided
Final Thoughts
These new requirements are designed to protect migrant care workers and ensure ethical hiring practices in adult social care.
Whether or not the rules apply to your situation, it's wise to familiarise yourself with the International Recruitment Toolkit and Skills for Care guidance to support responsible recruitment.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
