Major immigration changes for UK care sector employers this week: what you need to know 

The Home Office has confirmed a range of immigration rule changes coming into effect from 9 April 2025, with important implications for UK care sector employers who sponsor overseas workers. If your business currently employs Skilled Workers or is considering doing so, our expert business immigration lawyers talk you through what you need to know. 

Changes for care workers and senior care workers 

Sponsors in England must now prioritise recruiting from the existing pool of displaced care workers before offering roles to new overseas applicants. This new requirement is in response to the increased number of care workers whose sponsorship has ended because of employer non-compliance or lack of available work. 

What this means for your business: 

• If you are recruiting for care roles in England, you must demonstrate that you have tried to hire displaced care workers already in the UK 

• You will need confirmation from a relevant regional or sub-regional partnership that these efforts were made and unsuccessful 

Tip: Review your recruitment strategy now and identify appropriate local partnerships that can support the verification process. 

Skilled worker salary threshold increases 

The minimum salary requirement for certain Skilled Worker visas is rising from £23,200 to £25,000 (or from £11.90 to £12.82 per hour). This new minimum rate of £25,000 will apply to certain workers such as care workers and senior care workers, new entrants joining the job market, roles on the Immigration Salary List (previously the ‘Shortage Occupation List’), certain health and education roles and roles for which STEM PhDs are relevant. Healthcare and education salary benchmarks are also being updated to reflect new national pay scales. 

What this means for your business: 

• If you're planning to sponsor a new worker, check that your salary offer meets the updated threshold 

• Offers that fall below the new minimum will no longer qualify for sponsorship 

Tip: Audit current and future job offers against the new salary thresholds, particularly if you rely on the Skilled Worker route to support your hiring plans. 

Tightened rules on salary deductions 

New rules are being introduced to close loopholes where applicants could contribute to their salary - such as through investing in the sponsor’s business. Deductions from salary will now be treated more strictly, especially if they relate to recouping immigration-related costs. 

Tip: Update your sponsorship policies and employment contracts to ensure compliance with the new deduction framework. 

Visa and Sponsorship fee increases 

Visa application and sponsorship-related fees are increasing across most categories. You can find a full breakdown of the changes in fees here 

How We Can Help 

Our expert Business Immigration lawyers are here to support you through these updates. Whether it’s reviewing your sponsor license compliance, forecasting future costs, or updating employment contracts, we’ll help you stay ahead of the changes and minimise disruption to your operations.