Download IR Project Bulletin 2026 No.47
PROJECT UPDATE
We are pleased to confirm that DHSC has approved continued funding for the International Recruitment (IR) project for a further year.
This funding will run through to 31 March 2027 and is expected to represent the final year of the programme.
Recruit displaced international care workers already in the South East and receive up to £1,500 per worker, with full support from SESCA.
Funding Arrangements for 2026-27
The financial support offer to providers in 2026-27 has now been agreed, and we are pleased to let you know that a contribution payment towards recruitment costs will be available on assignment of a CoS to a worker introduced to you by a member of our team.
The contribution of £1,500 per worker is available for up to 6 workers per CQC registered location, regardless of how many workers you have recruited through the partnership in previous years.
To qualify for the contribution:
- You must notify us that an offer has been made
- The worker must confirm to us that the offer has been accepted
- You must have assigned a certificate of sponsorship to the worker
- You must submit a grant application including the correct information via the online 26-27 application form
Further information is available here
Access the application form here
Please contact your local hub should you have any queries or vacancies you would like to fill.
Hampshire Hub: Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, Southampton and Surrey.
- Bariah Anjum: bariah.ir@hampshirecare.org
Kent Hub: Kent and Medway
- Molly Holt: recruitment@kica.care
Oxfordshire Hub: Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire
- Lisa Leah: lisa.leah@oacp.org.uk
Sussex Hub: East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove
- Elizabeth Mackie: elizabeth@espic.co.uk
All payments remain subject to available funding and full scheme terms and conditions see full details here: Funded Support for Providers – SESCA
Ongoing Scheme Activity
- Providers can continue to apply to join the scheme (assurance reviews ongoing)
- Assured providers can continue to recruit from the existing displaced worker pool
- Workers can still apply; however, new applicants will not be added to the active pool until future arrangements are confirmed.
The SESCA team remains in place to support providers with ongoing recruitment activity.
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SESCA CONFERENCE 2026
“A fantastic turnout despite record-breaking temperatures, bringing together care providers, partners and sector leaders from across the Southeast.”
Despite record-breaking June heat, SESCA’s 2026 conference delivered a standout day of insight and connection, showcasing the Alliance’s continued growth and impact across adult social care in the Southeast.
Our Annual Conference 2026 brought together care providers, care associations, sector leaders, policy experts and partners at Sandown Park Racecourse for a day of insight, challenge and connection. Despite the hottest June day on record, the fantastic venue kept everyone cool — allowing the focus to stay firmly on the big issues facing the sector.
The day opened with SESCA Chair Erica Lockhart MBE, setting out SESCA’s continued ambition: to build a more connected social care system across the Southeast, rooted in infrastructure, partnership and people.
Across the day, speakers explored the policy, workforce, digital, compliance and governance challenges shaping adult social care. Professor Vic Rayner OBE delivered the keynote on the current social care landscape, while Kevin Humphrys brought a timely and practical perspective on AI governance in care. A lively and thought-provoking panel discussion examined whether technology is helping or hindering quality care, bringing together care providers Kevin Humphrys and Charles Taylor, digital consultant Sam Harper, and facilitator Robin Hall of SESCA.
The conference also showcased the impact and influence of SESCA’s work. The International Recruitment Project has demonstrated what can be achieved through regional collaboration at scale: thousands of worker and provider applications, hundreds of providers assured, and hundreds of workers successfully placed into new employment.
SESCA’s influence is also growing. From engagement with MPs and councillors to regional advocacy, provider support and cross-association collaboration, SESCA is increasingly recognised as a credible, practical and effective voice for adult social care across the South East.
Afternoon sessions from Sam Harper (Digital Care Hub), Bradley Lawrence (HMRC), Hiral Khoda Vyas (TRiB1 Medicare) and Victoria Buyer (Buyer Consulting) brought practical insight on cyber awareness, National Minimum Wage compliance, medicines safety and influencing for change — reinforcing the breadth of support providers now need.
Thank you to all speakers, exhibitors, partners and delegates who made the day such a success — and especially to everyone who attended in such exceptional heat!
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Legal Helpline
FREE Legal Advice from Leading Immigration Specialists
Providers are entitled to a FREE 30 minute, no obligation, phone consultation with an immigration specialist at Lester Aldridge Solicitors.
Phone lines are open from 9am-5pm, Mon–Fri (with an answer phone operating outside these hours). You can also email Lester Aldridge using the dedicated address below:
- Phone: 01202 786126
- Email: sescahelp@LA-Law.com
The service is open to all CQC-registered adult social care providers operating in the South East.
CoS application delays continue
Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) allocation requests can take up to 18 weeks, and the current average processing time is around 12 weeks. Providers should factor this into workforce planning.
The Home Office’s CoS Priority Service allows A-rated sponsors to fast-track certain requests to approximately 5 working days. The service costs £350 per request, with only 100 slots available daily, released at 7 am on a first-come, first-served basis. Access remains highly competitive.
We have a route to request that UKVI expedite your applications.
- For Certificates of Sponsorship to be assigned to our displaced workers.
- We can also expedite the worker’s visa application once the CoS has been assigned.
- We cannot influence the decision, but your application will be put to the top of a case workers pile.
- There is no charge for this service.
CoS accuracy is critical
Do not apply for ‘anticipatory/ just in case’ CoS. Only apply for those you need, including renewals and new sponsorship requirements.
Renewals: provide details of each existing worker you require a CoS for. This should include:
- Full name (as on their passport)
- Date of Birth
- Nationality
- Previous CoS No. if you have it. (If not include any identifying Home Office reference).
- A statement confirming the worker meets the transitional provision for skill level.
For existing workers whose visas need updating, this could read:
- All workers are currently employed full-time in genuine roles within our regulated care service and continue to meet Skilled Worker requirements.
For new recruits, something along these lines:
- All of the workers were last granted permission as a Skilled Worker to work as a care worker / senior care worker and have had continuous permission since then.
For new recruits, please also include:
Give as much information as you can detailing the reason you require these workers. This could be to replace staff who have left or gone on maternity leave, or to cover increased care packages.
- A letter from your Director of Adult Social Services (DASS) supporting your application is preferred by UKVI. We have a template letter available.
- Clearly detail how many hours each worker will be sponsored for and the rate of pay, i.e. All roles above will be at SOC 6135 with salary £25,000 (£82/hr, 37.5 hrs per week) meeting Skilled Worker thresholds.
Tougher UKVI Enforcement
UKVI is taking a significantly firmer compliance stance and is now receiving payroll data directly from HMRC. Underpayment of wages is a common factor in revocation activity.
In many cases, sponsors are moving directly to licence revocation without a prior suspension stage.
Accurate reporting, robust record-keeping and timely SMS updates are more critical than ever.
If, for any reason, a worker is not completing enough hours for you to meet the current pay thresholds, this may come to the attention of the UKVI compliance team. We recommend you monitor the pay of sponsored staff closely and seek advice (see above details of the SESCA legal helpline).
3 Month Rule
Health and Care Worker visa holders transferring between sponsors do not need to complete three months’ employment before moving.
This requirement applies only when switching from certain other visa routes (for example, student visas).
20-hour supplementary working
A migrant worker should only undertake paid supplementary work if they remain employed by their current sponsor. Once the sponsor notifies UKVI that sponsorship has ended, the worker loses their right to work until they secure a new sponsor.
This position has become more complex because, in some cases where UKVI revokes a sponsor licence, UKVI may allow the sponsor to continue employing the worker until the worker’s visa expires.
If you wish to employ a displaced worker part time without sponsoring them, you should confirm that the worker remains employed by their sponsor and that any supplementary work is outside their contracted hours with that sponsor.
- Where possible, confirm the worker’s ongoing employment directly with the sponsor and retain written evidence.
- Alternatively, recent payslips showing that the worker remains employed by their sponsor may help demonstrate to UKVI that the worker is being employed lawfully.
Please remember that it is your duty to make these checks and failure to do so may risk your own sponsorship licence.
Worker changing SOC Code
We support care workers who have been sponsored under Soc Code 6135 – Care Worker and 6136 – Senior Care Worker.
We understand that some workers may previously have been sponsored under different occupation codes, including, but not limited to, 6131 – Nursing Auxiliary and Assistant. If you meet the strict UKVI criteria to sponsor a worker under this code, you may continue to do so. However, if you wish to sponsor a worker who was previously sponsored under a code other than 6135 or 6136, they will need to complete three months’ work with you before sponsorship can proceed. The rules relating to dependants may also differ, and it is likely that the worker will not be able to continue including their dependants on their visa.
We are working with UKVI on a case-by-case basis, so please contact us if you would like advice on a specific worker’s circumstances.
Some interesting statistics!
- SESCA currently has 478 outstanding candidates in our displaced worker pool. During their interview, many workers demonstrated the skills, experience and knowledge to work in a senior role.
- 193 carers have stated that their preference is to work in Domiciliary Care of which 122 hold a UK driving license and have their own car. 53 of these are female drivers.
- 456 workers are willing to relocate.
- To date, we have received 5,889 applications for support from migrant workers. 2,724 of these were eligible for our support. 587 have been sponsored by assured providers in the South East through this programme. A further 47 are currently under offer with assured providers in the Southeast.
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Join us for: An International Recruitment update for Adult Social Care Providers.
Wednesday, 22 July, 2:00 pm
An update on current international recruitment and sponsorship issues affecting adult social care providers. This webinar will cover:
- Recent and proposed changes to the immigration rules – including “earned settlement”
- Compliance and enforcement trends, including common risk areas for sponsors
- Your right to work responsibilities, and the eligibility of workers for supplementary hours
- SESCA Displaced Worker Scheme update – how to sponsor in-country migrant workers and summary of available support funding.
Providers are entitled to a Free 30 minute, no obligation, phone consultation with an immigration specialist at Lester Aldridge Solicitors. The service is open to all CQC-registered adult social care providers operating in the South-East.
Phone: 01202 786126
Email: sescahelp@LA-Law.com
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Compliance Support Webinars Hosted by Software Suppliers
These events are funded by organisations offering online platforms to manage compliance so are likely to include promotion of their product but might be useful to providers comfortable managing your own compliance or using an alternative system.
Webinar “Get Immigration Compliant” hosted by Lifted featuring a former Home Office inspector, Thursday 23rd July at 2pm
https://app.livestorm.co/lifted/get-immigration-compliant-and-avoid-licence-revocation-with-ex-home-office-inspector
Borderless webinars (various dates)
https://www.getborderless.co.uk/webinars-events