Here you will find guidance, resources, and support on international recruitment in adult social care, together with details of our Displaced Worker Recruitment Support Scheme.
Welcome to our international recruitment hub
Immigration Reforms – Call for Action
Current proposals could have a devastating impact on the adult social care sector.
Overcoming barriers &
preventing exploitation
Commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) under the 2026/27 International Recruitment Regional Fund for the Adult Social Care Sector, and delivered in collaboration with ADASS, this Hub supports providers to remain compliant, helping to reduce exploitation, so that internationally recruited care professionals can thrive in the adult social care sector.
The Hub also outlines our Displaced Worker Recruitment Support Scheme — offering grant funding and support to help providers recruit in-country migrant care workers who have become displaced following the revocation of their original sponsor’s licence.
Last updated: April 2026
News & project bulletins
We regularly publish news updates alongside our International Recruitment Project Bulletins, providing the latest guidance, policy developments, funding information and opportunities, including our highly popular legal webinars.
Health & care worker visa
– current position
Overseas recruitment of care workers closed on 22 July 2025. Sponsorship is now limited to workers already in the UK, including those switching visas, extending existing visas, or moving between sponsors under transitional arrangements to July 2028.
From July 2028, sponsorship is expected to become significantly more restricted, with higher salary thresholds and limited access for new entrants, marking a major shift in international recruitment for adult social care.
Visit our Compliance & Legal Guidance section for full guidance, including rules, eligibility, and post-2028 outlook.
Displaced worker recruitment
support scheme
Since its launch in 2024, our Displaced Worker Recruitment Support Scheme has provided coordinated, region-wide support to help match care providers with internationally recruited care professionals.
By securing new sponsorship for hundreds of vulnerable displaced workers and equipping thousands of workers and providers with clear, trusted guidance, the scheme has strengthened workforce stability and sustained care delivery during a period of unprecedented uncertainty.
Read our 2024/26 Scheme Evaluation.
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Provider Applications
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Providers Completed Assurance Assessment
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Displaced Care Workers Supported into Employment
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Sponsored Care Workers completed 65+ training courses
Is international recruitment for you?
Recruitment of care workers from overseas is no longer permitted under current immigration rules. However, migrant workers already in the UK remain eligible to change visas or switch to new sponsors, subject to certain requirements.
Sponsoring overseas care workers isn’t for everyone. It’s a serious commitment with significant responsibilities on you, the employer. However, most say the benefits outweigh the challenges, cost and effort involved.
Take a look at the steps below to find out whether you are ready to get started.
Do you have…
- permanent vacancies for roles that pay in line with minimum requirements? (i.e. £25,000 per annum and £12.82 per hour – as of April 2026)
- capacity to support the whole process?
- dedicated people in your organisation who will take responsibility for the end-to-end process?
- a long-term workforce plan?
Note: Minimum salary rates tend to increase in April each year, usually remaining about 5% above National Minimum Wage.
What are the benefits?
You’ll need a sponsor licence to employ an overseas national to work for you. The process to apply is as follows:
Compliance
It’s important that you understand the ongoing compliance duties under the sponsorship licence.
UKVI conduct unannounced site audits and an organisation found to be falling short
of the required standards may face enforcement action.
Compliance responsibilities continue throughout the lifetime of the Sponsorship Licence,
and there are strict deadlines for reporting via the SMS.
You will need to ensure that you have the right personnel, HR systems, and processes in place to handle this.
The main compliance duties include:
For comprehensive guidance on complying with immigration rules, please visit our Compliance & Legal Guidance section.