A question providers are often asking is, “Will the minimum salary and hourly rate for a sponsored employee on the Health & Care Worker Visa increase from April 2025, and if so, by how much?”
The Home Office has yet to confirm the new minimum salary for sponsored care workers following the National Minimum Wage (NMW) increase to £12.21 from 1st April 2025. At a minimum, sponsored workers will need to be paid at least £23,809.50 per year, based on a 37.5-hour week at the new NMW rate of £12.21 per hour.
Last year, the minimum hourly rate for care workers sponsored after April 2024 was set above NMW (£11.90 vs. £11.44). If this arrangement continues, we estimate a new minimum hourly rate of around £12.70, bringing the annual salary to approximately £24,765.
Key Considerations for Providers
- Financial Impact: Plan for a salary increase of £1,500+ per sponsored care worker per year.
- Pay Discrimination Risks: Whilst a two-tier pay structure (pre/post-April 2025 salaries) may be permissible with NMW legislation, it could lead to discrimination claims.
Official confirmation is expected from the Home Office in mid-March 2025 via a “Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules”.