Care assistant jobs have traditionally been one of the most popular routes for foreigners looking to work in the United Kingdom. Thousands of international workers previously moved to the UK to work in adult social care, supporting elderly people, people with disabilities, and individuals who require assistance with everyday activities.

However, the UK immigration rules changed significantly in 2025. Since 22 July 2025, UK employers can no longer sponsor new care workers or senior care workers who are applying from overseas under the Health and Care Worker/Skilled Worker route. The government has introduced a transitional arrangement allowing certain people already in the UK to switch into these roles until 22 July 2028.

This means that foreigners searching online for “care assistant jobs in the UK with visa sponsorship” need to be particularly careful. Many older articles and job advertisements still claim that care assistant sponsorship is widely available from abroad, but those claims may no longer be accurate.

What Is a Care Assistant?

A care assistant, sometimes called a care worker or support worker, helps people who need assistance with daily living.

Typical responsibilities can include:

• Helping clients wash, dress, and maintain personal hygiene
• Preparing meals and assisting with eating
• Helping with mobility
• Supporting medication routines where permitted
• Providing companionship
• Monitoring clients’ wellbeing
• Helping with household tasks
• Supporting people with disabilities
• Recording and reporting changes in a client’s condition

Care assistants can work in residential care homes, nursing homes, supported-living facilities, domiciliary care, and other adult social-care settings.

In England, the occupation codes for care workers and senior care workers are 6135 and 6136 respectively.

Can Foreigners Still Get UK Care Assistant Sponsorship From Abroad?

For a new applicant living outside the UK, the answer is currently no under the standard care-worker sponsorship route.

The UK government closed the overseas recruitment route for care workers and senior care workers on 22 July 2025. Employers can no longer sponsor a new overseas applicant to enter the UK specifically for a care-worker or senior-care-worker position under these occupation codes.

The change is important for applicants in countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, India, the Philippines, Zimbabwe, and other countries who may have previously considered care work as a direct route to the UK.

The government has nevertheless created a transition period. Some people who are already legally living and working in the UK can continue to move into sponsored care-worker positions under specific conditions. The current transitional arrangements are due to continue until 22 July 2028, subject to the applicable rules.

Who Can Still Be Sponsored as a Care Worker?

The current rules are primarily designed to allow eligible workers already in the UK to remain in or transition into care work.

According to Home Office sponsor guidance, a UK employer wishing to sponsor someone under care-worker occupation code 6135 or senior-care-worker code 6136 must generally ensure that the worker is already in the UK and is applying for permission to stay.

One route applies where the worker has already been legally working for that employer as a care worker or senior care worker for at least three months. There are also provisions for certain people who previously held Skilled Worker permission in the relevant care occupations.

Consequently, someone currently outside the UK should not assume that obtaining a care-home job offer will allow them to enter Britain on a sponsored care-worker visa.

What About Health and Care Worker Visas?

The Health and Care Worker visa remains an important immigration route for eligible healthcare and social-care professionals.

The visa can allow qualifying medical professionals, nurses, health professionals, and adult social-care professionals to work for an approved UK employer. Applicants need an eligible job, an approved sponsor, a Certificate of Sponsorship, and the required salary and other immigration qualifications.

However, the existence of the Health and Care Worker visa does not mean that every healthcare or care job qualifies.

The government specifically removed new overseas sponsorship for care workers and senior care workers in July 2025. Therefore, applicants must check the occupation code rather than relying on a job advertisement that simply says “Health and Care Worker visa sponsorship.”

Alternative Healthcare Jobs for Foreigners

Foreigners who want to work in the UK’s healthcare sector may want to consider occupations that remain eligible for sponsorship.

Registered Nurse

Nursing continues to be a major international recruitment profession in the UK. Qualified overseas nurses can pursue UK registration and apply for eligible nursing positions with NHS organizations and other approved employers.

Allied Health Professionals

Depending on qualifications and occupation, opportunities can exist for professionals such as physiotherapists, radiographers, occupational therapists, and other regulated healthcare professionals.

These jobs have different registration and immigration requirements, so applicants should investigate the exact occupation code and professional regulator.

Healthcare Support Roles

Some healthcare-support positions may have different requirements from adult social-care worker positions. Applicants should carefully check the occupation code and current Skilled Worker rules before applying.

Requirements for Care Jobs in the UK

Although overseas sponsorship for new care workers has ended, people who are eligible to work in the UK may still find care-assistant employment.

Employers generally look for candidates who have:

• Previous care or healthcare experience
• Good communication skills
• Compassion and patience
• Ability to work shifts
• Ability to assist vulnerable people safely
• Good spoken and written English
• Relevant care qualifications where required
• References and employment history
• A satisfactory criminal-record/background check

The exact requirements depend on the employer and type of care service.

In England, employers sponsoring care workers and senior care workers must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

How to Find Legitimate UK Care Jobs

Even though new overseas sponsorship for care workers has ended, there are still many legitimate care-assistant vacancies for people who already have the right to work in the UK.

Applicants can search for:

• Care assistant jobs UK
• Support worker jobs UK
• Residential care assistant jobs
• Domiciliary care jobs
• Senior care worker jobs
• Healthcare support worker jobs
• NHS support worker jobs

If a job advertisement claims to offer care-worker visa sponsorship to someone applying from outside the UK, applicants should verify the claim against the latest UK immigration rules before paying any money or signing a contract.

The UK government has specifically warned about exploitation in international care recruitment. It reported that more than 470 care providers had their sponsor licences suspended since 2022, following concerns including worker exploitation and fraudulent job offers.

Beware of Care Worker Visa Scams

The closure of overseas care-worker recruitment makes it especially important to watch out for scams.

A recruiter may advertise:

“UK Care Assistant Job With Free Visa Sponsorship”

or

“Guaranteed UK Care Worker Visa From Nigeria”

Such advertisements should not automatically be trusted.

Applicants should verify:

1. The legal name of the employer.
2. Whether the employer is an approved sponsor.
3. The occupation code attached to the position.
4. Whether the job is actually eligible for sponsorship.
5. Whether the applicant is applying from inside or outside the UK.
6. The salary and working hours.
7. Any recruitment fees.
8. The written employment contract.
9. Whether the employer is registered with the appropriate regulator.
10. Whether the proposed immigration route is still open to the applicant.

A recruiter cannot guarantee that the UK government will approve a visa.

What About Care Jobs With Accommodation?

Some UK care employers advertise positions that include accommodation or assistance finding housing.

This can be attractive because accommodation costs can be significant in some parts of the UK.

However, applicants should distinguish between a job that provides accommodation and a job that provides visa sponsorship. They are separate issues.

An employer may offer accommodation to someone who already has permission to work, without being able to sponsor an overseas applicant.

Applicants should also check whether accommodation is free, subsidized, or deducted from wages.

Salary for UK Care Assistants

Care-assistant salaries vary depending on location, employer, experience, working hours, and responsibilities.

London and some other areas may offer higher wages than rural locations, but the cost of living can also be substantially higher.

Applicants should compare the total employment package rather than focusing only on the advertised hourly rate.

Consider:

• Basic hourly pay
• Night-shift allowances
• Weekend pay
• Overtime
• Guaranteed hours
• Holiday entitlement
• Pension
• Accommodation
• Travel expenses
• Training
• Uniform costs

The advertised salary should also be compared with the current immigration salary requirements if sponsorship is involved.

A Better Strategy for Overseas Applicants

For someone currently outside the UK, pursuing a care assistant job as a direct sponsored migration route is no longer the straightforward option it once was.

A better strategy may be to investigate whether you qualify for another eligible UK occupation.

For example, someone with nursing qualifications could investigate UK nursing registration and sponsored nursing positions. Someone with professional healthcare qualifications may be able to pursue an eligible regulated healthcare occupation.

Others may qualify for a different UK immigration route based on their education, occupation, family circumstances, or existing immigration status.

Can Care Workers Still Progress to Permanent Residence?

The Health and Care Worker visa can potentially lead to settlement for people who meet the relevant requirements. GOV.UK states that eligible Health and Care Worker visa holders may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years.

However, this should not be interpreted as meaning that a new overseas applicant can currently obtain a care-worker visa and begin that five-year route from abroad.

The immigration rules surrounding care workers changed in 2025, and the transitional arrangements are specifically important for people who are already in the UK.

Final Thoughts

Care assistant jobs have historically been an important employment opportunity for foreigners wanting to work in the United Kingdom. However, the situation in 2026 is very different from previous years.

Since 22 July 2025, UK employers have not been permitted to sponsor new care workers or senior care workers applying from overseas under the relevant Skilled Worker route.

Some eligible workers already in the UK can still transition into sponsored care positions during the current transitional period, which is scheduled to run until July 2028 under the existing rules.

Therefore, overseas applicants should be extremely cautious about websites and recruiters advertising guaranteed UK care assistant sponsorship from abroad. Instead, they should investigate current eligible occupations and official immigration routes.

For foreigners who already have the right to work in the UK, care-assistant positions remain an important employment sector. For those outside the UK, however, nursing and other eligible healthcare professions may provide more realistic sponsorship opportunities, depending on qualifications and professional registration.

The most important rule is simple: verify the current UK immigration rules before paying a recruiter, accepting a job offer, or making travel arrangements. Immigration policies can change, and an advertisement published several years ago may no longer reflect the law in 2026.

This article provides general information and is not immigration or legal advice. Always verify the latest requirements on GOV.UK before making an application.