Guidance updated following immigration policy changes
Stricter immigration rules for carers and increased salary thresholds have come into effect and will impact recruitment of overseas health and care staff.
From today (9 April 2025), employers will need to be aware of the following changes:
- Care providers in England seeking to recruit a new care worker (SOC 6135) or senior care worker (SOC 6136) from overseas, or those switching from another visa route, need to first provide proof that they have attempted to recruit a worker resident in England.
- The minimum salary threshold for skilled workers (including those on a Health and Care Visa) is now £12.82 per hour or £25,000 per year, from £23,200.
- Health and education occupations, including doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and teachers, also had their minimum rates increased to reflect the latest national pay scales, meaning that entry level Band 3 roles that do not receive a High-Cost Area Supplement will no longer meet the salary threshold at the time of application.
What does this mean for NHS trusts?
We have updated our resources to help employers navigate the recent changes. These are listed below.
- Impacts of the changes to the UK immigration policy
- The points-based immigration system
- Skilled Worker Route
- Skilled worker: Health and Care Visa
- Immigration and the skilled worker recruitment process
Salary thresholds
Due to the salary threshold increase, Certificate of Sponsorships issued after today for entry-level Band 3 roles that do not receive a High-Cost Area Supplement will no longer be eligible for international sponsorship. Employers will need to wait until the Agenda for Change 25/26 pay award is announced to determine if it will be above the £25,000 salary threshold.
Those Band 3 roles that require renewals on the top step point of £25,674 will meet the required skills and salary threshold and can continue to be sponsored.
All staff that apply for a new visa or renewal/extension will need to meet the new salary requirements at the point of application. They will not lose their status if they fall short of the salary threshold increase while holding a valid right to work.
The salary threshold increase will apply to all those that are applying for a Skilled Worker visa (including Health and Care).
Requirement to work with regional partnerships
Care providers in England must work with the relevant regional partnership in the area they are located in, or recruiting from, and attempt to recruit from a pool of workers impacted by revocation before they can sponsor a care worker or senior care worker from another route or from overseas.
The requirement to work with regional partnerships only applies to the recruitment of care workers and senior care workers and does not apply to any other roles, including nursing auxiliaries and assistants (SOC 6131).
The new rules on working with regional partnerships do not apply to international workers who are already being sponsored as a care worker or senior care worker, or where providers are seeking to sponsor someone switching from another immigration route who has already been working for them for at least three months. More information on how to evidence working with regional partnerships is detailed on our Impacts of the changes to UK immigration policy page.
If you have any further questions, please contact internationalrecruitment@nhsconfed.org
