New Rules Aim to Prioritise Care Worker Recruitment in England

The government has announced new measures to help strengthen the adult social care workforce by changing the way care worker recruitment is handled in England.

Key Changes at a Glance

• Employers must now prioritise international care workers already living in England who need new sponsorship before recruiting candidates from overseas.
• The new rules are effective from 9 April 2025 and are designed to help those who came to the UK to work in care stay employed and reduce the country’s reliance on overseas recruitment.
• Minimum hourly wage for care workers on Skilled Worker visas will rise to at least £12.82.
• Employers are now barred from charging recruitment fees to care workers, ensuring fair treatment and preventing unsustainable debt.
• The government continues efforts to tackle immigration system abuse and exploitation in the adult social care sector, with over 470 sponsor licences revoked between July 2022 and December 2024.
• Similar efforts are being made to clamp down on non-genuine student visa applications and support workers affected by sponsor licence removals.

Government officials emphasise that these changes will support vulnerable people, protect care workers from exploitation, and encourage workforce stability in the care sector.

You can read the full official announcement here.