New overseas recruitment of care workers closed on 22 July 2025. Care employers can still sponsor workers already in the UK until 22 July 2028, and the Home Office fees fall on the employer.
The Statement of Changes HC 997 closed entry clearance for care workers and senior care workers (SOC 6135 and 6136) from 22 July 2025. Switching from inside the UK continues "for a transition period until 22 July 2028". The sponsor guidance says "the worker must already be in the UK and be applying for permission to stay", and a sponsor in England must hold active registration with CQC.
| Home Office cost | Small or charitable sponsor | Medium or large sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| Worker licence, once | £611 | £1,682 |
| Certificate of sponsorship, per worker | £525 | £525 |
| Immigration skills charge, first 12 months | £480 | £1,320 |
| Immigration skills charge, each further 6 months | £240 | £660 |
| One worker sponsored for 3 years, excluding the licence | £1,965 | £4,485 |
A sponsor is small if at least two of these apply: annual turnover of £15 million or less, total assets of £7.5 million or less, 50 employees or fewer. Charities pay the same fees as small sponsors.
The Home Office says a licence "may be revoked if you ask the sponsored worker to pay the fee or any costs linked to your application." Each of these fees belongs in the employer's own budget.
Sponsors report changes to a sponsored worker within 10 working days and most changes to the organisation within 20 working days, and carry out a right to work check before employment starts. If a licence is revoked, sponsored workers not involved are normally cut to 60 days' permission, and the employer cannot reapply for at least 12 months. The Home Office revoked more than 470 care sponsor licences between July 2022 and December 2024.
We run payroll for sponsored workers, keep pay records for each of them, and budget the Home Office fees in your cash flow forecast.
Not by entry clearance. Since 22 July 2025 only workers already in the UK can switch into sponsored care roles, until 22 July 2028.
On the sponsorship period: £480 for the first 12 months and £240 for each further 6 months for a small or charitable sponsor, and £1,320 and £660 for a medium or large one.
Employer National Insurance at 15%, the £10,500 allowance and who can claim it.
The cost of the April 2027 rise for each full-time care worker.
Accrual at 12.07% and rolled-up holiday pay for bank and zero-hours carers.
We look at your last accounts, your payroll hours and your fee rates, and tell you what we would change.