The UK Government has introduced new visa regulations aimed at reducing immigration and encouraging local recruitment.
The updated rules, confirmed in Parliament on Wednesday, will significantly impact care providers, foreign workers, and students.
Starting April 9, care providers hiring overseas staff must first prove they have attempted to recruit foreign workers in England who require visa sponsorship.
According to the Home Office, this move aims to reduce reliance on overseas recruitment while supporting care workers already in the UK.
Skilled Worker Visa Salary Threshold Increase
The salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas will rise from £23,200 to £25,000 annually (or £12.82 per hour) to reflect the increase in the minimum wage.
Prioritising UK-Based Care Workers
Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, acknowledged the critical role of international care workers in the UK.
“As we crack down on rogue operators exploiting overseas workers, we must also ensure victims of exploitation can rebuild their careers in adult social care,” Kinnock said.
He stressed that prioritizing in the UK would help strengthen the sector’s workforce while curbing dependency on international recruitment.
Stricter Rules for Student Visas
New regulations will also tighten rules for short-term student visas following concerns about system abuse.
Foreign nationals studying English in the UK for six to 11 months can apply for this visa. However, authorities have identified cases where applicants did not intend to study or leave the country afterward.
To prevent this, the Home Office will expand caseworkers’ powers to reject suspicious visa applications.
Crackdown on Immigration Violations
The new rules follow stricter enforcement against businesses breaching immigration laws.
Between July 2022 and December 2024, the Government revoked over 470 sponsor licenses in the care sector due to repeated violations.
Companies failing to comply with immigration rules now face hiring bans for overseas workers.
Minister for Migration and Citizenship, reaffirmed the Government’s stance on safeguarding international workers from exploitation.
“We have already taken action to ensure employers cannot flout the rules or unfairly pass costs onto international workers,” she said.
“Now, we require care providers to prioritize international workers already in the UK before recruiting from abroad.”
Decline in Visa Applications
The new restrictions have coincided with a sharp drop in visa applications.
Between April and December 2024, the UK received 547,000 work and study visa applications, a 42% decrease from the 942,500 received in the same period in 2023.
Health and care worker visa applications recorded the steepest decline, plummeting 79% from 299,800 in 2023 to just 63,800 in 2024.
