Government Guidance on Options Available to Displaced Care Workers

UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) have shared the following Guidance published 4 December 2025: 

The Government published the Immigration White Paper ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System on 12 May, which announced the intention to end overseas recruitment for social care visas. We have taken this action following significant concerns over many thousands of displaced care workers, as well as the abuse and exploitation of individual workers, linked to unethical international recruitment practices. We have heard countless reports that people have been brought to the UK where promised work does not materialise or they are being paid less than the required minimum salary threshold, leaving workers at risk of becoming destitute. The scale of non-compliance exposed by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) is significantly greater in adult social care than in any other sector eligible for the Skilled Worker visa. UKVI have revoked over 850 sponsor licences to date in this sector, impacting thousands of workers in the care sector.

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds 15 regional partnerships across England to respond to, and prevent, unethical international recruitment practices in the sector. Over 2025/26, DHSC is providing up to £12.5 million to the regional partnerships to continue this work. This service can be used to assist impacted care workers to find new employment. Any affected care workers in your region may want to view the following link for information on the support available to them: www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-offer-to-international-asc-workers-whose-employers-sponsor-licence-has-been-revoked/support-offer-to-international-asc-workers-whose-employers-sponsor-licence-has-been-revoked  

UKVI are writing to all care workers who have been impacted by their sponsor having their licence revoked. Their correspondence signposts care workers to their nearest regional partnership in England (as per the link provided above). The other nations of the United Kingdom have developed their own mechanisms which aim to support impacted care workers to suitable vacancies; they have kindly extended this offer to workers in England.

UKVI have signposted all workers associated with providers in Wales and Scotland to the relevant support mechanisms currently in place and they, alongside Northern Ireland, are working collaboratively to support workers from other regions into suitable vacancies. The contact details for this support outside England are as below:

• Wales – www.gov.wales/national-advisory-service-overseas-social-care-workers .
• Scotland – Candidates Resource (DW) | Turas | Learn

Any impacted care workers who require immigration advice to resolve their status in the UK can find details of accredited legal advisors here: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/immigration-advice-authority

The care route has seen unacceptable levels of abuse and exploitation, including reports of modern slavery. If you have encountered a constituent who may have been a victim of modern slavery, or if you have any concerns or suspicions of worker exploitation, these should be reported to the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) via their free confidential helpline: 0800 432 0804, or email: [email protected]. If there are immediate safeguarding concerns, these should be reported to the police on 999.

Impacted care workers who wish to return to their home country may be eligible to seek assistance from the Home Office using the voluntary return scheme.

Further details about the scheme and eligibility can be found at: www.gov.uk/return-home-voluntarily.