The UK’s Health and Care Visa has long been vital to keeping the country’s healthcare system running. However, major 2025 reforms have redefined who can apply, who can sponsor, and how international workers can build long-term lives in the UK.
The Old Law
When first introduced, the Health and Care Visa was restricted to NHS employers, registered care homes, and approved sponsors.
Applicants had to meet strict salary thresholds and job-specific codes, and many private healthcare providers could not sponsor foreign staff.
Dependants were permitted only for certain skilled roles, and moving from a Health and Care Visa to another immigration route often meant starting over with new applications and fees.
This left both employers and workers frustrated as many qualified care professionals were turned away, and employers faced persistent staffing shortages.
The New Law (2025 Reform)
The 2025 Immigration Amendment has made the Health and Care Visa more inclusive and transparent. Key updates include:
Expanded Sponsorship: Private clinics and regulated home-care providers can now sponsor eligible overseas staff.
Flexible Job Codes: More care roles have been added to the Skilled Occupation List.
Fair Pay Compliance: Salary thresholds are now linked to sector averages instead of fixed rates.
Dependants Allowed: Senior care workers and qualified health professionals can bring dependants under clear criteria.
Faster Decisions: Trusted sponsors benefit from 10-day visa processing.
How It Affects You
For employers, this means faster recruitment and fewer bureaucratic barriers.
For healthcare professionals, it’s an opportunity to live and work in the UK with a route to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). The reforms also simplify moving between care roles or switching to a Skilled Worker Visa.
How You Can Stay in the UK
If you are already working in health or social care and wish to stay permanently:
- Continue lawful employment with an approved sponsor.
- Extend your visa before expiry.
- Apply for ILR
- Meet the English and Life in the UK requirements.
For those switching from another visa such as a Student or Graduate Visa , you can now move into the Health and Care route without leaving the UK.
How Villars Legal Can Help
- At Villars Legal, we handle everything from sponsorship licence applications to dependant visas and settlement applications.
We combine deep knowledge of Home Office rules with a strategic, human approach that delivers results. - 📞 Contact Villars Legal today for tailored immigration support.
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