Care has been one of the biggest sponsored sectors in the UK for years. Thousands of care homes, home care agencies and nursing homes hold a sponsor licence. But the rules for care roles have changed a lot recently, and many people searching for "care home visa sponsorship" are working from out-of-date information.
This guide explains what has changed, how to find care providers on the sponsor register, and how to check a care employer before you trust a job offer.
This is general information, not legal advice. Care visa rules have changed several times, so always confirm the latest position on GOV.UK.
First, the big change in 2025
From 22 July 2025, the UK closed the Skilled Worker route to new applicants from overseas for care worker and senior care worker roles. In simple terms, a care home can no longer bring in a new care worker from abroad for those roles.
There's a transition period for people who are already in the UK. If you're already here and working legally in care, you may still be able to switch or extend in a care role until July 2028, depending on your circumstances. Check the current rules carefully, as they're detailed.
What this means in practice:
- If you're outside the UK and someone offers you a sponsored care worker job, treat it as a serious warning sign. Under the current rules, that offer is very likely not possible, and it may be a scam.
- If you're already in the UK and working in care, you may still be able to move between licensed care employers, but get the details right first.
- Nurses and other health professionals are a different story. Roles like registered nurse are still eligible under the Health and Care Worker visa.
How care homes appear on the register
Many people search the register for a "Health and Care" route and find nothing. That's because the Health and Care Worker visa is a version of the Skilled Worker visa. On the register, care homes and NHS trusts are listed under the Skilled Worker route.
The register also doesn't tell you what a company does. It only shows the name, town, licence type, rating and routes. So you have to find care providers by their names.
How to find care providers on our site
We group sponsors into sectors using keywords in their names, such as "care", "nursing", "healthcare" and "home care". You can browse them here:
Because the grouping is based on names, it isn't perfect. A care home called "Oak Lodge" might not appear, and a company with "care" in its name might do something else. Always check each company.
You can also narrow your search by town. For example, see sponsors in Birmingham, Manchester or Leicester.
Step by step: checking a care employer
1. Check the sponsor licence
Search the company's legal name and check:
- it's on the register and shows as active,
- its rating is A, not B,
- it holds a Worker licence with the Skilled Worker route.
See A-rated vs B-rated sponsors if you're not sure what the rating means.
2. Check its care regulator
Every genuine care provider in the UK is registered with a care regulator. Look it up:
- England: Care Quality Commission (CQC)
- Scotland: Care Inspectorate
- Wales: Care Inspectorate Wales
- Northern Ireland: RQIA
The regulator's website shows the provider's address, its services and its latest inspection rating. If a "care home" isn't registered with the regulator, it isn't a real care home.
3. Check Companies House
Look the company up on Companies House. It should be active and up to date with its accounts. A company that's dissolved, in liquidation, or overdue with its filings is a warning sign.
4. Check the history
Care has had more licence revocations than most sectors. On our company pages you can see whether a sponsor has been downgraded or removed since we started tracking. Between the register published on 23 October and the one published on 9 November 2026, more than 100 sponsors with care or health-related names were removed.
If a care employer has recently been downgraded or removed, ask what happened before you go any further.
Warning signs specific to care jobs
- A care worker offer for someone outside the UK. Given the 2025 changes, this is the biggest red flag.
- Payment for the CoS or the "job". No sponsor may charge you for your CoS. See fake visa sponsorship job offers.
- No hours or vague hours. Some workers have arrived to find there's little or no work. Your contract should state your hours and pay clearly.
- Paying for accommodation or training upfront to an agent you can't verify.
- The employer isn't registered with the CQC or the regulator in its part of the UK.
If your care sponsor loses its licence
If you already work in care and your sponsor's licence is revoked, your permission to stay is usually cut short, often to 60 days. In that time, you may be able to find a new licensed care employer and apply to change sponsor, depending on the rules that apply to you.
Start by searching for licensed care providers near you, check each one as described above, and get advice from a regulated adviser if you're unsure.
Frequently asked questions
Can a UK care home still sponsor me from abroad? For care worker and senior care worker roles, new overseas recruitment closed in July 2025. Other health roles, such as registered nurse, are still eligible.
Why can't I find "Health and Care Worker" on the register? Because it's part of the Skilled Worker route. Care sponsors are listed with the Skilled Worker route.
How many care homes have a sponsor licence? Several thousand sponsors have care or health-related words in their names. The exact number changes every time the register is updated.
Sources
- Skilled Worker visa (GOV.UK)
- Health and Care Worker visa (GOV.UK)
- Register of licensed sponsors: workers (GOV.UK)
- Care Quality Commission
Last checked November 2026. Immigration rules change, so always check the latest guidance on GOV.UK.
This guide is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules change, so check the official GOV.UK guidance for sponsors and take advice from a regulated adviser before acting. SponsorCheck is not connected to the Home Office.