Care assistant jobs in UK with visa sponsorship and no experience required were, until mid-2025, the single biggest route for overseas workers into Britain. Tens of thousands of carers arrived on the Health and Care Worker visa between 2022 and 2025.
That changed on 22 July 2025. UK employers can no longer recruit care workers or senior care workers (SOC 6135 and 6136) from overseas. Until 22 July 2028, care workers who are already in the UK on a sponsored visa can still switch employers or extend, and there is a narrow transitional window for people already working legally in the sector. Anyone still selling “care visa sponsorship” to applicants abroad in 2026 is selling something that does not exist.
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This guide explains the current rules, pay, legitimate alternatives such as nursing, and how to spot fraud. Related reading: Doctor Jobs in UK With Visa Sponsorship 2026 – NHS Salaries, GMC Registration and Health and Care Visa and Supermarket Jobs in UK With Visa Sponsorship and Staff Benefits.
In this guide
Care Assistant Jobs in UK at a Glance
| Role | Country | Typical pay | Visa / permit route | Key requirement | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Care assistant (in UK already) | UK | £12.71–£14/hr | Health and Care Worker – in-country only until July 2028 | Existing sponsored status + new CoS | Carers displaced by licence revocations |
| Senior care worker | UK | £13–£15.50/hr | Same as above | Experience, medication training | Experienced carers in the UK |
| Registered nurse | UK | £32,073+ (Band 5) | Health and Care Worker (overseas recruitment open) | NMC registration | Qualified nurses |
1. Types of Care Assistant Jobs in UK
These are the main care assistant roles employers advertise in UK, from entry level to roles that may qualify for sponsorship.
Residential care assistant
Supporting older people in care homes with personal care, meals, mobility and companionship. Usually 12-hour shifts.
Domiciliary (home) carer
Visiting clients in their homes on a schedule. A driving licence and car are often essential outside cities.
Senior care worker
Leading shifts, administering medication and updating care plans. Requires experience and medication competency training.
Supported living and learning-disability support worker
Helping adults with learning disabilities or mental health needs to live independently.
Healthcare assistant (NHS)
Hospital-based support for nurses. NHS HCAs are in a different occupation code (6131, nursing auxiliaries), which is on the Immigration Salary List only until 31 December 2026 and only where registered professionals work in the same setting.
2. Care Assistant Salary in UK for 2026
Care pay sits close to the legal minimum. From April 2026 every worker aged 21+ must earn at least £12.71 an hour. Some local authorities and providers pay the voluntary Real Living Wage, which is higher.
| Level | Hourly | Annual | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Care assistant | £12.71–£14.00 | £24,800–£27,300 | Weekend and night enhancements vary |
| Senior care worker | £13.00–£15.50 | £25,400–£30,200 | Medication responsibility |
| NHS healthcare assistant (Band 3) | Agenda for Change | See NHS Employers 2026/27 scales | Plus unsocial-hours pay |
| Registered nurse (Band 5) | — | £32,073 starting (England, 2026/27) | Rises with experience |
Sources: GOV.UK National Minimum Wage rates (April 2026) and NHS Employers Agenda for Change pay scales 2026/27. Care-sector ranges are indicative.
3. Work Visas for Foreign Care Assistants in UK – Visa Types
Here is how the visa options stand in 2026:
| Visa / route | Who it’s for | Employer needed? | Official page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health and Care Worker – care worker (6135/6136) | Only people already in the UK switching or extending, until 22 July 2028 | Yes – licensed CQC-registered sponsor | Official page |
| Health and Care Worker – nurses and other professionals | Registered nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, doctors | Yes – licensed sponsor | Official page |
| Youth Mobility Scheme | Eligible under-30/35s; can work in care without sponsorship | No | Official page |
| Graduate / dependant visas | People already in the UK with work rights | No | Official page |
4. Companies Offering Visa Sponsored Care Assistant Jobs – Where to Check Vacancies
Large UK care providers with official careers pages (no claim that they are hiring or sponsoring now):
| Employer | What they do | Official careers page |
|---|---|---|
| NHS (NHS Jobs) | Healthcare assistant and nursing roles | www.jobs.nhs.uk |
| Barchester Healthcare | Care homes across the UK | www.barchester.com |
| HC-One | One of the largest care home operators | www.hc-one.co.uk/careers |
| Bupa UK | Care homes and health services | careers.bupa.co.uk |
| Care UK | Residential care homes | careers.careuk.com |
| Anchor | Not-for-profit care and retirement housing | www.anchor.org.uk/careers |
| Sanctuary | Housing and care | www.sanctuary.co.uk |
Before applying, search each company’s legal name on the Register of Licensed Sponsors. If it is not on the register, it cannot issue a Certificate of Sponsorship.
5. Employment Agencies to Find Opportunities – International Recruitment
These recruitment agencies and official job boards are real and verifiable. Contact them only through the websites below; we list websites rather than phone numbers because official sites always carry the latest office contacts.
| Agency / service | Focus | Official website |
|---|---|---|
| Skills for Care | Official sector body; guidance on international recruitment | www.skillsforcare.org.uk |
| NHS Jobs | Official NHS vacancies | www.jobs.nhs.uk |
| Reed UK | Healthcare and social care roles | www.reed.co.uk |
| Hays UK | Social care and healthcare recruitment | www.hays.co.uk |
Legitimate agencies are paid by employers. In the UK, agencies are generally prohibited from charging work-seekers a fee for finding them work.
6. Requirements and Documents for Care Assistant Visa Applications
Missing or inconsistent documents cause most refusals. Prepare these before your CoS is assigned:
- Valid passport.
- Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number from a licensed sponsor — the employer assigns it; you never buy it.
- English at B2 level for most new Skilled Worker applicants (from 8 January 2026) via an approved SELT, unless exempt.
- TB test certificate if your country is on the UK TB test list.
- Savings of £1,270 held for 28 days, unless your sponsor certifies maintenance.
- Criminal record certificates where the job requires them (care, health, education).
- Qualification certificates and certified translations.
- Enhanced DBS check in the UK, and overseas police certificates for any country where you lived 12+ months in the last 10 years.
- Care Certificate or equivalent training records if you already hold them.
Fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge change regularly — check the official fees table on the day you apply.
7. Steps to Get Care Assistant Visa Sponsorship and How to Apply
- Confirm the job is eligible in the eligible occupations list. If its SOC code is ineligible, no employer can sponsor it.
- Shortlist licensed sponsors using the Register of Licensed Sponsors.
- Prepare a UK-style CV (two pages, no photo, measurable results, your visa position stated clearly).
- Apply through official channels: employer careers pages, NHS Jobs, DWP Find a job or a verifiable agency.
- Interview and checks: competency interview, references and any registration checks.
- Receive your CoS. The sponsor pays the licence and Immigration Skills Charge; these costs must not be passed to you.
- Apply online on GOV.UK, pay the fee and surcharge, and attend biometrics.
- Activate your eVisa before travelling.
8. Permanent Residence (Settlement) Pathways for Care Assistants
The UK has no Express Entry-style PR draw. You build lawful residence on a qualifying route, then apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). Carers already in the UK on the Health and Care Worker route can still count that time towards ILR, provided they keep a valid sponsor and meet the rules at the settlement stage.
| Pathway | Qualifying period | Official page |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker → ILR | 5 years continuous lawful residence (current rule) | gov.uk/indefinite-leave-to-remain |
| Health and Care Worker → ILR | 5 years; salary and sponsor rules still apply | gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa |
| Global Talent → ILR | 3 or 5 years | gov.uk/global-talent |
| ILR → British citizenship | Usually 12 months after ILR + Life in the UK test | gov.uk/becoming-a-british-citizen |
| Seasonal Worker / Youth Mobility | Not settlement routes | gov.uk/youth-mobility |
2026 update: proposals to raise the standard qualifying period from five to ten years (“earned settlement”) had not become law by October 2026, so the five-year rule still applies. B2 English for many settlement applications starts on 26 March 2027.
9. Meeting the Eligibility Requirements
Use this checklist to confirm you can meet the rules for care assistant roles before you apply:
- Overseas applicants: cannot be newly sponsored as care workers since 22 July 2025.
- In-country switchers: must have been lawfully working for a sponsor in the role, and need a new CoS from a CQC-registered licensed sponsor (in England).
- Nursing: NMC registration via the CBT and OSCE tests, plus IELTS or OET results.
- Enhanced criminal record checks and references are mandatory in care.
- A full driving licence for domiciliary care roles.
10. Applying at the Embassy – Work Visa Verification and Embassy Contacts
UK visas are applied for online; biometrics are taken at a Home Office-appointed visa application centre, not at the embassy. Embassies never sell jobs or pre-approve sponsorship.
- British embassies and high commissions: gov.uk/world/embassies.
- UKVI contact centre: 0300 790 6268 (+44 300 790 6268 from abroad) — official contact page.
- Verify the employer on the sponsor register and call the number on its official website.
- Verify the CoS: the job title, SOC code and salary must match your written offer.
- Verify advisers on the official immigration adviser finder.
- Report fraud to Action Fraud.
11. Mistakes to Avoid During the Process – Immigration Errors
- Paying anyone for a CoS, job offer or “embassy letter” — selling a CoS is illegal.
- Applying for an ineligible SOC code or accepting pay below the threshold or going rate.
- Trying to work on a Visitor visa.
- Fake English certificates or bank statements, which can lead to a 10-year ban.
- Paying thousands for a “care CoS” — many sponsor licences were revoked in 2024–2025 for exactly this fraud, leaving workers without status.
12. Settlement Benefits and Relocation Planning
Sponsored workers get the same rights as British workers: at least the National Living Wage (£12.71/hour from April 2026), 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday, sick pay, a workplace pension and NHS access. Dependants are allowed on degree-level Skilled Worker roles but not on medium-skilled shortage-list roles.
| First-month cost | Typical amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visa fee + health surcharge | Check official fees | Some sponsors reimburse |
| Rent deposit | Up to 5 weeks’ rent (England) | Must be protected in a government scheme |
| Council Tax, energy, transport | Varies by region | Budget one month before first payslip |
| Bank account, NI number | Free | Use your eVisa share code |
Official Websites to Apply for Sponsorship Visas
- Skilled Worker visa – GOV.UK
- Health and Care Worker visa – GOV.UK
- Register of Licensed Sponsors
- DWP Find a job
- NHS Jobs
FAQs: Care Assistant Jobs in UK With Visa Sponsorship
Can I still get a UK care assistant visa from abroad in 2026?
No. Since 22 July 2025, employers cannot sponsor care workers or senior care workers from overseas. Only people already in the UK on a qualifying sponsored visa can switch employers or extend until 22 July 2028.
What happens if my care sponsor loses its licence?
You are normally given a period to find a new sponsor. Contact a regulated immigration adviser quickly, register with official schemes in your area, and look for licensed CQC-registered providers who can assign a new CoS.
How much do care assistants earn in the UK?
Care assistants aged 21+ must earn at least £12.71 an hour from April 2026. Many earn £13–£14, and senior carers earn more. NHS healthcare assistants are paid on Agenda for Change scales.
Is nursing a better route than care work?
For overseas applicants, yes. Registered nurses can still be sponsored on the Health and Care Worker visa, with NHS Band 5 starting at £32,073 in England in 2026/27. You need NMC registration first.
Do I need experience for care work in the UK?
Many providers train new carers through the Care Certificate, but that only helps if you already have the right to work. Overseas applicants without UK work rights cannot be newly sponsored in 2026.
Can Youth Mobility visa holders work in care?
Yes. The Youth Mobility Scheme allows work in almost any job, including care, without sponsorship. It is available to listed nationalities, usually aged 18–30.
Do care workers pay the Immigration Health Surcharge?
Health and Care Worker visa holders and their eligible dependants are exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge. Check the GOV.UK page for the current rules.
Conclusion
Care assistant jobs in UK with visa sponsorship are no longer open to new overseas applicants, but carers already in the UK can still switch and extend until July 2028, and qualified nurses remain in demand. Verify sponsors, keep your documents in order and ignore anyone selling care visas from abroad.
Next, read Registered Nurse Jobs in UK With Visa Sponsorship 2026 – Health and Care Worker Visa, NHS Pay and ILR, or browse all Healthcare & Care guides and Jobs in UK.
Disclaimer: ConvertKind Jobs publishes independent career guides. We are not an employer, recruiter, immigration adviser or law firm, and we never charge fees. Nothing here guarantees a job, sponsorship or visa. Rules, salary thresholds and fees change often, so always confirm on the official government website before you apply.