To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to expand the Health and Care Visa scheme to allow for private households to sponsor (1) care assistants, (2) home carers, and (3) nursing home support workers.
Answered on
7 March 2022
The sponsorship system is designed to ensure employers fulfil specific duties to confirm those who apply for permission to enter or stay in the UK to work are eligible and will comply with the conditions of their visa.
Businesses can comply with these duties and demonstrate a verifiable track record of operating lawfully in the UK, both within the immigration system and the wider employer regulatory regime, in a way private individuals and households cannot. This approach ensures the integrity of the immigration system and provides important safeguards for those who migrate to the UK.
Following a recommendation by the independent Migration Advisory Committee in their recent annual report, the Government has made care worker, care assistant and home care worker roles (Standard Occupation Classification code 6145) eligible for the Health and Social Care Visa and added them to the Shortage Occupation List.
This change came into effect on 15 February 2022 and will be in place initially for a 12-month period. Successful visa applicants will have all the same rights, benefits and obligations as other Health and Care visa holders including settlement.
The Government looks forward to receiving the final MAC report into adult social care at the end of April and will review the future of this policy following that report and closer to the end of the 12-month period.