The United Kingdom has closed the care worker visa route to foreign applicants. It also plans to remove 111 occupations from the skilled worker visa route.
The reforms, which will be implemented from 22 July 2025, pending parliamentary approval, are part of a broader plan to ensure border control, asylum processing, and labor market access.
New Policy
As a result of the new policy, the UK government will allow transitional arrangements for existing care workers already in the UK, but it will bar new applications starting July 22, 2025.
There are also plans to remove 110 occupations, especially across the health and social care sectors, from the skilled worker route. These roles were previously listed on the Shortage Occupation List, which offered salary concessions and simplified requirements for foreign applicants.
The government also seeks to raise the salary and skill thresholds across all eligible jobs, in addition to phasing out sub-degree level roles unless they appear on a new shortage list.
Introduction of Temporary Shortage List
Instead of the traditional Shortage Occupation List, the UK will now operate a Temporary Shortage List through 2026. The new list will include only roles it deems critical to the national interest, such as those in infrastructure, health, or strategic industries, without salary concessions.
However, employers must provide clear strategies to upskill and hire UK workers or risk losing access to this recruitment pathway as the UK government plans to block dependents from accompanying workers under the temporary shortage schemes, in addition to scrapping visa fee discounts for such workers.
Other Changes
The UK is set to introduce an increased immigration skills charge for employers, tighter English language requirements across visa categories, and a new family migration framework, likely affecting spouse and partner visa routes to “restore control and order” to immigration.
As a result of these changes, many employers, especially in the care and construction sectors, may face short-term challenges filling vacancies.
