Employers of overseas healthcare workers in the UK should take the following steps before July 22. Changes to immigration laws presented to Parliament on July 1st will take effect on July 22nd. This will involve raising the skill and pay standards, stopping the hiring of care workers abroad, and removing more than 100 occupations from the immigration system.
An overview of the declared rule modifications
Raising the RQF 6 (graduate level) competence requirement for skilled worker visas and eliminating 112 RQF 3-5 jobs that were previously eligible (across all sectors).
The general skilled worker wage threshold has been raised from £38,700 to £41,700.
For the majority of Health and Care Visa holders, who are compensated based on national pay rates, the salary requirement of £25,000 stays constant.
As long as they meet occupational pay limits, holders of skilled worker visas who are currently employed in occupations below the degree level are permitted to continue working, extend their visas, bring dependents, change jobs, and take on further work in occupations below RQF 6.
Restricting the ability to bring dependents and granting temporary access to occupations below the degree level through an interim Temporary Shortage List (TSL) and an extended Immigration Salary List.
Eliminating the need to collaborate with regional partnerships in order to hire displaced workers and closing the Social Care Worker Visa pathway to international hiring for new applicants.
Employers’ actions
Determine which employees will be affected by changes to the skill and pay thresholds, then have open and honest discussions with them about what the changes entail.
In order to evaluate new and renewing visa applications under the current regulations, Certificates of Sponsorships (CoS) should ideally be issued before July 22, 2025. Keep in mind that CoS are valid for three months from the date of issuance, and visas cannot be renewed more than three months prior to the CoS start date.
Examine positions listed on the Temporary Shortage and Immigration Salary Lists. They will no longer be eligible for sponsorship if RQF 3-5 level roles do not show up, and domestic workforce measures will have to be implemented.
Provide detailed explanations of the implications for them, such as limitations on dependents, when hiring for RQF 3-5 positions that are listed on the Temporary Shortage List or Immigration Salary List. Over the course of the next year, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) will review the lists, and domestic workforce initiatives must be in place to support continuing inclusion.
These charges mark a significant change in the UK’s immigration policy and are the first to be implemented from the Immigration White Paper.
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Skill level
112 qualifying vocations across all industries will be eliminated as a result of the skills threshold being raised from RQF 3 (A level) to RQF 6 (graduate level).
Even if an occupation is not on the Immigration Salary List or the temporary Temporary Shortage List, skilled workers can still be sponsored in RQF 3-5 level occupations during the transition period if they are already on the route (have a visa or have a Certificate of Sponsorship issued) before July 22.
Visit the GOV.UK website to view the most recent news.
The salary threshold
Most new or extending/switching applicants on a Health and Care Visa who are paid on national pay scales will still be required to be paid at the relevant pay scale or £25,000, whichever is higher. This criterion under existing immigration laws remains unchanged by the July 1 announcements.
Going rates and salary thresholds will go up on July 22 and will be applicable to both new and renewed visa applications. This measure does not have a transition period.
After April 2024, the general wage criteria for skilled worker applicants will rise from £38,700 to £41,700. Additionally, salary thresholds for other pathways (like PhD holders) will rise. The wage criteria will rise from £30,960 to £33,400 if the position is on the Immigration wage List or the individual is a new hire.
The general salary requirement will rise from £29,000 to £31,300 for skilled worker applicants who were on the application process before to April 2024. Additionally, the income threshold for PhD holders will rise.
Immigration Salary List and Temporary Shortage List
Although it will be phased out, the Immigration Salary List (ISL) will continue to exist until December 2026.
With a wage threshold of £25,000 or their occupation going rate, whichever is higher, the following Health and Care Visa positions are now listed on the extended ISL:
Managers and owners of residential, day, and domiciliary care (SOC 1232)
Only positions requiring three or more years of relevant on-the-job experience are available for laboratory technologists (SOC 3111).
Technicians in pharmaceuticals (SOC 3212)
All nursing assistants and auxiliary positions (SOC 6131) (only applies to positions in settings where registered nurse positions are also present).
Both senior care workers (6136) and care workers (6135) are listed on the ISL; however, applications for in-country switching will only be accepted until July 22, 2028, and new visa applications are closed. This is being reviewed.
Meanwhile, an ISL will be paired with a time-limited TSL. Only in cases where a particular vocation is essential to industrial strategy or the construction of vital infrastructure would this allow for international hiring.
Regardless of years of experience, the only Health and Care Visa occupation that shows up on the TSL is laboratory technician (SOC 3111).
Because they don’t fulfil the skills threshold and aren’t listed on the ISL or TSL, five positions that were previously eligible under the Health and Care Visa have been eliminated. As a result, domestic workforce plans will need to be implemented and they will no longer be eligible for sponsorship. They are:
Healthcare practice managers (SOC 1231)
Medical and dental technicians (SOC 3213)
Health associate professions required (SOC 3219)
SOC 6132: paramedics and ambulance personnel
The dental nurses are SOC 6133.
A study of the TSL, covering vocations, pay, and benefits, has been entrusted to the MAC. Discounts on salaries and visa fees will not be available to occupations on the TSL. Only if the independent MAC recommends it will the jobs listed on the TSL continue after the time limit of the end of 2026.
Dependents cannot be brought by sponsored workers in occupations on the TSL or the ISL at RQF levels 3-5. Workers sponsored in jobs at RQF levels 3-5 who are already in the skilled worker route and are permitted to bring dependents prior to these changes taking effect are exempt from this. Neither are occupations at RQF 6 or higher.
Social care for adults
The ability to apply for new visas will no longer be available to care workers (SOC 6135) and senior care workers (SOC 6136).
These roles will be withdrawn from the ISL and TSL following a transition phase that will be reviewed until July 22, 2028, at which time people can prolong or switch from other routes. To be eligible, workers must have worked lawfully for their sponsor for at least three months before submitting their application.
Due to the conclusion of these visa applications, sponsors will no longer need to attempt to hire from the pool of skilled workers looking for new sponsorship before sponsoring new hires for visas. In order to hire displaced workers, providers are nevertheless urged to participate in regional partnerships.
A clarification is being added to ensure that the occupation code SOC 6131 (nursing auxiliaries and assistants) only applies to positions in settings where registered nurse jobs are also present in order to prevent its misuse.
By the conclusion of this year, more modifications will also be made, including:
Introducing a new family policy framework to Parliament, raising the immigration skills fee by 32%, and improving language standards throughout the immigration system.
The GOV.UK website has the statement of changes to the immigration regulations.