The UK care sector continues to face significant workforce challenges, with many care homes struggling to recruit sufficient staff from the domestic labour market. For care home operators seeking to address these recruitment difficulties, obtaining a sponsor licence remains a viable option — though the rules have changed considerably in recent years.
Table of contents
- Do care homes still need a sponsor licence?
- Eligibility requirements for care home sponsor licences
- Step-by-step application process
- Costs of sponsoring care workers
- Sponsor duties and compliance obligations
- Regional care partnerships and displaced worker requirements
- Why choose Sterling Law?
- FAQ
Do care homes still need a sponsor licence?
Yes. A sponsor licence is still required if your care home wants to sponsor workers under the Skilled Worker framework, including where the worker will apply under the Health and Care Worker visa in an eligible adult social care role. The worker must have a job offer from an approved sponsor and a valid Certificate of Sponsorship before applying.
What has changed is the scope of sponsorship for social care roles. For care workers and senior care workers, overseas entry clearance applications were closed from 22 July 2025. However, switching applications from within the UK remain possible until 22 July 2028, and workers already sponsored lawfully in the sector can still extend, change employer and continue towards settlement if they meet the rules.
Current sponsorship options for care homes
Following the July 2025 changes, care homes in England can still sponsor care workers under specific circumstances:
- Workers already in the UK. Individuals on other visa routes (such as Graduate visas) who have worked for your care home for at least three months can be sponsored.
- Switching from other sponsors. Care workers already sponsored by another employer can transfer their sponsorship to your organisation.
- Extensions and renewals. Existing sponsored care workers can have their visas extended.
- Other eligible roles. Nurses, registered managers, and other qualified healthcare professionals remain eligible for overseas sponsorship.
Care providers in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are not subject to the England-specific restrictions on overseas recruitment.
Eligibility requirements for care home sponsor licences
Before applying for a sponsor licence for care workers, your care home must satisfy several eligibility criteria established by the Home Office.
Mandatory requirements
Your organisation must demonstrate that it:
- operates as a genuine business lawfully established in the United Kingdom
- has a genuine need for sponsored workers in eligible roles
- possesses appropriate HR systems to monitor and manage sponsored employees
- can meet the salary and skill requirements for sponsored positions
- has no unspent criminal convictions for immigration offences among key personnel
CQC registration requirement
Since 11 March 2024, care homes in England wishing to sponsor care workers or senior care workers must be registered with the Care Quality Commission. The Home Office will verify your CQC registration status during the application process, and you must provide evidence of registration for all branches where sponsored workers will be employed.
Care providers in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland must demonstrate equivalent regulatory registration with their respective bodies.
Key personnel
Every sponsor licence requires the appointment of key personnel to manage sponsorship responsibilities:
| Role |
Responsibilities |
| Authorising Officer | Most senior person responsible for all migrant worker recruitment; accountable for compliance with sponsor duties |
| Key Contact | Primary point of communication with UK Visas and Immigration |
| Level 1 User | Day-to-day management of the Sponsorship Management System; assigns Certificates of Sponsorship |
One individual may fulfil multiple roles, though the Authorising Officer must be a settled worker or UK/Irish citizen and cannot be an external representative.
Step-by-step application process
The sponsor licence application process involves several stages that require careful attention to detail.
Stage 1: Gather supporting documents
You must provide at least four documents from the Home Office’s Appendix A list to evidence your organisation’s legitimacy. For care homes, relevant documents typically include:
- CQC registration certificate (or equivalent regulatory registration)
- employer’s liability insurance certificate (minimum £5 million coverage)
- recent business bank statements (last three months)
- VAT registration certificate (if applicable)
- PAYE registration evidence
- audited or unaudited accounts
- lease agreement or property ownership documents for your trading address
Stage 2: Complete the online application
Submit your application through the UK Visas and Immigration online portal. You will need to provide:
- details of your care home’s legal structure and operations
- information about your key personnel
- the roles you intend to sponsor
- evidence of genuine vacancies
Stage 3: Pay the application fee
Sponsor licence fees depend on your organisation’s size.
|
Organisation Size |
Worker Licence Fee |
| Small or charitable sponsor | £611 |
| Medium or large sponsor | £1,682 |
Your organisation qualifies as a small sponsor if it meets at least two of the following criteria:
- annual turnover of £15 million or less
- balance sheet total of £7.5 million or less
- 50 or fewer employees
Registered charities automatically qualify for the reduced fee.
Stage 4: Submit supporting documents
You must submit your supporting documents within five working days of completing the online application. Include a covering letter explaining your reasons for applying and how your documents demonstrate eligibility.
Stage 5: Await decision
Standard processing time is up to eight weeks. The Home Office may conduct a pre-licence compliance visit to verify your information and assess your HR systems. If you require a faster decision, a priority service is available for an additional £750, typically providing a decision within 10 working days (subject to availability and provided no compliance visit is required).
Costs of sponsoring care workers
Beyond the initial licence fee, care homes must budget for several ongoing costs associated with worker sponsorship.
|
Cost type |
Small/Charitable sponsor |
Medium/Large sponsor |
| Sponsor licence application | £611 | £1,682 |
| Certificate of Sponsorship (per worker) | £525 | £525 |
| Immigration Skills Charge (per year, per worker) | £364 | £1,000 |
| Priority processing (optional) | £750 | £750 |
Important note on cost recovery
From 31 December 2024, employers are prohibited from recovering sponsor licence fees, Certificate of Sponsorship costs, Immigration Skills Charges, or any associated administrative costs from sponsored workers. Attempting to pass these costs to workers may result in licence revocation.
Workers may still contribute to their own visa application fees and Immigration Health Surcharge through properly documented agreements that comply with employment law.
Sponsor duties and compliance obligations
Obtaining a sponsor licence places significant ongoing responsibilities on your care home. The Home Office actively monitors compliance, particularly in the care sector, which is considered high-risk for enforcement action.
Record-keeping requirements
You must maintain accurate records for each sponsored worker, including:
- copies of passport and visa documents
- evidence of right-to-work checks (conducted before employment commences and repeated as required)
- national Insurance number
- current contact details and residential address
- employment contract and job description
- attendance records and absence documentation
Reporting duties
Care homes must report certain events to the Home Office through the Sponsorship Management System within specified timeframes:
| Event |
Reporting deadline |
| Worker fails to start employment | Within 10 working days of expected start date |
| Worker’s employment ends | Within 10 working days |
| Unauthorised absence exceeding 10 consecutive working days | Within 10 working days of the 10th day |
| Change in worker’s salary or job duties | Within 10 working days |
| Change in worker’s address | Within 10 working days |
| Changes to your organisation (mergers, name changes, key personnel) | Within 20 working days |
Compliance visits
The Home Office may conduct unannounced compliance visits at any time. During these visits, officers may:
- request access to personnel records and HR files
- interview sponsored workers and key personnel
- sssess whether your HR systems meet sponsorship requirements
- review your record-keeping and reporting practices
Between July 2022 and December 2024, the Home Office revoked more than 470 sponsor licences in the care sector due to compliance failures and worker exploitation. Non-compliance can result in licence downgrade, suspension, or revocation — leaving your sponsored workers without valid immigration status and your care home unable to employ overseas staff.
Regional care partnerships and displaced worker requirements
From 9 April 2025, care providers in England must demonstrate they have attempted to recruit from the pool of displaced care workers already in the UK before issuing Certificates of Sponsorship to overseas applicants. This requirement aims to provide employment opportunities to workers who lost sponsorship when their previous employers had licences revoked.
To sponsor a new care worker, you must:
- Contact the relevant Regional Care Partnership or sub-regional partnership.
- Confirm that you have attempted to recruit displaced workers seeking new sponsorship.
- Obtain confirmation that no suitable workers were available from this pool.
- Include this confirmation when assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship.
Failure to demonstrate these recruitment efforts may result in Certificate of Sponsorship rejection.
Why choose Sterling Law?
Navigating the sponsor licence application process requires detailed knowledge of immigration law and an understanding of the specific requirements affecting the care sector. At Sterling Law, our experienced immigration lawyers have assisted numerous care homes across England and Wales in obtaining and maintaining their sponsor licences.
Our sponsor licence services for care homes
- Application support. We guide you through every stage of the application process, ensuring your documentation meets Home Office requirements and your application presents the strongest possible case.
- Compliance audits. Our team conducts thorough pre-application and ongoing compliance audits to identify and address potential issues before they become problems.
- HR system review. We assess your existing HR procedures and help you implement systems that satisfy Home Office requirements for record-keeping and reporting.
- Compliance visit preparation. Should the Home Office schedule a visit, we prepare your key personnel and ensure your documentation is audit-ready.
- Ongoing support. Immigration rules change frequently. We keep you informed of developments affecting your licence and help you adapt your practices accordingly.
- Licence defence. If your licence faces suspension or revocation action, our solicitors have extensive experience challenging Home Office decisions and protecting our clients’ sponsorship capabilities.
Sterling Law has successfully assisted over 100 businesses in securing sponsor licences. Our deep understanding of the care sector’s unique challenges means we can provide practical, effective advice tailored to your organisation’s circumstances.
Get in touch
If your care home is considering applying for a sponsor licence, or if you need assistance maintaining compliance with your existing licence, contact Sterling Law today. Our immigration lawyers offer initial consultations to assess your situation and explain how we can help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a care home still apply for a sponsor licence in 2026?
Yes. A care home can still apply for a sponsor licence if it is genuine, operating lawfully, and able to meet sponsor duties. However, the current rules for care workers and senior care workers are narrower than before, especially for overseas recruitment.
Does a care home in England need CQC registration to sponsor care workers?
Yes. If the care home wants to sponsor care workers or senior care workers in England, it must be carrying on at least one regulated activity and hold active CQC registration.
Can a care home sponsor a new care worker from overseas?
For care workers and senior care workers, entry clearance applications were closed from 22 July 2025. That means a care home should not rely on the old overseas entry model for those roles.
Can a care home sponsor someone who is already in the UK?
In some cases, yes. In-country switching for care workers and senior care workers remains possible until 22 July 2028, provided the current rules are met. Existing sponsored workers may also still be able to extend or change sponsor lawfully.
How long does a sponsor licence application take?
Most applications are decided in less than eight weeks. A priority service may be available for an additional £750 and aims to provide a decision within 10 working days.
How much does a sponsor licence cost for a care home?
From 8 April 2026, the Worker sponsor licence fee is £611 for a small or charitable sponsor and £1,682 for a medium or large sponsor. There may also be additional costs such as the Certificate of Sponsorship fee and, in some cases, the Immigration Skills Charge.
Does a sponsor licence need to be renewed every four years?
In most cases, no. The general four-year renewal requirement was removed on 6 April 2024, so most licences now remain valid until they are surrendered or revoked.
What happens if a care home becomes non-compliant?
The Home Office can downgrade, suspend or revoke the licence. In serious cases, this can affect both future recruitment and the position of existing sponsored workers.
