2. Getting here: visas and the sponsorship system
Timeline of government policies
This timeline of immigration policy developments is based on analysis by the independent charity and think tank, the Health Foundation, and reflects both reactive measures and structural shifts:
Date August 2020
January 2021
March 2021
December 2021
Policy development
Health and Care visa introduced, but most adult social care roles excluded
End of EU free movement; new points-based immigration system introduced
Senior care workers added to Health and Care visa and Shortage Occupation List( SOL)
Migration Advisory Committee recommends adding care workers to visa and SOL due to staffing crisis
February 2022 Care workers added to visa and SOL on a temporary basis; safeguarding concerns first raised about exploitative employment practices.
August 2022
February 2023
Aug – Nov 2023
March 2024
April 2025
International recruitment taskforce announced to plug gaps in the health and social care workforce
International Recruitment Fund launched to support ethical recruitment practices
Policy changes introduced to reduce exploitation( e. g. tighter sponsor checks, oversight of recruitment fees)
Ban on dependants being allowed to accompany care workers and CQC registration requirement introduced
Minimum salary threshold raised to £ 25,000 per year; SOL replaced by Immigration Salary List
May 2025 Labour government announces immigration White Paper proposing to:
• Close the social care visa route
• Raise salary thresholds for visa holders and dependants
• Restrict dependants for lower skilled workers on the shortage list
• Raise English language requirements for workers and their dependants
• Allow only a narrow list of critical shortage occupations
• Increase the skilled worker threshold to graduate level to reduce low-skilled migration
• Invest in UK workforce training and participation
LRD • Supporting migrant workers 11