New UK visa rules for carers, skilled workers and students

The UK government has confirmed new visa rules for care providers, workers, and students. Starting April 9, care providers must prioritize hiring foreign workers already residing in England before recruiting from abroad. Employers must prove they have tried to hire individuals already in the country who require new visa sponsorship before seeking international candidates.

This follows measures introduced by the previous government to reduce immigration numbers.

The UK Government hopes these new rules will bring down the level of immigration to Britain and stop the reliance on overseas workers.

The minimum salary required for Skilled Worker visas is also being increased. From April it will rise from £23,200 per year to £25,000 (or £12.82 per hour) to reflect the rise in minimum wage.

Stephen Kinnock, Minister of State for Care, said: “International care workers play a vital role in our social care workforce. We value their contribution and work supporting vulnerable people across the country every day.

“As we crack down on shameful rogue operators exploiting overseas workers here in the UK, we must do all we can to get the victims back into rewarding careers in adult social care.

He added “Prioritising care workers who are already in the UK will get people back to work, reducing our reliance on international recruitment, and make sure our social care sector has the care professionals it needs.”

The new rules will also bring changes to the short-term student route. Caseworkers have the power to refuse visa applications suspected of not being genuine. People coming to study English for between six and 11 months can apply for the permit.