How Did We Get Here? A short history of the UK care worker visa
In February 2022, care homes in the UK were struggling to find workers. So the government opened the Health and Care Worker visa to care workers from abroad.
Many people came. In the 12 months to November 2023, about 161,700 people applied for this visa as main applicants. Family members applied too. At its peak, in the year to February 2024, about 234,000 dependants applied to join them. (A “dependant” is a husband, wife, partner or child who applies to come with you.)
Then problems appeared. Some employers brought workers over for jobs that did not really exist, or did not treat them fairly. From late 2023, the Home Office began checking care employers much more closely. The rules then tightened step by step:
March 2024: care workers lost the right to bring family with them.
July 2025: new care workers from abroad could no longer apply at all.
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So this did not happen overnight. It is almost three years of tightening, and the latest figures show where it has led. UK visa application figures: October 2025 to September 2026. These numbers cover the 12 months from October 2025 to September 2026, compared with the 12 months before.
Skilled Worker visa:
26,400 main applicants, which is 43% lower than the year before.
35,500 dependant applications, down 25%.
Health and Care Worker visa:
7,500 main applicants, down 63% in one year and 95% below the peak.
31,000 dependant applications, down 36%.
Study visa: 352,500 applications, down 19%.
Family visa: 60,200 applications, down 27%. One big reason is that the UK paused the route that let refugees bring their family over.
You can see how steady the fall has been. The Skilled Worker figure for the past 12 months moved like this during 2026: 36,100 in February, 33,100 in April, 30,400 in June, 28,000 in July, 26,900 in August, and 26,400 now.
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Notice that for most of the year the number dropped by 1,000 or more each time. This time it dropped by only about 500. The fall in care worker applications also eased slightly, from 65% last month to 63% now.
Is the UK visa slowdown ending? Be careful with the headlines
Here is my own view. These figures compare this year with last year. Last year’s numbers were still high, because most of that year came before the new rules of July 2025. We are now getting closer to comparing new rules with new rules, so the drop naturally looks smaller.
That does not mean more people are applying again. It means the new system is settling down. So if you see a headline in a few months saying “UK work visas are bouncing back”, be careful. It may just be the numbers catching up, not the rules getting easier.
What the headlines won’t tell you
1. Not every work route is falling. Seasonal Worker visas, mainly for farm work, rose 8% to 42,100. The Youth Mobility Scheme fell only 5%, to 20,700.
2. These are applications, not visas granted. They also do not show how many people actually arrived. The figures are provisional and can be revised later.
3. They only count people applying from outside the UK. People already in the UK who switch into a work visa are not included. This matters because some care workers already in the UK can still switch or extend in-country until July 2028.
Why UK visa applications are falling: the rule changes explained. It is not one rule. It is a series of changes, one after another.
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July 2025 changes to the Skilled Worker visa:
Most jobs now need to be at degree level (called RQF level 6). A few jobs on special shortage lists are exceptions. The general minimum salary rose from £38,700 to £41,700. Care homes can no longer recruit new care workers from abroad. If your job is on the Temporary Shortage List, you cannot bring your family.
December 2025: employers had to pay more to sponsor a foreign worker. The fee went up by about 32%.
January 2026: the English test became harder. For a Skilled Worker visa you now need B2 level (upper intermediate) instead of B1.
Put it together. The job must be more skilled. It must pay more. It costs the employer more. And you need better English. So fewer jobs qualify, fewer employers want to sponsor, and fewer people apply. That is exactly what the government wants.
What this means: from volume to selection
The UK has moved from a system built on volume to a system built on selection. It still wants skilled workers. It just wants fewer of them, in higher-skilled and better-paid roles. If you understand that, you understand where your chances are.
What should you do? Practical steps by situation
If you are a skilled professional (engineer, accountant, doctor and similar):
Focus on finding a genuine employer with a licensed sponsor. Make sure the job meets the salary requirement. Make sure you meet the English requirement before you apply.
If you are a care worker abroad:
That route is closed to new overseas applicants. Look at other visa options. Never pay anyone who promises to secure you a care job without checking that the offer is genuine.
If you are already in the UK on a care visa:
Check whether you can switch to another visa route before the deadline.
Do not wait until the last minute, because your options depend on your circumstances and the rules in force.
Your UK work visa checklist
Check your job’s occupation code on GOV.UK and understand its skill level and salary requirement.
Check whether your job is on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List. This can affect your visa options and whether you can bring dependants.
Start preparing for the B2 English requirement.
Confirm that any employer offering you a job is on the official register of licensed sponsors.
Never pay someone who promises to guarantee you a UK job or visa.
Is the UK closing its doors?
No. People are still applying, and some routes are growing. But getting into the UK is harder than it has been in years. The next Home Office release is due on 12 November 2026, and I will be watching to see whether this slowdown continues.
If you have a question about your own situation, book a one-on-one consultation and we will look at your options together.
Disclaimer: this is general information based on published figures and current rules, not legal advice. For your own case, speak to a regulated immigration adviser and confirm details with GOV.UK / the UK Home Office.