List of Care Homes With Tier - 2 Sponsorship in the UK (2024 - 2025)

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Finding care homes in the UK that hold a valid Tier 2 sponsorship licence is an important step for overseas care workers looking to work in the UK under the Health and Care Worker visa route. This guide covers what you need to know about care home sponsors, how the sponsorship system works, and where to find licensed providers across the UK.

For related support, explore Annaizu’s sponsorship compliance software, mock audit inspection readiness and mock audit preparation.

Key Takeaways

Essential Points for Overseas Care Workers and Employers

• Care homes must hold a valid Skilled Worker sponsor licence to recruit overseas workers under the Health and Care Worker visa route.
• The official register of licensed sponsors is published by the Home Office and updated monthly.
• Not all care homes on the sponsor register are actively recruiting - it is worth contacting providers directly.
• Sponsors in the care sector must meet Care Quality Commission (CQC) registration requirements as well as Home Office sponsorship duties.
• Workers sponsored under the Health and Care Worker visa route benefit from reduced visa fees and exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge.

What Is Tier 2 Sponsorship for Care Homes?

Tier 2 sponsorship - now formally known as the Skilled Worker sponsor licence - allows UK employers, including care homes, to recruit workers from outside the UK. For the social care sector, the relevant visa route is the Health and Care Worker visa, which sits within the Skilled Worker framework and is specifically designed for eligible health and social care roles.

Which Roles Qualify in the Care Sector?

To be eligible for a Health and Care Worker visa in a care home setting, the role must fall under specific Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes. The most common roles include:

• Senior care workers (SOC 6146)
• Care workers and home carers (SOC 6145)
• Nursing professionals where registered nurses are employed (SOC 2231)
• Care home managers and similar senior positions

What Does a Sponsor Licence Allow a Care Home to Do?

A care home with a valid sponsor licence can issue Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) to overseas candidates, enabling those workers to apply for a Health and Care Worker visa. The employer must meet salary thresholds, carry out right to work checks, and maintain records in line with Home Office compliance requirements.

How to Find Care Homes With a Sponsor Licence

The Home Office publishes a full register of licensed sponsors, which is available to download from the GOV.UK website. The register is updated monthly and lists all organisations currently holding a valid Skilled Worker or other sponsor licence, including care providers.

Using the Official Sponsor Register

To identify care homes with a Tier 2 or Skilled Worker sponsor licence, you can download the register and filter by sector or organisation name. The register includes:

• Organisation name
• Town or city
• County
• Type of licence held
• Sub-tier or route (such as Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker)

You can access the register directly at gov.uk/government/publications/register-of-licensed-sponsors-workers.

Filtering by Care Sector

The register does not categorise employers by industry, so you will need to cross-reference organisation names against CQC-registered care providers. The CQC publishes its own list of registered care homes in England, which can be used alongside the sponsor register to identify which homes hold both CQC registration and a sponsor licence.

Care Homes With Tier 2 Sponsorship by Region

Licensed care home sponsors are spread across all regions of the UK, with higher concentrations in areas where demand for care workers is greatest. The following sections outline the regional picture based on data from the 2024 to 2025 sponsor register.

England

England has the largest number of care home sponsors, with significant clusters in:

• London and the South East - including large care groups and independent providers
• The West Midlands - particularly in Birmingham and surrounding areas
• The North West - including Greater Manchester and Merseyside
• Yorkshire and the Humber - with strong representation in Leeds and Bradford
• The East of England - including Essex, Hertfordshire and Norfolk

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Sponsor licence holders in the care sector also operate across Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, though in smaller numbers compared to England. Devolved health and social care structures mean that CQC registration applies only in England - equivalent regulators operate in other nations.

• Wales: Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) registers providers
• Scotland: Care Inspectorate Scotland oversees care services
• Northern Ireland: Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) regulates providers

What Care Homes Need to Obtain a Sponsor Licence

Care homes applying for a sponsor licence must demonstrate that they are a genuine operating business, are CQC-registered (in England), and have appropriate HR and compliance systems in place. The Home Office will assess the organisation before granting a licence.

Key Requirements for Care Home Sponsors

• Active CQC or equivalent registration in the relevant nation
• A genuine vacancy that meets the relevant SOC code and salary threshold
• HR systems capable of monitoring visa expiry dates and reporting duties
• Nominated key personnel including an Authorising Officer, Key Contact and Level 1 SMS user
• No serious immigration compliance failures or criminal convictions among key personnel

Salary Thresholds for Care Workers in 2024 to 2025

As of 2024, the general salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas increased significantly. However, care workers and senior care workers benefit from a lower going rate set against their SOC codes. Sponsors must pay whichever is higher: the general threshold or the going rate for the specific occupation. It is essential that care homes check current thresholds on GOV.UK before issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship.

How Overseas Workers Can Apply Through a Sponsored Care Home

If you are an overseas worker seeking employment in a UK care home under the Health and Care Worker visa, the general process is as follows:

1. Identify a care home that holds a valid Skilled Worker sponsor licence using the Home Office register.
2. Apply for a position directly with the care home and go through their recruitment process.
3. If offered a role, the employer will issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) with a unique reference number.
4. Use the CoS reference number as part of your Health and Care Worker visa application online.
5. Provide supporting documents including passport, tuberculosis test results if applicable, and proof of English language ability.
6. Pay the visa application fee and await a decision, which is typically issued within three weeks for standard applications.

Avoiding Unlicensed Sponsors

Always verify that any care home offering you a sponsorship opportunity appears on the current Home Office register before accepting a job offer or paying any fees. Working with an unlicensed sponsor can result in a visa refusal and may affect future applications. Legitimate employers will never charge workers for a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Recent Changes Affecting Care Home Sponsorship

The UK Government introduced significant changes to the Health and Care Worker visa route in 2024, following concerns about abuse of the system and the exploitation of overseas workers. These changes directly affect care home sponsors and applicants.

Care Sector Sponsorship Restrictions Introduced in 2024

• From March 2024, sponsors in the care sector must be registered with the CQC (in England) to sponsor workers for care worker and senior care worker roles.
• Care workers can no longer bring dependants to the UK under the Health and Care Worker visa route, following rule changes effective from March 2024.
• The Home Office increased compliance checks on care home sponsors, resulting in a higher number of licence suspensions and revocations.
• Salary thresholds for most Skilled Worker roles increased in April 2024, though transitional arrangements apply in some cases.

Impact on Existing Sponsored Workers

Overseas care workers already in the UK and sponsored by a care home that subsequently loses its licence may need to find a new sponsor or leave the UK. It is important for workers to stay informed about their employer's licence status and to seek advice promptly if they receive notice of any compliance action against their sponsor.

Responsibilities of Care Home Sponsors

Holding a sponsor licence comes with ongoing legal obligations. Care homes must actively manage their sponsored workforce and report changes to the Home Office through the Sponsor Management System (SMS).

Core Sponsor Duties

• Report any sponsored worker who does not turn up for their first day of work
• Report changes to a worker's role, salary or working hours where these are significant
• Report if a worker's employment ends before their visa expires
• Carry out right to work checks before employment begins and at renewal
• Maintain up-to-date contact details and personnel records for all sponsored workers
• Cooperate with Home Office compliance visits

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check if a care home has a valid Tier 2 sponsor licence?

Download the monthly register of licensed sponsors from GOV.UK and search for the care home by name or location. The register is updated regularly and shows all organisations currently licensed to sponsor Skilled Workers.

Can a small care home apply for a sponsor licence?

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