Knowledge Base · Health & Care Worker Visa
Care Worker Sponsorship Verification
Care work is one of the most targeted occupations for UK sponsorship fraud because of high demand and a lower salary threshold (£23,200) than the general Skilled Worker route. Before accepting a care sector job offer, confirm the employer is on the UKVI Register of Licensed Sponsors, check the salary meets the Health and Care Worker threshold, and never pay any fee for your Certificate of Sponsorship.
Why care work is a frequent fraud target
The UK care sector has faced significant staffing shortages, leading to genuine high demand for sponsored workers — and creating an opening for fraudsters who exploit that demand with fake job offers. The Health and Care Worker visa threshold (£23,200) is also lower than the general Skilled Worker route (£38,700), which scammers use to make fraudulent offers appear more "accessible" to applicants.
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- Confirm the care home, agency, or domiciliary care provider appears on the UKVI Register of Licensed Sponsors under its exact registered name.
- Check the licence is active and not suspended — several care providers have had licences revoked for compliance breaches in recent years.
- Confirm the salary offer meets the £23,200 Health and Care Worker threshold (or the relevant going rate, if higher).
- Verify the SOC code matches a genuine care occupation, not a mismatched or invented job title.
- Run the actual CoS document through an independent forensic check — see our fake CoS checker guide.
Red flags specific to care sector recruitment
Be especially cautious of: recruitment conducted entirely through informal messaging apps with no verifiable company domain, requests for "training fees" or "DBS check deposits" paid before arrival, promises of guaranteed sponsorship without an interview, and pressure to pay quickly to "secure" a limited number of CoS allocations.
SponsorShield is an independent verification support service. We are not OISC-regulated and do not provide immigration or legal advice. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to UKVI, GOV.UK, the Home Office, or any UK government body. This guide is general information only — always consult an OISC-registered immigration adviser before making immigration decisions. Never pay anyone for a Certificate of Sponsorship.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-19. Data sources: UKVI Register of Licensed Sponsors (gov.uk), Companies House public register, published Home Office salary thresholds. This page is informational only and does not reflect real-time UKVI data — always cross-check current status on gov.uk before relying on it.
Published by SponsorShield. Reviewed for verification accuracy against current UKVI and Companies House data. Not immigration or legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are care workers a common target for sponsorship scams?+
High UK demand for care staff, combined with a lower salary threshold (£23,200) than the general Skilled Worker route, makes care work an attractive route for fraudsters to advertise fake fast-track sponsorship to overseas applicants.
What is the salary threshold for a Health and Care Worker visa?+
As of April 2024, the threshold is £23,200 per year or the going rate for the specific care occupation code, whichever is higher. An offer significantly below this for a "guaranteed" sponsorship is a strong warning sign.
Can a care home lose its sponsor licence for overcharging workers?+
Yes. Several UK care sector employers have had sponsor licences revoked for passing recruitment and CoS costs onto sponsored workers, or for failing genuine vacancy requirements. Always check the current licence status, not just historic reputation.
What documents should I ask for from a care sector employer?+
Request the Certificate of Sponsorship reference, confirm the employer name matches exactly what appears on the UKVI Register of Licensed Sponsors, and ask for a written contract showing salary and hours that meet the visa threshold before paying any fee or travelling to the UK.
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