UK Caregiver Visa Sponsorship Costs: Salary Rules, CoS Checks, Employer Requirements and Applicant Expenses

Anyone researching UK caregiver visa sponsorship costs in 2026 needs to answer an eligibility question before comparing fees.

The rules for care workers changed substantially in July 2025. New overseas applications under occupation codes 6135 and 6136 are no longer generally available. That means a person should not pay for a supposed Certificate of Sponsorship, recruitment package or visa service until establishing that the proposed sponsorship is actually permitted under the current rules.

For eligible cases, the financial picture also needs to be separated carefully. Sponsor licence charges and Certificate of Sponsorship costs belong on the employer side. Visa application fees and certain personal documents may fall on the worker. Maintenance funds are financial evidence rather than another government fee.

This guide examines those distinctions, together with salary requirements, employer checks, CoS details and financial red flags.

Rules and government fees checked: September 2026.

Is There Actually a “UK Caregiver Visa”?

“UK caregiver visa” is a common search term, but it is not the name of a separate UK immigration category.

Care workers and senior care workers have historically been sponsored through the Skilled Worker framework and, where the relevant conditions are satisfied, can fall within the Health and Care Worker visa arrangements.

The relevant occupation codes are:

• 6135 — Care workers and home carers
• 6136 — Senior care workers

A job title by itself does not determine eligibility. Terms such as “caregiver,” “carer,” “care assistant” or “support worker” do not automatically mean that the role can be sponsored under one of these occupation codes.

The actual duties, working arrangement, salary, employer and occupation code all matter.

Can a Care Worker Still Be Sponsored in the UK?

Yes in certain circumstances, but the answer depends heavily on where the worker is and their existing immigration position.

Applicant outside the UK

New entry-clearance sponsorship under occupation codes 6135 and 6136 is no longer generally available.

The change took effect on 22 July 2025. A sponsor cannot simply obtain a new Defined Certificate of Sponsorship for an overseas applicant under these two care occupation codes.

This distinction is especially important for people seeing advertisements that still promise a new “UK caregiver visa sponsorship from overseas.”

Before paying anyone, the applicant should confirm whether the advertised role is actually under a different eligible occupation code, whether another legitimate immigration route applies, or whether the advertisement is based on outdated rules.

Applicant already in the UK

Certain workers already legally present in the UK may still qualify under transitional provisions.

The applicable rules can depend on the worker’s current immigration permission, whether they are already legally working for the proposed sponsor, and whether they are an existing sponsored care worker.

Being physically present in the UK does not by itself create eligibility.

Existing sponsored care worker

Someone who already has Skilled Worker permission in a qualifying care occupation can be in a different position from a new applicant.

Extensions and changes of sponsor may remain possible when the applicable requirements are satisfied. A worker changing employer normally needs a new Certificate of Sponsorship and must update their immigration permission before starting work under the new sponsorship where required.

Individual cases should be checked against current Home Office rules rather than assumptions based on an older visa approval.

The Three-Month Employment Requirement for Some In-Country Applicants

One important transitional route applies to certain applicants who are already legally working for the proposed sponsor.

Where this provision is relied upon, the worker generally needs to have been legally working for that sponsor in occupation code 6135 or 6136 for at least the three months ending on the date the Certificate of Sponsorship is assigned.

The application must also be for permission to stay in the UK rather than entry clearance.

This transitional provision is currently scheduled to run until 22 July 2028.

The rule should not be simplified to “work for three months and sponsorship is guaranteed.”

The employer, vacancy, occupation code, salary, immigration status, CoS and all other Skilled Worker requirements still need to satisfy the applicable rules.

Existing workers who already hold continuous Skilled Worker permission in the relevant care occupations may fall under separate transitional provisions.

UK Care Worker Sponsorship Salary Rules

Salary is one of the most important parts of a care sponsorship audit.

For qualifying care workers and senior care workers using the Health and Care Worker route, the current minimum is generally:

£25,000 per year and at least £12.82 per hour.

Both tests matter.

A contract offering exactly £25,000 annually is not automatically compliant if the number of paid contractual hours produces an hourly rate below the applicable minimum.

Where the worker does not qualify for Health and Care Worker treatment but can otherwise be sponsored under the standard Skilled Worker rules, the relevant threshold for these occupations can instead be:

£33,400 per year and at least £17.13 per hour.

The correct salary treatment depends on the immigration route and circumstances of the application.

Why Annual Salary Alone Is Not Enough

Suppose a job offer advertises an annual salary of £25,500.

At first glance, that appears to exceed a £25,000 annual threshold. But the worker should also inspect the contractual paid hours.

As a basic screening calculation:

Annual salary ÷ annual contractual paid hours = approximate hourly rate

If a worker is contracted for 40 paid hours each week:

40 × 52 = 2,080 hours

£25,500 ÷ 2,080 = approximately £12.26 per hour.

That simple screening figure would be below £12.82.

This does not replace the Home Office’s formal salary calculations, but it demonstrates why salary should never be reviewed in isolation.

Workers should also check whether meal breaks are paid, whether hours are genuinely guaranteed, how overtime is treated and whether the salary shown on the CoS matches the employment contract.

What to Check in a Sponsored Care Job Offer

A compliant-looking headline salary is only one part of the offer.

Job-offer item	What to examine
Annual salary	Confirm the guaranteed gross salary
Hourly rate	Check it against the applicable immigration threshold
Weekly hours	Confirm the contractual paid hours
Guaranteed hours	Distinguish guaranteed work from estimated availability
Overtime	Check the rate and whether overtime is compulsory
Job duties	Confirm they genuinely match the occupation code
Work location	Verify the actual sites where work will be performed
Occupation code	Confirm whether 6135, 6136 or another code is being used
Start date	Compare the contract with the CoS
Deductions	Review accommodation, transport and other deductions
Probation	Check whether pay or hours change during probation
Repayment clauses	Identify expenses the employer says may be recovered
Driving requirement	Calculate vehicle-related costs separately if relevant

A difference between the advertisement, employment contract and Certificate of Sponsorship should be resolved before the visa application is submitted.

What a Certificate of Sponsorship Actually Is

A Certificate of Sponsorship, or CoS, is an electronic sponsorship record created by a licensed sponsor.

It is not a physical certificate that an applicant should purchase from a recruiter.

The basic relationship is:

Licensed employer → Certificate of Sponsorship → worker’s visa application

A CoS contains information that directly affects the immigration application, including the employer, role, occupation code, salary and sponsorship period.

Receiving a CoS does not guarantee that a visa application will be approved.

CoS Checks to Complete Before Submitting the Visa Application

Before relying on a CoS, compare it carefully with the actual job offer.

Check:

• the sponsor’s legal name;
• sponsor licence information;
• occupation code;
• job title and duties;
• annual salary;
• weekly hours;
• principal work location;
• employment start and end dates;
• whether Health and Care Worker treatment is being claimed;
• whether the sponsor has certified maintenance where relevant.

A mismatch should be raised with the employer before an immigration application is filed.

How to Check Whether the Employer Can Sponsor You

A legitimate company is not automatically a licensed immigration sponsor.

The employer should appear on the Home Office Register of Licensed Sponsors for the relevant Worker route.

A Companies House record, polished website, recruitment email or WhatsApp conversation is not sufficient evidence that an organisation can sponsor a Skilled Worker.

For occupation codes 6135 and 6136 where the working location includes England, there is an additional requirement: the sponsor must be undertaking a regulated activity and hold active registration with the Care Quality Commission.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own care-sector regulators, so CQC requirements should not automatically be applied to every care role across the UK.

What the Care Provider Must Have in Place

A legitimate sponsorship arrangement requires more than simply issuing a job offer.

Depending on the case, the employer may need:

• a valid sponsor licence;
• authority to sponsor under the relevant route;
• a genuine vacancy;
• the correct occupation code;
• compliant salary and working arrangements;
• appropriate sponsorship records and reporting systems;
• CQC registration and regulated activity where required for work in England;
• a genuine employer-worker relationship.

Sponsor compliance can continue after the worker receives immigration permission. Employers have ongoing reporting and record-keeping responsibilities.

What Sponsorship Can Cost the Employer

Employer sponsorship expenses should not be mixed with the worker’s personal visa budget.

Employer cost	Current position	Who normally pays?
Worker sponsor licence	£611 small/charitable; £1,682 medium/large	Employer
Worker Certificate of Sponsorship	£525	Employer
Immigration Skills Charge	May apply depending on circumstances	Employer
Sponsor compliance systems	Business expense varies	Employer
Employer immigration/legal support	Depends on service arrangement	Employer
Recruitment and HR administration	Business expense varies	Employer

The sponsor licence fee is an organisational cost rather than a separate fee charged for every sponsored worker.

The Immigration Skills Charge, where applicable, currently starts at £480 for the first 12 months for a small or charitable sponsor and £1,320 for a medium or large sponsor, with further charges based on the sponsorship period.

Exceptions can apply, so the employer must determine whether the charge is due in the particular case.

Sponsorship Fees the Worker Should Not Be Asked to Pay

A worker should not treat payment for a CoS as a normal part of obtaining sponsorship.

The Home Office requires sponsors to pay specified sponsorship-system costs themselves.

These include the Certificate of Sponsorship fee and, where applicable, the Immigration Skills Charge. Sponsor licence fees and associated sponsor-application costs are also employer-side responsibilities.

An applicant being asked to “buy a CoS,” repay the Immigration Skills Charge or cover the sponsor’s licence fee should treat the request as a serious compliance red flag and verify it before transferring money.

This does not mean that every expense connected with relocation or immigration must be paid by the employer. The important issue is identifying what is genuinely an applicant expense and what belongs to the sponsorship system.

What the Care Worker May Need to Pay Personally

The current Health and Care Worker visa application fee is:

Visa length	Application fee per person
Up to 3 years	£324
More than 3 years	£628

Other applicant-side expenses can arise depending on the individual’s circumstances.

These may include English-language evidence, passport costs, certified translations, immigration advice voluntarily obtained and certain required documents.

Travel, accommodation and relocation expenses are a separate financial category again.

Not every applicant will incur every expense.

Does a Health and Care Worker Pay the Immigration Health Surcharge?

A qualifying applicant applying under the Health and Care Worker visa is currently exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge.

That can make a significant difference to the total immigration budget.

However, working somewhere in the healthcare or social-care sector does not automatically create the exemption.

The applicant must qualify for the Health and Care Worker visa arrangements. Someone applying under another immigration category should not assume the same IHS treatment applies.

The £1,270 Maintenance Requirement: Fee or Financial Evidence?

The £1,270 maintenance requirement is not normally a payment made to the Home Office.

It is financial evidence.

Where the requirement applies, the applicant generally needs to show at least £1,270 available to support themselves.

The money normally needs to have been held for at least 28 consecutive days, with the final day falling within the permitted period before the application.

An applicant may not need to provide this evidence where, for example, they have already been in the UK with valid permission for at least 12 months or the sponsor properly certifies maintenance on the Certificate of Sponsorship.

This distinction is important when calculating a visa budget.

A £324 application fee is money paid.

A £1,270 maintenance requirement may instead be money that needs to be demonstrably available.

English Requirement and Possible Testing Costs

English-language evidence can create another applicant-side expense, but not every worker needs to purchase an English test.

Under current Skilled Worker rules, many first applications require English at CEFR level B2.

Transitional treatment exists for some people who already held the route before the English requirement changed. For example, certain extensions or updates by people who held the relevant visa before 8 January 2026 can continue under B1 requirements.

English may be demonstrated through different permitted methods, depending on the applicant.

Possible routes can include an accepted qualification, eligible degree evidence, an approved Secure English Language Test or an applicable exemption.

Because approved test prices vary by provider and location, the price should be checked directly with an approved provider rather than estimated using an unofficial “average IELTS cost.”

Documents That Can Add to the Application Budget

Depending on the application, additional document costs can include:

• certified translations;
• passport renewal;
• English or qualification assessment;
• criminal-record documentation;
• tuberculosis testing where the immigration rules require it;
• optional document scanning or premium service charges.

Applicants should distinguish between a document required by the immigration rules and an optional convenience service sold by a commercial provider.

The requirement for TB tests and criminal-record certificates depends on the applicant’s circumstances and application type. Their existence should not be interpreted as evidence that new overseas applications under care worker codes 6135 or 6136 have reopened.

Visa Cost Is Not the Same as Moving Cost

Immigration fees are only one part of the financial impact of accepting a sponsored job.

Possible relocation expenses can include:

• travel;
• checked baggage;
• temporary accommodation;
• tenancy deposit;
• local transport;
• food before the first salary;
• mobile service;
• basic household setup.

These are not sponsorship fees.

A worker comparing two employment offers should therefore calculate at least three separate figures:

Employer sponsorship costs

Personal immigration costs

Personal relocation costs

Combining all three into one “caregiver visa price” makes it much harder to identify improper charges.

If the Care Job Requires Driving, Calculate That Separately

Driving can materially change the economics of some domiciliary care jobs.

Where a role requires a worker to travel between clients, the employment offer should explain what is expected.

Potential personal costs may include driving-licence requirements, lessons or testing, insurance, fuel, vehicle financing or leasing, maintenance and other motoring expenses.

Not every care job requires a car, and workers should not assume these costs until the employment conditions are clear.

Read Any Repayment Clause Before Accepting the Job

Some employers provide financial assistance with relocation, training or other expenses and include a repayment clause if the employee leaves within a specified period.

That is different from simply charging a worker for costs that the sponsor is required to bear.

Before signing, identify exactly what the clause covers.

It might refer to relocation assistance, optional training, accommodation advances or another employer-funded benefit.

A significant or unclear repayment clause may justify independent employment or immigration legal advice before the worker commits to the contract.

Whether a particular clause is enforceable depends on its wording and the surrounding facts, so blanket assumptions should be avoided.

Care Worker Dependant Rules Can Change the Family Budget

Family costs should not be calculated until dependant eligibility has been established.

Care workers and senior care workers under occupation codes 6135 and 6136 now face specific restrictions on bringing partners and children as dependants.

Important transitional exceptions exist, including for certain workers who have been continuously employed in the UK and sponsored in a qualifying care role since before 11 March 2024, as well as limited child-related situations.

A new care worker should therefore not automatically build partner and child visa fees into a financial plan.

Eligibility needs to be checked first.

Payments That Should Trigger Extra Checks

Not every unusual payment proves fraud, but the following situations deserve additional verification:

• a promise of a “guaranteed CoS” in exchange for payment;
• an employer asking the worker to pay the £525 CoS fee;
• a request to reimburse the Immigration Skills Charge;
• a sponsor licence fee passed to the worker;
• a large unexplained job-placement payment;
• money requested through an individual’s personal bank account without a clear contractual reason;
• a salary on the contract that differs from the CoS;
• job duties materially different from the advertised role;
• unexplained accommodation or transport deductions;
• promises of new overseas 6135 or 6136 sponsorship despite the current restrictions.

A red flag should trigger verification rather than an automatic accusation.

UK Care Sponsorship Cost Breakdown

Cost or requirement	Employer side	Applicant side	Can vary or be unnecessary?	Verify before paying?
Sponsor licence	Yes	No	Yes, by organisation type	Yes
Certificate of Sponsorship	Yes	No	Fee applies when assigned	Yes
Immigration Skills Charge	Yes, where applicable	No	Yes	Yes
Visa application	Employer may assist	Normally yes	By visa length	Yes
Immigration Health Surcharge	No payment on qualifying Health and Care route	Exempt	Route-dependent	Yes
£1,270 maintenance funds	Sponsor may certify maintenance	Evidence may be required	Yes	Yes
English test	Employer may assist	May be applicant cost	Often unnecessary if other evidence qualifies	Yes
Translation	Employer may assist	May be applicant cost	Yes	Yes
TB test	Normally no	May apply in relevant cases	Yes	Yes
Criminal-record documentation	Normally no	May apply	Yes	Yes
Travel	Depends on employment package	Often applicant	Yes	Yes
Initial accommodation	Depends on employment package	Often applicant	Yes	Yes
Legal advice	Depends	Depends	Optional in many cases	Yes

The most important point is that financial evidence should not be presented as though it were another government fee.

Employer Side vs Applicant Side

The money flow should generally be understood like this:

Employer side

Sponsor licence → Certificate of Sponsorship → applicable Immigration Skills Charge → compliance and recruitment administration

Applicant side

Visa application → required personal evidence and documents → optional professional advice → personal relocation costs

An employer can voluntarily pay some applicant expenses, but that does not reverse the rule that employer sponsorship-system charges remain employer responsibilities.

Illustrative Budget Scenarios

Scenario A: Eligible in-country worker with maintenance certified

An eligible worker already in the UK receives a CoS for a two-year Health and Care Worker visa.

The employer certifies maintenance.

The applicant’s core Home Office application fee would currently be £324. The applicant would not separately pay the CoS fee or Immigration Skills Charge and would not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge on the qualifying Health and Care Worker route.

Any translation, legal advice or relocation expenses would depend on the individual case.

Scenario B: Applicant must provide English or document evidence

Another eligible in-country worker needs to provide additional English-language evidence or obtain certified translations.

The visa application fee remains one part of the budget, but commercial test or document-service costs need to be added separately.

If the £1,270 maintenance requirement applies, the amount should be treated as required available funds rather than automatically added as a government charge.

Scenario C: Existing sponsored care worker changes employer

An existing sponsored care worker accepts a compliant role with a new licensed sponsor.

The new employer assigns the required CoS and pays the employer-side sponsorship charges.

The worker may need to make and pay for an application to update their immigration permission. Salary, employer status, occupation code and the new CoS should all be checked before the worker changes employment.

A Practical Pre-Application Audit

Before committing money to a care sponsorship opportunity, a prospective worker should be able to answer five questions.

First, is the application legally available under the current rules?

Second, does the employer actually have the required sponsor and care-sector permissions?

Third, does the salary satisfy both the applicable annual and hourly requirements?

Fourth, does the CoS match the real employment contract?

Fifth, is each requested payment being charged to the correct party?

If one of those questions cannot be answered clearly, spending more money on the application may be premature.

For more information, check the official UK register to verify licensed sponsors:

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the UK still giving caregiver visa sponsorship in 2026?

Care worker and senior care worker sponsorship has not disappeared completely, but new entry-clearance sponsorship under occupation codes 6135 and 6136 is no longer generally available. Certain eligible applicants already in the UK and existing sponsored care workers may still qualify under current transitional rules.

Can I apply for a UK care worker visa from overseas?

New sponsorship for entry clearance under occupation codes 6135 and 6136 closed from 22 July 2025. An overseas advertisement should therefore be checked carefully to establish the actual occupation code and immigration route before any money is paid.

How much must a sponsored UK care worker earn?

For qualifying Health and Care Worker sponsorship under codes 6135 and 6136, the current minimum is generally £25,000 per year and £12.82 per hour. Where standard Skilled Worker salary treatment applies instead, the relevant figures can be £33,400 and £17.13 per hour.

How much does a Certificate of Sponsorship cost?

The current Worker Certificate of Sponsorship fee is £525. This is an employer-side sponsorship cost.

Can my employer ask me to pay for my CoS?

The sponsor is required to pay the Certificate of Sponsorship fee itself. A request for the sponsored worker to pay or reimburse it should trigger further checks.

Does a care worker pay the Immigration Health Surcharge?

A qualifying Health and Care Worker visa applicant is exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Do I need £1,270 in addition to the visa fee?

Where the maintenance requirement applies, £1,270 is generally evidence that funds are available rather than another fee paid to the government. Exemptions can apply, including where the sponsor certifies maintenance or the applicant satisfies the relevant UK residence condition.

Does a care employer need CQC registration?

For workers sponsored under occupation codes 6135 or 6136 whose working location includes England, the sponsor must be undertaking a regulated activity and hold active CQC registration. Different care-sector regulators operate in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Can a sponsored care worker bring dependants?

Special restrictions apply to care workers and senior care workers. Transitional exceptions exist for certain existing sponsored workers and limited family situations, so dependant eligibility should be confirmed before calculating family visa costs.

How can I check whether a UK care sponsorship offer is genuine?

Check the employer against the Home Office Register of Licensed Sponsors. For relevant care work in England, also verify the provider’s CQC status. Then compare the CoS, employment contract, salary, occupation code, working hours and requested payments.

This guide provides general educational information and is not personalised immigration or legal advice.