📌 Quick answer: No. Since 22 July 2025, UK employers can no longer sponsor care workers (occupation code 6135) or senior care workers (6136) from outside the UK, according to the Home Office’s sponsor guidance, so you cannot apply for a care worker visa from Nigeria. The route is only open to people already in the UK: those already sponsored as care workers can extend or change employer, and people on other visas can switch if they have worked legally as a care worker for that employer for at least 3 months, with applications allowed until 22 July 2028. Anyone selling a “care worker sponsorship” to people in Nigeria is offering something the rules no longer allow.
For several years the UK care worker visa was one of the most popular ways for Nigerians to move abroad. Thousands of Nigerian nurses, caregivers and graduates found jobs in UK care homes and home-care agencies through the Health and Care Worker visa.
That door closed in July 2025. The UK government said it was ending overseas recruitment for care workers because of widespread abuse and exploitation of workers, and it raised the skill and salary requirements for most other work visas at the same time. Many Nigerians are still being offered “care jobs with visa sponsorship” on WhatsApp, Facebook and TikTok. This guide explains what the official rules actually say, using only UK government sources.
What Changed on 22 July 2025
| Change | What it means |
|---|---|
| Overseas recruitment of care workers and senior care workers closed | Employers cannot sponsor someone outside the UK for these jobs |
| In-country switching kept for a transition period | People already in the UK can switch into these jobs until 22 July 2028 |
| Skill level for Skilled Worker visas raised to RQF level 6 (graduate level) | The UK government said 111 occupations lost access to the route |
| General Skilled Worker salary threshold raised | Now £41,700 a year, according to GOV.UK |
| Lower-skilled jobs limited to shortage lists | Jobs below RQF 6 only qualify if on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List, and those workers cannot bring dependants |
The government said existing care workers who were already sponsored could continue to extend their stay, change sponsors and apply to settle, including those who need a new employer because their old sponsor lost its licence.
Who Can Still Get a Care Worker Visa
| Your situation | Can you be sponsored as a care worker? |
|---|---|
| You are in Nigeria (or anywhere outside the UK) | No. Entry clearance for these jobs closed on 22 July 2025 |
| You are in the UK, already sponsored as a Skilled Worker care worker or senior care worker | Yes, you can extend with your employer or move to a new sponsor, if you have held continuous Skilled Worker permission |
| You are in the UK on another visa that lets you work in care, and have worked for the employer as a care worker for at least 3 months | Yes, you can switch, but you must apply by 22 July 2028 |
| You are in the UK and have never worked as a care worker for the sponsoring employer | No, unless you meet one of the conditions above |
The Home Office says it will keep the 22 July 2028 date under review, so it could change. If you are in the UK and relying on the transition, do not leave it late.
The Salary and Employer Rules for Care Workers
For those who can still be sponsored, the Home Office guidance sets these conditions:
- Minimum pay: a care worker or senior care worker on a Health and Care visa must be paid at least £25,000 a year and at least £12.82 for every hour worked.
- Registered employer: in England, the sponsor must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and the worker must be doing a regulated activity. The guidance says applications are refused if this is not met.
- Evidence of work: for switchers, the employer must keep proof, such as payslips or a contract, that the worker had been working for them for at least three months before the Certificate of Sponsorship was assigned.
What Nigerians Can Still Apply for From Nigeria
The care route closing does not close the UK completely. Other routes still exist, but they are harder and usually need a degree-level job:
| Route | Who it suits | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Health and Care Worker visa (for professional roles) | Qualified doctors, nurses and other health professionals with a UK job offer | Applicants and their families do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, according to GOV.UK |
| Skilled Worker visa | Graduates with a job offer at RQF level 6 or above from a licensed UK sponsor | General salary threshold of £41,700 a year; GOV.UK says some applicants may qualify from £33,400 if they do not work in healthcare or education |
| Student visa | People admitted to a UK university course | See our UK student visa guide |
Nurses need registration with the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council before they can work as registered nurses, and every route needs proof of English. Our guide to the IELTS fee in Nigeria explains which version of the test UK visas need.
Nigeria is on the UK’s “red list” for health recruitment
The UK’s code of practice for international recruitment of health and social care staff uses the World Health Organization’s Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List as its “red list”. Nigeria is on it. Under the code, recruiters and employers must not actively target health and care workers in red-list countries unless there is a government-to-government agreement. In practice, this is why genuine UK employers do not run recruitment drives in Nigeria for nurses and carers, and why anyone claiming to recruit “hundreds of carers from Nigeria” should make you suspicious.
How to Spot a Care Visa Scam
- They say you can apply from Nigeria. Since 22 July 2025 that is not possible for care worker or senior care worker jobs.
- They want money for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). A CoS is assigned by a licensed sponsor for a specific job. Paying an agent or “consultant” for one is a major warning sign.
- They promise a job without an interview or before you have any UK qualification or registration.
- The employer is not on the Home Office’s register of licensed sponsors, or the company name does not match the one on the offer letter.
- They pressure you to pay fast, or ask you to pay into a personal account.
The UK government has said hundreds of care providers had their licences to sponsor international staff suspended for abuse, and that many workers arrived to find the jobs they were promised did not exist. Before you pay anyone, check the employer on the UK government’s register of licensed sponsors and read the rules yourself on GOV.UK.
If You Are Already in the UK as a Care Worker
- Changing employer: you can move to another licensed sponsor and apply for further permission, as long as you have kept continuous Skilled Worker permission.
- Sponsor lost its licence: the government has said affected workers can find a new sponsor and continue.
- On a different visa and working in care: if you have worked for a care employer for at least three months, you may be able to switch, but apply before 22 July 2028 and check the latest guidance first.
What This Means for Your Japa Plans
For most Nigerians who planned to move as carers, the realistic options now are a degree-level skilled job, a professional health role (with registration), study, or another country altogether. Compare the alternatives in our guides to Canada Express Entry, the Germany Opportunity Card, the UK student visa and how to get a UK visa from Nigeria.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for a UK care worker visa from Nigeria in 2026?
No. Since 22 July 2025, UK employers cannot sponsor care workers or senior care workers from outside the UK.
Is the UK care worker visa closed completely?
Not for people already in the UK. Existing sponsored care workers can extend or change employer, and people on other visas who have worked as care workers for their employer for at least 3 months can switch until 22 July 2028.
What is the minimum salary for a care worker on a Health and Care visa?
At least £25,000 a year and at least £12.82 an hour, according to the Home Office’s sponsor guidance.
What is the Skilled Worker salary threshold now?
£41,700 a year in general, according to GOV.UK. Some applicants outside healthcare and education may qualify from £33,400.
Is Nigeria on the UK red list for health and care recruitment?
Yes. Recruiters and employers must not actively target health and care workers in Nigeria under the UK’s code of practice, unless a government-to-government agreement allows it.
Do Health and Care visa holders pay the Immigration Health Surcharge?
No. GOV.UK says Health and Care Worker visa applicants and their partners and children do not pay it.
Sources
- UK Visas and Immigration – “Workers and Temporary Workers: sponsor a skilled worker”, sections on care workers and senior care workers, GOV.UK, checked 1 November 2026
- UK Government – “Major immigration reforms delivered to restore order and control” and “Overseas recruitment for care workers to end”, Home Office announcements, GOV.UK
- GOV.UK – “Health and Care Worker visa” and “Skilled Worker visa: your job” guidance, checked 1 November 2026
- Department of Health and Social Care – “Code of practice for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel in England”, Annex A red list, GOV.UK
Last updated: 1 November 2026 · NaijaSabi Travel Desk. UK immigration rules change often; always check GOV.UK before you apply or pay anyone. This is general information, not legal advice.
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