The Home Office has published further detail on the net migration measures introduced by the Home Secretary, James Cleverly MP at the start of December.
We outlined the key points for the social care sector when the changes were first announced here.
The updated information is as follows:
- “Care workers (SOC[2] code 6145) and senior care workers (SOC code 6146) already in the route will be able to remain with their dependants, including extending, changing employer (within these SOC codes) and settlement.
- “Where a care worker or senior care worker is in the route before the Immigration Rules change, but has not yet brought dependants, they will be allowed to bring dependants during their sponsorship (on this visa).
- “Individuals who are in the UK on any other route, including where that route permits dependants, who switch into the care visa as a care worker or senior care worker after this date, will not be able to stay with (or bring over) dependants.
- “Care providers who were sponsoring workers in exclusively non-regulated activities (and therefore not required to be registered with the CQC) before the rules change should be able to continue to sponsor these workers, including for extensions to their visa on those terms, but not hire new ones.”
These changes will come into effect in the new year.
Additionally, changes to the minimum salary threshold, a reminder that those on the Health and Social Care Visa route are exempt from these changes, will be implemented in April 2024.
The Shortage Occupation List (SOL) will be renamed the Immigration Salary List. In January 2024, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) will review the list against the new salary thresholds, with the aim of reducing the number of occupations on the list.
The current Shortage Occupation List will remain in place until the new salary thresholds are put in place in late Spring.
Today the Home Office said: “Until the Immigration Rules are amended, the current thresholds and policies remain in place. Full details of transitional provisions will be set out next year when further policy details will be announced.”
More information can be found here.
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