UK Care Worker Visa Curbs Leave Zimbabweans, Nigerians Facing 2028 Switch

Home Office figures show that Nigerian and Zimbabwean nationals received a combined 120,692 Health and Care Worker visa extensions in the year ending March 2026, even as the United Kingdom tightens immigration rules for the sector. Proposed changes could require existing care workers to move to a different visa route from July 2028, with higher salary requirements and a longer path to permanent residency.

Key facts

• Nigerian nationals received 89,575 Health and Care Worker visa extensions in the year ending March 2026; Zimbabwean nationals received 31,117.
• India recorded the highest number of extensions at 107,306.
• The UK ended new overseas recruitment of care workers through the Health and Care Worker visa route in July 2025.
• Proposed changes could require existing workers to switch to the Skilled Worker route from July 2028.
• Separate settlement reforms could extend the standard qualifying period for permanent residency from five to 10 years.

What is changing?

The UK ended new overseas recruitment of care workers through the Health and Care Worker visa route in July 2025, following a period of rapid recruitment from abroad, particularly from South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Existing workers could still apply to extend their permission to stay, which is why extension numbers have remained high.

Home Office immigration statistics for the year ending March 2026 show Health and Care Worker visas issued to main applicants and dependants fell 38% year-on-year to 42,658. Visas granted to workers in caring personal service occupations dropped 82%, from 107,772 in the year ending December 2023 to 1,397 in the year ending March 2026.

Who is affected?

Nigerian and Zimbabwean nationals are among the largest groups using the route, holding the second- and third-highest numbers of extensions behind India. The Home Office figures cover extensions rather than new arrivals, and the source notes they do not establish how many workers will be directly affected by the government's changes.

When do the new rules start?

No firm start date has been confirmed. Proposed changes could require existing workers to switch to the Skilled Worker route from July 2028, potentially exposing them to higher salary requirements. Separate settlement reforms could extend the standard qualifying period for permanent residency from five to 10 years.

What this means for travellers

Care providers say tighter immigration rules could make it harder to recruit and retain overseas staff, according to Bloomberg. For migrant workers, uncertainty over future visa arrangements and settlement prospects could complicate decisions about remaining in Britain. Workers already in the UK on Health and Care Worker visas should watch for confirmation of the proposed July 2028 switch and any settlement changes.

The UK's adult social care sector is valued at £15 billion. The source states that the number of workers directly affected by the latest restrictions remains unclear, and no further dates or transition details have been announced.