UK Care Workers: 14 September 2026 UKVI Guidance Update Protects Visas When Sponsor Licence Is Revoked

UK Care Worker Visa Update | SOC 6135 & 6136 | September 2026

On 14 September 2026, the Home Office’s Cancellation and Curtailment of Permission caseworker guidance was updated to include a new temporary arrangement for adult social care workers. It instructs UKVI caseworkers not to cancel the immigration permission of certain Care Workers and Senior Care Workers where the only reason for cancellation would be that their employer’s sponsor licence has been revoked.

This is a targeted protection for people already in the UK on the Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker route in the affected care roles. It is not a visa extension, it is not an open work permit, and it is not a permanent rule change.

What the New Rule Actually Says

Under this arrangement, a UKVI caseworker must not cancel a person’s permission where all of the following apply:

• they hold permission on the Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker route;
• they are sponsored as a Care Worker (SOC 6135 or 6145) or Senior Care Worker (SOC 6136 or 6146); and
• the sole reason for cancellation would be that the sponsor’s licence has been revoked.

If UKVI has any other reason to cancel — for example, suspected deception, a criminal matter, or the worker being knowingly involved in the conduct that caused the licence loss — the normal cancellation rules still apply.

Which SOC Codes Are Covered

Both current and previous SOC codes are recognised in the guidance because Certificates of Sponsorship have been issued under different SOC classifications over the years.

Can I Keep Working in UK Care During This Time?

This is the question we are hearing most often, and the answer needs care.

The new rule protects your immigration permission — you are not being asked to leave the UK simply because your sponsor lost its licence. But it does not give you an automatic right to keep working for that sponsor. When a sponsor licence is revoked, the sponsor cannot lawfully employ you under the Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker route, and your Certificate of Sponsorship is treated as cancelled.

If you want to continue working in the care sector, you will normally need a new licensed sponsor to issue you a fresh Certificate of Sponsorship, and, in most cases, a new Skilled Worker application before you start the new sponsored role.

Your precise right to work position — including whether you can work at all during any gap between sponsors — depends on your individual visa conditions and any correspondence you receive from UKVI. Do not assume; check.

What We Encourage Displaced Care Workers to Do Now

If your care employer’s sponsor licence has been revoked, take these steps as soon as possible:

1. Read every letter and email from UKVI carefully. The temporary arrangement stops permission being cancelled solely because of licence revocation, but you may still receive UKVI correspondence about your position.
2. Confirm your SOC code. Only SOC 6135, 6136, 6145 and 6146 are covered by this specific protection.
3. Check the exact licence status. Revoked, suspended and “under review” are different situations with different consequences.
4. Note your visa expiry date. The new rule does not extend your permission — your existing expiry date still applies.
5. Look for a new licensed sponsor early. New overseas applications for SOC 6135 and 6136 closed on 22 July 2025, but transitional arrangements continue until 22 July 2028 for eligible workers already in the UK.
6. Access official regional support. Regional adult social care support arrangements are available in England to displaced international care workers, covering visa guidance, sponsor matching, financial and wellbeing support.
7. Consider ILR eligibility. If you are approaching five years of continuous residence, take advice on your qualifying period and options.
8. Get individual immigration advice before making any decisions about employment, travel, or a new application.

Do not rely on WhatsApp groups or social media summaries. Every case turns on its own facts.

This Is a Temporary Arrangement — Subject to Regular Review

The Home Office has expressly described this measure as a temporary arrangement, kept under regular review. It is designed to prevent unfair cancellation of care workers’ permission during a period of heavy compliance action against sponsors, and it could be tightened, widened, or withdrawn at any time.

Nothing in this rule changes the underlying position:

• You still need a valid licensed sponsor to work in a Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker role.
• Your visa still has a fixed expiry date.
• If you want to change employer, you still normally need a new Certificate of Sponsorship and a Skilled Worker application before starting the new role.

Treat this as breathing space to organise your next step, not as a settled long-term position.

Need Help Reviewing Your Position?

At WESolutions, we can review your Health and Care Worker visa position, confirm your SOC code, check the licence status of your current or prospective sponsor, advise on right to work, help you identify a compliant new sponsor, and assess your Skilled Worker extension or ILR eligibility.

Contact us early — the sooner you understand your options, the more of them you still have.

Official source
Home Office: Cancellation and Curtailment of Permission — caseworker guidance. Temporary arrangement for adult social care workers following sponsor licence revocation, reflected in the guidance updated on 14 September 2026.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-status-and-enforcement-action-caseworker-guidance/cancellation-and-curtailment-of-permission-accessible

Disclaimer
This article provides general immigration information and is not legal advice. The Home Office describes the September 2026 arrangement as temporary and subject to regular review. Individual circumstances and future Home Office guidance may affect how the provisions apply.