The organisation Free Movement have published an article detailing how the addition of social care workers to the Health and Care visa and Shortage Occupation List will mean that people who have been waiting over a year for a decision on an asylum claim can apply for permission to work in these roles.
In December 2021 the UK government announced that it planned to add social care workers to the Health and Care visa and Shortage Occupation List with the change due to come into force in February 2022 as suggested by this Letter to the Migration Advisory Committee about care workers and home carers.
The Home Office has described this as a temporary measure, in place for a minimum of 12 months. During that period, all roles within SOC Code 6145 will be eligible for sponsorship at a minimum salary of £20,480: care assistant, care worker, carer, home care assistant, home carer and support worker (nursing home).
While the exact date for adding care workers to the shortage list has not yet been announced, Free Movement are encouraging applications now and have written an article outlining the process for applying for permission to work.
