With an ageing population and consistently high vacancy rates in social care, the UK offers excellent job prospects for qualified carers who want to move overseas to work.
But moving to a new country is a complex process. Finding a job, securing a visa and embracing a new culture can make the decision to move as daunting as it is exciting.
What does it take to move to the UK as a care worker?
In this article, we’ll give you a simple overview of:
- how to find UK care sector job opportunities online
- the process for getting a UK Health and Care Worker visa
- working in the UK care sector: opportunities vs. challenges
- where to find information and support on coming to the UK.
How to find UK care sector jobs online
There are a number of large, generalist job search websites that will be useful when you’re looking for a social care job in the UK, from another country. These include:
The online professional network LinkedIn is also commonly used by employers to post jobs and receive online applications.
For the social care sector, a number of specialist online job boards may prove even more helpful as you search for an appropriate role. These include:
- Find a job (from the The Department for Work and Pensions)
- carehomes.co.uk
- socialcare.co.uk
- jobs.communitycare.co.uk
Employers who are able to provide visa sponsorship will state this clearly on the job advert. Those who can’t provide sponsorship will often include a line like this:
We are unable to provide sponsorship and all applicants must have the right to work in the UK.
You can use the Care Visa Sponsor Database from the Autonomy Institute to check which care providers are licensed to sponsor workers’ visas (covers England only).
Applying for a UK Health and Care Worker visa
If you are not already eligible to work in the UK, you will need to obtain a Health and Care Worker visa before you can relocate and start working.
To apply for a Health and Care Worker visa, you must:
- be a qualified adult social care professional
- have a job offer for an eligible role from a Home Office-approved employer
- have a certificate of sponsorship from your new UK employer
- show that you will be paid a specific minimum wage in your new role
- be able to read, write, speak and understand English at a minimum standard
- have a minimum amount of savings to show you can support yourself.
Social care jobs that are eligible for the UK Health and Care Worker visa
Each job that is eligible for a Health and Care Worker visa is assigned a unique 4-digit code. Ask your UK employer for your job’s code, as you will need it to complete your application.
Here are some examples of eligible social care sector roles and their codes:
- Residential, day and domiciliary care managers (1232)
- Physiotherapists (2221)
- Occupational therapists (2222)
- Registered community nurses (2232)
- Registered mental health nurses (2235)
- Registered children’s nurses (2236)
- Other registered nursing professionals (including matron in a care home) (2237)
- Care workers and home carers (6135)
- Senior care workers (6136)
When you’re happy that your job and employer meet the criteria for a UK Health and Care Worker visa, you can start your visa application at the GOV.UK website.
Opportunities and challenges of working in the UK care sector
Moving to the UK to work in the social care sector can be a hugely rewarding and life-changing experience, but it can be a difficult and challenging move also.
Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of moving to the UK to work in social care.
Opportunities:
- High demand: The UK social care sector has serious staff shortage and retention problems, which means your skills and experience are desperately needed.
- Length of stay: Your visa can last for up to 5 years, at the end of which you could be eligible to apply for the right to live and work in the UK for as long as you like.
- Explore interests: Your visa entitles you to study and volunteer, so you can explore other interests outside of your employment while you live in the UK.
- Healthcare surcharge: Unlike most other UK visa holders, Health and Care Worker visa holders do not have to pay the yearly healthcare surcharge of £1,035.
Challenges:
- Family separation: If you’re moving to the UK for a position as a care worker or senior care worker, your partner and children will not be able to apply to join you.
- Cost of application: It costs £284 to apply for a 3-year visa, and £551 for one that lasts longer. You will also need to have at least £1,270 in your bank account.
- Keeping your job: If you lost your job, you would have just 60 days to find similar employment with another licenced sponsor before you would have to leave the UK.
- Changing jobs: Unless you update your visa, and pay the associated costs, you cannot change your job or employer under a Health and Care Worker visa.
Where to find more information on moving to the UK
For official information on the Health and Care Worker visa and to start your visa application online, you should visit the UK Government’s GOV.UK website.
For practical considerations on moving to the UK, this article from money transfer company Wise and this article from the Immigration Advice Service have some good tips.
And to hear from people who have built rewarding careers in care since moving to the UK, check out some of our great leaner stories:
- ‘I’m motivated to come to work every single day’: Healthcare assistant, Arpa
- ‘I want to start teaching others how to care for people’: Healthcare assistant, Ben
- ‘Caring for people is my passion’: Health support worker, Joan
Learn essential UK care skills for free with FuturU
Worried about having the experience and qualifications that UK employers are looking for? Learn new skills and gain confidence with our free online social care courses.
Every course meets at least the mandatory requirements set by the Care Quality Commission – the independent regulator of health and social care in England.
Our courses are also:
- Endorsed by Skills for Care – the strategic workforce development and planning body for adult social care in England
- CPD-accredited in most cases – which guarantees the quality of the course’s content, delivery, and outcomes
- Aligned with Skills for Health – the organisation committed to developing an improved and sustainable healthcare workforce.
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