If you are a foreign caregiver who has been looking for an opportunity to relocate to the UK and earn handsomely through your career, there is good news for you. There is an opportunity for you in the UK to earn up to £70,000 annually with other attractive perks. And guess what? There are numerous opportunities for foreign caregivers due to a shortage of caregivers in the UK, resulting in a massive recruitment effort to save lives.
Many UK agencies and companies are currently offering visa sponsorship opportunities and free relocation to foreign caregivers who are interested in working in the United Kingdom due to a drastic shortage of caregivers in that country. Caregiver visas in the UK are attractive because they enable international caregivers to relocate to the UK without incurring any costs. In addition to the high income and sponsored visa that foreign caregivers enjoy in the UK, they are also allowed to relocate their family to the UK if they want.
Suppose you are interested in getting a UK-sponsored caregiving job as a foreigner but don’t know where to start, well. In that case, there is no cause for alarm because we have designed this comprehensive article to guide you on UK visa sponsorship and the processes that you can follow to land your desired caregiver jobs in the UK. So, if you want to get a caregiver visa and earn £70,000 in the UK through your caregiver career, kindly go through this guide to start your application.
Why the UK Is Hiring Foreign Caregivers in 2025
There is a care worker crisis in the UK. UK citizens are resigning from caregiver jobs because most of them see the work as demeaning to their status. Due to this massive resignation by UK citizens, there are lots of vacancies to be filled in the caregiver sector in the country, which prompted the massive recruitment of foreign caregivers.
The UK caregiver shortage didn’t start today; it started post-Brexit (when the UK officially left the EU in 2020) when most of the caregivers left the UK for other EU countries but the shortage skyrocketed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After COVID-19, the UK has been struggling to fill the gap in the shortage of caregivers; hence, the UK government offers incentives to bring in foreign workers who can take up the caregiving job.
There are lots of special programs, such as NHS caregiver sponsorship, that are designed to attract foreign caregivers to the UK. Foreign caregivers are allowed to work in the UK without IELTS. Recently, care jobs were included on the UK Shortage Occupation List due to the increasing demand for caregivers in that country. So, these are some of the reasons why the Uk is currently hiring foreign caregivers. Speaking, there is no bottleneck for any caregiver who wants to relocate and work in the UK.
Salary Potential: How to Earn Up to £70,000
With salary alone, you may not be able to earn up to £70,000 in the UK as a caregiver, but with overtime bonuses, weekend bonuses, and bank holiday pay, you may be able to earn up to £70,000 or even more, depending on your dedication to duty.
The entry-level caregiver salary in the UK ranges from £23,200 to £30,000/year, while the average payment for live-in roles is between £35,000 and £50,000. As a foreign caregiver who is interested in making lots of money, you can get the highest-paying caregiver jobs in the UK by taking up live-in roles or specialized care.
Specialized care, like taking care of those with dementia, boosts caregivers’ income because such caregivers can claim a Carer’s Allowance. In addition, if you are taking care of a senior citizen in the UK, you also qualify for this allowance, which will boost your allowances.
Some of the available caregiver jobs in the UK for foreigners with salary ranges are outlined below:
- Domiciliary Carer at CareYourWay Chichester in East Wittering PO20 with salary ranging from £12.40 to £14.50 per hour—APPLY NOW
- Care Worker job at Faith’s Walk Healthcare Services Ltd in Cobham, Surrey with a salary range between £12.21 and £13.00 per hour—APPLY NOW
- Support Worker/Care Assistant job at Acacia Homecare Ltd in Weybridge, Surrey with salary ranging from £13.90 to £21.42 per hour—APPLY NOW
Types of UK Visas for Caregivers
In the UK, there are different types of visas for foreign caregivers who are interested in relocating and working in the country. These visas vary, and they are tailored depending on the applicant’s needs and the caregiver role that they are interested in taking up when they arrive in the UK. some of the common types of UK visas for caregivers are
1. Health and Care Worker Visa
This is one of the visa types for foreigners who are interested in taking up a caregiver job in the UK. If you need UK health care visa, you can go for this visa type.
To qualify for the health and care worker visa in the UK, you will need to get a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from your potential employer containing detailed information about the exact role you have been offered in the UK.
There are many benefits that foreign caregivers get by opting for this kind of visa: reduced fees for both the sponsor and the applicant, seamless tracking of the visa process, and inclusion of the family in the visa.
The health and care worker visa processing time in the UK is within 3 weeks. If you are applying for this type of visa, you will get a decision on your application status within three weeks.
2. Skilled Worker Visa (for senior roles)
This is another visa type for caregivers in the UK. If you want to take up senior caregiver roles in the UK, you can opt for a skilled worker visa.
If you enter the UK through this skilled worker visa, you will earn a minimum salary threshold of £38,700 per year. This is the salary threshold for those who entered the UK using a skilled worker visa. Meanwhile, you will need to prove that you can read, write, speak, and understand the English language by passing the Secure English Language Test (SELT), or you must have a minimum of level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.
The difference between the health and care visa and the Skilled Worker Visa is that the Health and Care Visa is a special type of Skilled Worker Visa, which is primarily designed for healthcare professionals and social care workers, while the skilled worker visa encompasses other types of visas.
3. Temporary Work Visa (Charity Sector)
If you want to work in the charity sector in the UK as a caregiver, you should apply for a temporary work visa. However, this visa type has limited use cases but it is suitable if you are interested in working with an NGO in the UK.
4. Dependent Visa (for spouse & children)
If you want a caregiver-dependent visa in the UK, you should opt for a dependent visa. This visa is solely for your dependents, i.e., your spouse and children. If you want to know how to sponsor your spouse to the UK, you should start by applying for a dependent visa in the UK.
Conditions and rights for dependents
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for the UK Visa Sponsorship as a foreign caregiver, there are some eligibility requirements that you must meet. The UK caregiver job requirements can range from NVQ certification for UK jobs to IELTS for UK care visas, among others. The details of the eligibility criteria are given below:
- Education: You must have a minimum certification of NVQ Level 2/3 or its equivalent
- English Proficiency: You must have IELTS/SELT (B1 Level) certifications.
- Experience: you must have a minimum of one to two years of caregiver working experience.
- You must be free from Tuberculosis by having a TB test result
- You mustn’t have any criminal record
- You need to have a valid job offer from a UK-licensed sponsor
Where to Find Visa Sponsorship Caregiver Jobs
If you meet the above requirements, you can proceed with searching for the sponsored caregiver jobs. Finding visa Sponsorship Caregiver Jobs in the UK is not difficult. There are different means to see these jobs, like through the job portals and recruitment agencies. You can see the caregiver jobs with visa sponsorship in these areas. In addition, NHS also hires caregivers.
a. Top job portals
The popular job portals where you can find visa sponsorship caregiver jobs in the UK are
- NHS Jobs
- Find a Job (gov.uk)
- Carehome.co.uk
- Indeed UK (filter for “visa sponsorship”)
- LinkedIn and Glassdoor
b. Recruitment Agencies
The recruitment agencies to find sponsored jobs in the UK as foreigners are
- Agincare
- Avanta Care
- A1 Care
- Cera Care
c. Employers Website
You can also find visa-sponsored jobs as a caregiver in the UK by checking directly on the employer’s websites.
Step-by-Step Application Process
If you don’t know how to apply for a UK caregiver job, then you need to pay keen attention to this section. To start your application kindly follow UK visa sponsorship process step by step approach
1. Get caregiver training/certification
You can get your caregiver training/certification by enrolling in an accredited institution.
2. Write a UK-style CV & cover letter
The next thing is to write a well-detailed UK-style CV & cover letter indicating your past working experience and relevant certifications.
3. Take IELTS or another accepted English test
You should get the English proficiency certificate by writing IELTS or other accepted language proficiency exams in the UK.
4. Search and apply for jobs
Once you have the required documents handy, you should visit top job portals and recruitment agencies to find and apply for caregiver jobs that are suitable for you. You can also apply directly through the recruiting companies’ websites.
5. Prepare for online interviews
After your application, prepare for an online interview. If your application is accepted, you will be invited for a virtual interview. Ensure that you prepare very well for the interview because if you fail the interview, you won’t proceed to the stage of the application.
6. Receive a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)
If you scale through the online interview, your sponsor will give a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), which enable you to start your visa application
7. Apply for a visa
Once you have a certificate of sponsorship (CoS), you can start your visa application through the UK embassy, consulate, or high commission in your home country.
8. Book travel and relocate
Once your visa is approved, you can start booking your travel and studying your itinerary and finally relocate to the UK and start your job.
Free Relocation Support—What’s Included?
The UK caregiver relocation package includes
- Flights and airport pickup
- 1–3 months free accommodation
- Help with National Insurance and GP registration
- Job induction and training on arrival
- Family assistance: school enrollment, childcare, etc.
There are many companies in the UK that sponsor relocation to the UK with caregiver jobs.
Life in the UK as a Foreign Caregiver
As a foreign caregiver in the UK, there are many things that you need to understand. There is more to living in the UK as an immigrant than the enticing salary and perks. The UK cost of living for caregivers may be exorbitant, especially for foreign nationals who have spent all their lives in countries where the cost of living is relatively low.
Cost of living vs. caregiver salary
The monthly cost of living for a caregiver in the UK can be around £1077. This means that as a caregiver, you may spend around £13,000 annually. On the other hand, the caregiver salary in the UK is £38,700 per year. This means that you won’t be able to save enough money if you don’t regulate your spending as a caregiver in the UK.
To reduce the cost of living as a caregiver in the UK, you should opt for shared housing in affordable cities. In the same vein, normalize using public transport to reduce transportation costs
However, since the cost of living is high in the UK, you can enroll in NHS healthcare because it is available for foreign caregivers who are working in the sector. In addition, you need to join different Community and immigrant groups in the UK to get tax advice, legal advice, healthcare, Language support, housing and accommodation, migrant rights, and equality support.
Path to Permanent Residency and Citizenship
If you don’t know how to get UK citizenship through work, then you should look out for more details on the UK ILR caregiver.
To get a 5-year visa-to-ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) in the UK, you will need to have lived and worked in the UK for at least five years. It doesn’t stop there; you will also need to have a specific type of visa, like the skilled worker visa. Meanwhile, you will become eligible for citizenship after one year of ILR. The family member of a caregiver in the UK will benefit from them by allowing them to reside or live with them in the UK.
Common Scams and How to Avoid Them
When applying for a caregiver job in the UK with visa sponsorship as a foreigner, there are common scams that you should be careful of so that you won’t fall victim to them. They include
- You should avoid UK job offers that require payment. Avoid fake UK recruiters.
- You should verify your potential UK employer sponsor at gov.uk.
- You should apply through legitimate UK job sites, recruitment agencies, etc.
N/B;
You can avoid caregiver visa scams in the UK by applying through reliable sources. If you don’t know how to identify fake UK job offers, kindly visit gov.uk to confirm the legitimacy of your employer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to pay an agency to get a job?
No, you don’t pay an agency to get a job. If you are looking for a caregiver job with a sponsored visa in the UK, you can apply directly through a legitimate job website or recruitment agency. You don’t need an agency to get a job in the UK.
Can I bring my family?
You may not be allowed to bring your family to the UK as a caregiver unless you are employed as a care worker or senior worker by your company.
Is accommodation always free?
If you are a live-in caregiver, accommodation is always free. However, if you are not in this category of a caregiver, you may not be able to see free accommodation.
How long does visa processing take?
It takes about three weeks for you to get a decision on your visa application status.
What if my sponsor withdraws after the visa is issued?
If your sponsor withdraws their support, you will need to stop your job and leave the UK, or you will need to apply for a new visa. On average, you will be given 60 days to get a new visa or leave the UK. If you are the major reason why your sponsor lost their license to operate, you will need to leave the UK immediately.
Conclusion
From our discussion so far, we have seen that there are lots of opportunities for foreign caregivers to earn around £70,000/year with free relocation and chances of getting permanent residency in the UK.
If you have been dreaming of relocating and working in the UK as a caregiver, you can seize this golden opportunity to begin your relocation journey. A stitch in time saves nine; act now, and you will be happy that you did.
