What should health and care workers do if their sponsor loses their licence?

10 Apr 2025, 02 mins ago

If you are an international care worker in the UK and your employer has had their sponsor licence revoked, it is natural to feel uncertain or anxious. Your visa and right to work are tied to your sponsor, but that does not mean you are out of options. The good news is that there is dedicated support available to help you through this difficult time. In this blog blog, we will explain what steps you should take, what support is available, and how to get in touch with your regional partnership for help.

What happens next?

When a sponsor’s licence is revoked, they are no longer permitted to employ sponsored workers. This doesn’t mean you must leave the UK immediately, but you will need to find a new sponsor. For individuals on Health and Care Worker visas, the Home Office has introduced support measures for those wishing to remain in the UK and continue working in the care sector. To help with this, regional partnerships across England have set up support systems specifically for affected care workers.

What support can you get?

Support varies by region, but may include help understanding your visa status, finding a new sponsor, accessing financial support and looking after your mental health. While anyone on a Health and Care Worker visa can ask for help finding new work in care, priority is being given to those directly impacted by licence revocations.

Please note: this support is only available in England. If you are based in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, you should seek guidance from your local government.

How to access support

To get help, you will need to contact the regional partnership for your area. Send them an email with your name, address, contact details and the name of your current sponsor. This will allow them to provide the right support without delay. You can find the full list of regional contacts in the official Home Office guidance.

If you have concerns about your employer

If you believe your employer has acted unethically or illegally, for example – withheld wages, offered false job promises or exploited staff, you can report them. The Home Office, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) and Acas all offer confidential ways to raise concerns.

Conclusion

Losing your sponsor can be stressful, but you are not alone. There is a network of support to help you stay in the UK and continue your work in care. Do not hesitate to reach out to your local regional contact and immigration experts.

Updated: 10 April 2025

How Gherson can assist

Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on UK visa matters. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on XFacebookInstagram, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.

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