London, July 25, 2025 – The United Kingdom has officially ended the issuance of health and care worker visas, a move aimed at reducing overall net migration into the country. This policy shift, announced by the Home Office, is expected to significantly impact thousands of foreign professionals, including many from Nigeria and other Commonwealth countries who have relied on the visa route to work in the UK’s healthcare sector.
The new restriction, which takes immediate effect, is part of a broader strategy by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government to tighten immigration rules and respond to growing public concern over high levels of inward migration. Authorities noted that the health and care visa route, introduced in 2020 to address staffing shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic, had now become unsustainable in its current form.
Home Secretary James Cleverly stated that while the UK values the contribution of foreign health workers, the current visa regime had been “open to abuse” and was contributing to record migration figures.
“We are committed to bringing immigration down to sustainable levels, and this step is necessary to protect the integrity of our labour market,” Cleverly said.
Under the new rule, overseas care workers and their dependents will no longer be eligible to apply for work in the UK unless they meet stricter criteria, including a minimum salary threshold and sponsorship from NHS-trusted institutions. The government emphasized that existing visa holders will not be affected immediately but will be subject to stricter renewal terms.
The decision has drawn mixed reactions. Healthcare leaders in the UK have warned that the policy could worsen the ongoing staff shortages in care homes and the NHS, sectors that have heavily relied on foreign recruits, especially from Nigeria, India, and the Philippines.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has yet to officially respond, but experts warn the new UK policy may lead to increased unemployment among qualified health professionals who had hoped to migrate for better opportunities.
As of 2024, Nigerians made up one of the largest cohorts of foreign-trained care workers in the UK. The new restrictions could force many to reconsider their plans or explore alternative migration routes.
