The Home Office has set out who could keep the five-year route. The new rules are expected to come into effect in 2027.
If you came to the UK to work in adult social care, you may be wondering whether you’ll have to wait 10 years before you can apply to stay permanently. Under the government’s plans, some care workers could still apply after five years. It depends on when they joined the care visa route, their work and what they earn.
Settlement means permission to live in the UK permanently without having to renew your visa. You may also hear it called indefinite leave to remain, or ILR.
Who could keep the five-year route?
The Home Secretary said on 2 November that the five-year route would remain open to some people who joined the adult social care visa route before 12 May 2025, stayed in sponsored care work and met the £25,000-a-year earnings requirement. Sponsored work means working for an employer approved to sponsor your visa. Workers would still have to meet the other settlement requirements.
Two details are still unclear: whether workers must have earned £25,000 throughout all five years, and whether they had to be physically in the UK before the cut-off date or simply have been granted their visa by then.
What if you lost your care job or earned less?
The government plans to offer some workers who joined before the cut-off a further five-year care visa if they haven’t met the work or earnings conditions. They would be able to work for a different approved employer and could apply for settlement at the end of those further five years.
Have the rules changed already?
The current settlement rules still apply. The government expects to start publishing changes in December 2026 and to implement them in 2027.
If you think this could affect you, check the date on your first care visa and keep your payslips and employment records handy. If your visa is due to expire soon or you’re unsure what applies to you or your family, you can find a registered immigration adviser on GOV.UK.
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