Written question asked by John McDonnell (Labour) on Monday, 20 October 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 22 October 2025. It was answered by Karin Smyth (Labour) on Tuesday, 4 November 2025 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.
Migrant Workers: Entry Clearances
- Question
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of the changes to income thresholds in the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, HC 997, published on 1 July 2025, on the number of people employed on Skilled Worker Visas who no longer have leave to remain.
- Answer
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The Immigration Rules, published on 1 July 2025, set out the wider salary changes across the Skilled Worker route. This increased salary requirement does not apply to the Health and Care Worker visa.
From 9 April 2025, the minimum salary for the Health and Care Worker visa, which is part of the Skilled Worker route, increased to £25,000 per year. For healthcare roles that are eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa, the salary threshold is linked to national pay scales for the specific job, or the minimum of £25,000, whichever is higher.
Entry level National Health Service Agenda for Change band 3 roles do not meet the new minimum salary threshold for a Health and Care Worker visa. However, Agenda for Change NHS pay band 3 staff currently on the Health and Care Worker visa are not required to meet the new minimum salary threshold until the point at which they need to renew their visa. At this point, we expect the majority of staff to have accrued two or more years’ experience and therefore be at the top of pay band 3, which is above the new minimum salary threshold.
The Department continues to monitor trends in the size of the care workforce using a range of intelligence, including monthly tracking based on data collections from independent providers.
Secondary information
- Type
- Written question
- Reference
- 83229
- Session
- 2024-26
- Related items
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Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules
Tuesday, 1 July 2025
House of Commons papers
House of Commons
House of Lords
- Subjects
- Immigration controls Entry clearances Migrant workers
- Link
- View this Written question on www.parliament.uk
Librarians' tools
- Timestamp
- 2025-11-04 11:48:22 +0000
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- http://data.parliament.uk/writtenparliamentaryquestion/commons/2024-26/83229
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