The United Kingdom has become one of the best destinations for foreign workers who are looking for better opportunities. Luckily enough, one of the sectors that is currently booming internationally is the healthcare and social care industry.
The aging population in the UK means there’s huge demand for caregivers, support staff, and healthcare assistance. The shortage has inevitably created a whole lot of opening for foreign nationals who are ready to step in and fill these positions.
The added advantage of visa sponsorship and subsidized housing means this is a very good opportunity not to grab.
The recent introduction of the Health and Care Worker Visa has also made it very much easier for those applying from different parts of the world to come to the UK legally and work in some essential sectors.
Unlike so many career paths that usually look for advanced degrees before giving out jobs, as a caregiver, you can be employed so long as you have compassion, basic training, and very strong communication skills, then you are good to go.
For so many applicants, the promise of them getting free housing is an offer too good to deny. It is, for a fact, that paying rents in UK cities is likely to consume a very large portion of your salary, so when an employer gives accommodations, it’ll definitely go a long way in removing the burden that goes with making a transition abroad.
Also, when you still combine the stable salaries, training, and a potential chance of getting permanent residency abroad, you’ll discover that getting a caregiver job in the UK could be the right step for you to take if you want to secure your future in the UK.
What is a UK Care Worker Visa?
The UK Health and Care Worker Visa is a particular type of work visa that was introduced by the UK government. The main aim of this visa is to help address the current shortage of workers, especially in the health and social care sector.
This type of visa allows Foreign Nationals to come to the UK and take up some job opportunities available in the UK, which includes care assistants, healthcare support workers, senior care workers, and home carers.
This visa is powerful in the sense that it is not only going to give you permission to work, but it will also allow your dependents, such as spouses and children, to join you in the UK.
This Visa can last up to five years. If you continue to meet the requirements, the visa can always be extended. Also, after five years, so many workers may also be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), which is a very important step to getting permanent residency.
One of the key advantages of this visa is the fact it is considered as a priority visa. What this means is that the application is usually processed faster, especially when you compare them to other types of visa.
You can get it ready within 3 weeks if you are applying from outside the UK. However, your potential employers must be licensed by the UK Home Office as approved sponsors before they can hire any foreign worker under this particular scheme.
Once a worker successfully receives a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from their potential employer, they can then proceed with the application of visa.
For so many applicants, this sponsorship is going to cover more than just the job offer; it could also cover other assistance like housing, cost of relocation, or even provide you with free accommodations.
Benefits of UK Care Worker Jobs with Sponsorship
Getting employed in the UK as a caregiver comes with so many advantages. It goes beyond just employment; the whole packages that come with these roles are really attractive.
The bigger advantage is definitely the visa sponsorship, which simply means your employer is supporting your relocation legally. This helps to ensure you will work in the UK without having to stress yourself with some complex immigration issues.
For so many workers, the added advantage that comes with free or subsidized housing is too good not to embrace. Renting apartments in some UK cities like London, Birmingham, or Manchester can be really expensive.
Through the offers of accommodations, employers help to reduce the burdens while allowing their workers to be able to save a significant portion of their salary. With this support, newcomers who don’t really understand the complex nature of the UK housing market will have a reprieve.
Beyond housing, the salaries for care workers in the UK is absolutely competitive. You can earn between £20,000 to £26,000 per year, although it will depend on the role you are taking as well as the location where you are going to work.
Some employers are ready to pay for you to work overtime, paid leave, as well as pension contributions to help advance your career. Then there’s the advantage of a potential long-term settlement.
After you might have worked in the UK for five years, so many care workers automatically qualify to apply for permanent residency. So, in a nutshell, having a temporary caregiver job can actually open the door for you to live permanently in the UK.
Who Can Apply?
One of the major aspects of UK Care giver jobs that’s appealing is the fact that it is so much accessible to a whole lot of qualified people. Unlike so many other jobs that need people who have degrees or even a specialized experience, this job is really open to a larger number of people. However, there are still some specific criteria that you still need to meet.
Qualifications: Having a university degree is not really needed for this job. However, interested applicants are expected to have at least a high school education with some basic training or experience in care giving.
If you are able to get a certificate in healthcare, first aid, or social care, it will go a very long way in improving your chances of getting hired.
Language Skills: Applicants must show that they are proficient in the English language. This proficiency is usually proven through an IELTS test, and there’s a minimum requirement which must be met.
Age Requirement: Most employers usually prefer candidates who are at least 18 years old.
Skills Needed: The major skills that are needed is for candidates to be compassionate and patient. Also, good communication and the ability to work with elderly persons or vulnerable ones is also required.
You also need to be physically fit, since the job may need you to be lifting or assisting these patients.
Background Check: Since the role needs you to be taking care of people that are vulnerable, you need to provide a very clean police clearance certificate.
Overall, these requirements that we listed are not very strict, so if you are really motivated to get this visa, it is very much possible to achieve.
Step-by-Step Guide to Applying
Applying for a UK care worker visa is not difficult. However, you need to prepare carefully so as not to make mistakes. The very first step is for you to secure a job offer from an approved UK sponsor. You can easily find vacancies through some very reputable recruitment agencies or on the official UK government website.
Once you receive a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), you can start the visa application online through the official UK Home Office website.
You will be expected to provide documents like your passport, proof of English proficiency, police clearance, and medical test results. You will be mandated to make payment for the visa fee and healthcare surcharge, unless your employer decides to cover it for you.
After you’ve completely submitted your online application, they’ll ask you to make an appointment at a visa application centre in your home country.
During the appointment, your biometric, fingerprints, and photo will be taken, after which you will be expected to provide all supporting documents, which will include your Certificate of Sponsorship, proof of English ability, proof of funds (if required), and police clearance.
Some applicants will be asked to provide a tuberculosis test certificate, although it will depend on their country of origin. Once all these documents are submitted, your visa application will be processed by the Home Office within three weeks.
If they are approved, you will receive a visa vignette in your passport. With that, you will be free to travel to the UK and start work.
Top UK Companies Offering Sponsorship and Housing
- So many employers in the UK are currently recruiting foreign care workers. Some of these companies offer visa sponsorship, and some even go to the extent of providing housing or accommodation support. Below are some of such companies:
- NHS Trusts:This is the UK National Health Services. It is probably one of the largest employers of healthcare workers in the UK. Although it is not every role that comes with free accomodations, they do give temporary accomodations to their international recruits so as to help them settle down.
- Bupa Care Homes:Bupa has been operating so many care homes across the UK for years now. They recruit international staff for healthcare roles. In some locations, they provide staff housing or housing allowances.
- Agincare UK:This is a private care provider that has licensing by the Home Office to sponsor international workers. They usually offer different accommodation for their new recruits.
- HC-One:Probably one of the UK’s largest care home groups. HC-One does give visa sponsorship, and in some cases, they also include housing benefits for their new staff.
- Smaller Care Agencies:There are so many regional care agencies, especially those that are outside London, that not only provide visa sponsorship but also housing for relocation. So, whenever you are really searching for employers, always verify that they are on the official UK government list of licensed sponsors to avoid scams.
- Challenges and Things to Know Before Applying
I know you are certainly really excited to apply, and of course it is a highly rewarding opportunity. However, you still need to know that you are definitely going to encounter some challenges.
The truth is care work can be really demanding, both physically and emotionally. As a caregiver, your main job is to always assist elderly patients, those with disabilities, or those suffering from long-term illnesses. Your major tasks will include helping them with bathing, dressing, feeding, or just providing companionship.
Another challenge you are going to face is cost of living. Even if they provide housing for you, you will still have to source your transportation, feeding, and all this could add up really quickly, especially during your first few months in the UK.
Your working shift can also be long and irregular sometimes. It could include nights and weekend shifts. This could really be difficult for you, especially if you are used to just regular working hours.
Also, the process that you are going to pass through when applying for visa really demands a lot of accuracy. If you miss documents or fail your English requirements, it is very costly and could lead to potential rejection.
If you mistakenly apply to a sponsor that is unlicensed, it could also lead to rejection. Then scams are another risk you should watch out for.
So many fraudulent agents usually pose as recruiters just to defraud unsuspecting applicants, so you always need to cross-check, especially with official government sources, before you commit yourself to the process.
Irrespective of all these challenges, thousands of foreign workers have successfully moved to the UK to begin a new life in the healthcare sector. All you need is to be well prepared. You could see yourself in the UK as a caregiver.
Tips for Increasing Your Chances of Getting Hired
It is no longer a secret that competition for a sponsored care worker’s role in the UK is becoming very high. So, when applying, you need to be a standout option.
1. We strongly advise that you consider completing any care-related training program in your own country.
If you are able to present a certificate in healthcare, first aid, or social care, you are indirectly telling your potential employer that you are very serious and prepared for the job.
2. Make sure that your CV (resume) is very updated, especially up to the standard that is required in the UK.
If you’ve been involved in any volunteer work, caregiving for any member of your family, or you have community service experience, you should be able to mention it on your CV.
It doesn’t matter if you have not worked in a hospital or care home before. Employers usually value applicants who already have practical caregiving skills, irrespective of whether it is formal or informal.
3. Try and get yourself ready for interviews by practicing some of the possible caregiver questions that you might be asked.
Some of the questions you’re likely to face include why you want to be a care worker, how you are able to handle stress, and how you would support an elderly patient.
Remember, having strong communication skills is non-negotiable. If you are good at networking, it could also help you. The easiest way is for you to join online forums, Facebook groups, or LinkedIn communities. This is usually where international care workers share job opportunities.
4. Make sure you always apply directly, either through employers or through recruitment agencies that have good reputation. Do not think of paying large sums of money upfront to agents.
This is actually a huge red flag you might just be about to fall victim to scammers. These steps we’ve mentioned in this article are going to significantly improve your chances of receiving job offers abroad with visa sponsorship.
Conclusion
Like we said in the beginning, the demand for care workers in the UK has continued to grow over the years. This is a very good opportunity for foreigners who have plans of moving to the UK with stable employment.
This opportunity often comes with visa sponsorship and free housing in some situations. The Health and Care Worker Visa makes the dream of coming to the UK very much alive.
There are thousands of licensed employers out there looking for qualified caregivers to hire. The door is open for those who want to walk in.
Although the job comes with its own challenges, like long shifts and emotional demands, it still comes with very lucrative chances for you to earn good salaries and save money, especially with their free housing. It also gives you a very good opportunity to gain permanent residency in the UK.
For a lot of people, this could simply mean that they are securing their future in the long run in one of the most developed countries in the world.
If you really believe that you are both compassionate and hardworking, and you are very much ready to take care of others, this could be a really nice opportunity for you to start a new life abroad.
You should start today by making research on available licensed sponsors.
This journey certainly needs you to be patient, but at the end of the day, living and working in the UK with a full legal status is really worth it.
