Care workers whose sponsor loses its licence would get more time to find new sponsored work under a measure dated 1 February 2027 in the settlement response of 2 November 2026. The Government Response reports a period of 120 days to secure a new job offer, followed by a further 60 days to regularise status, before leave is curtailed.

The measure sits alongside the wider earned settlement announcement made by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on the same day, which the GOV.UK release describes as moving settlement from a largely automatic five-year route to one based on contribution and character.

Why this group was singled out

The GOV.UK release says 1,800 exploitative employers have been stripped of the right to sponsor foreign workers, after the care route was abused by companies sponsoring workers for jobs that did not exist. Workers who did not qualify for five-year settlement, around a quarter of those who entered or switched into the route between 2022 and 2025, would instead be offered a further five-year Health and Care visa restricted to genuine work in the sector, with no recourse to public funds.

Care workers who met their visa conditions and earned at least £25,000 a year would keep a five-year route to settlement, according to the same announcement.

Check the official page before acting

This is general information only, not personal immigration advice. The detailed Immigration Rules have not yet been published, and the GOV.UK release itself does not spell out the 120-day plus 60-day timetable; that detail comes from analysis of the Government Response. Rules change, so check the official GOV.UK page before relying on any date here.

Sources: GOV.UK, Home Secretary unveils new rules for migrants settling in the UK, 2 November 2026; Morgan Hill Solicitors analysis of the Government Response, 2 November 2026.