Support worker visa sponsorship jobs: what the rules allow
Support worker is one of the most searched job titles for visa sponsorship, and much of what is online about it is out of date. The answer depends on which kind of support worker you mean.
A care support worker is a care worker
GOV.UK's list of occupation codes puts community support workers, home care workers and residential care workers under code 6135, care workers and home carers. Senior community support workers sit under 6136, senior care workers.
So for the visa, a support worker in care is a care worker, and the care worker rules apply.
What that means since 22 July 2025
In England the employer must be registered with the Care Quality Commission. If you switch this way, your partner and children cannot switch as your dependants.
- From outside the UK: a support worker job in codes 6135 or 6136 cannot give you a new visa to come to the UK.
- Already on a care worker visa: you can extend it, or update it for a new sponsor.
- On a different visa in the UK: you can switch if you have worked legally for the sponsor in that job for at least three months before it gives you a certificate of sponsorship, and you apply before 22 July 2028.
Support jobs outside care
Other jobs called support worker sit under different codes, each with its own rules. GOV.UK lists homelessness and housing advice support workers and mental health project workers under 3229, family support workers under 3221, and learning support and special needs assistants under 6113.
Find the code that matches the duties of the job, not its title, and check that code's rules on GOV.UK before you apply.
Before you apply
- Check the employer is on the Home Office register today, with a Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker route.
- In England, check it is registered with the Care Quality Commission.
- Never pay anyone for a certificate of sponsorship. Selling one is a crime.
What we do
Every care and support job on SponsorJobUK passed the licence, route, rating and pay checks before you saw it.
Live health and care jobs at licensed sponsorsCheck a company on the sponsor registerCare worker visa rules in full
Questions people ask
Can I get a support worker visa from outside the UK?
Not for a care support worker job. Since 22 July 2025 jobs in codes 6135 and 6136, which include community, home and residential support workers, cannot bring someone new to the UK.
Can I switch to a support worker job on my current UK visa?
Yes, if you have worked legally for the sponsor in that care job for at least three months before it issues your certificate of sponsorship, and you apply before 22 July 2028.
What SOC code is a support worker?
A support worker in care is usually 6135, care workers and home carers, or 6136 for a senior role. A housing or mental health support worker is 3229, and a family support worker 3221. The duties decide the code, not the title.
