Zimbabwean Care Workers in the UK: Rights, Visa Routes, Exploitation Risks, and What Has Changed

Care work became one of the most significant migration pathways for Zimbabweans to the UK in the early 2020s, drawing tens of thousands who saw it as a structured and accessible route to financial stability. Between 2021 and 2024, nearly 20,000 Zimbabweans were granted Health and Care Worker visas, making Zimbabwe one of the top five skilled visa grantee countries. Many were women and young people who left behind careers — some as accountants, bank workers, or health clinic staff — to take up care roles in Britain's ageing population sector. The route expanded sharply after 2022, when the UK added care workers to its shortage occupation list to fill over 165,000 vacancies left by the combined effects of COVID-19 and post-Brexit restrictions on EU labour. The Health and Care Worker visa appealed to Zimbabweans because it carried lower academic barriers to entry than most skilled worker routes, had widespread sponsorship availability, and offered the prospect of bringing dependants. ## The Care Visa Route Is Now Closed In 2025, the UK government announced the permanent closure of the care work visa route for overseas workers. The official statement from the Home Office confirmed: "We're permanently shutting down the care visa route. Care workers from overseas have made a huge contribution, but too many have been subject to abuse and exploitation. We're moving away from our dependence on overseas workers to restore control and fairness to the system." This closure follows a sustained period of tightening that began in late 2023, when the Home Office increased oversight and enforcement against non-compliant sponsors. Hundreds of rogue companies had their sponsor licences revoked after investigations revealed systematic abuse of the route. For Zimbabweans, the closure has been described as particularly devastating. Many people had already paid agents and recruitment agencies in Zimbabwe in anticipation of securing a visa, and the sudden policy shift left them with significant financial losses and no pathway forward. ## Exploitation: How It Works and Where It Starts Exploitation of Zimbabwean care workers did not begin on arrival in the UK. According to Hillary Musarurwa, a Zimbabwe-born social scientist based in England, "Exploitation starts during the application process in Zimbabwe." Several patterns of abuse have been documented: **Illegal recruitment fees**: Some care companies charged workers from Zimbabwe thousands of pounds for visa arrangements when the actual visa cost was only a few hundred pounds. Workers reported paying £6,500 or more to agents, sometimes selling assets or land to raise the money, only to arrive in the UK with far less work than promised. **Wage deductions and bonded labour**: Some employers withheld large portions of wages, citing accommodation, flights, and visa costs as debts owed to them. One Zimbabwean worker reported being left with just £4 per hour after deductions — a figure described as resembling a "hideous loan" or bonded labour arrangement. **Overcrowded housing and threat of deportation**: Workers housed in cramped conditions reported being warned that complaints could be reported to the Home Office, creating a climate of fear that discouraged people from speaking out. **No work on arrival**: Some workers arrived in the UK to find their sponsors had no care placements available, leaving them stranded without income and dependent on food banks while still tied to an employer-linked visa. ## Rights for Workers Already in the UK For Zimbabweans already working in the UK on a Health and Care Worker visa, there are specific protections and support structures in place — particularly for those affected by sponsor licence revocations. The UK government allocated £16 million through the international recruitment regional fund for 2024–2025 to help international care workers whose employers had their licences revoked. This support, administered through regional partnerships across England, can include: - Help finding new employment with a compliant care employer - Guidance on understanding your immigration rights - Support with switching sponsors without losing visa status Workers whose sponsor's licence has been revoked retain the right to work in the UK until their visa is officially curtailed by the Home Office — this is not an immediate termination. Workers in this position are encouraged to contact their regional partnership promptly to access support and find alternative placements. This regional support applies to England only. Workers in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland should contact the relevant devolved administration for equivalent guidance. ## Visa Requirements (for Those Still Eligible) The Health and Care Worker visa route for new overseas applicants is now closed. However, for those already in the UK seeking to switch employers or extend their stay under the Skilled Worker visa (SOC code 6145 for Care Worker roles), the following requirements apply as of 2026: - A valid Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) from a licensed UK employer - Minimum salary of £23,200 per year - English language requirement met through an approved test or exemption - Savings of at least £1,270 held in a bank account for 28 of the 30 days before applying (unless the employer covers initial costs) - Dependants can be included: an additional £285 for a partner, £315 for the first child, £200 for each further child Zimbabwean qualifications must sometimes be accompanied by UK equivalence evidence, and any errors or mismatches in the Certificate of Sponsorship are a common reason for refusal. ## Practical Advice for Those Affected If you are currently in the UK on a Health and Care Worker visa and your employer's licence has been revoked, do not panic and do not leave the UK without first seeking advice. Contact your regional adult social care partnership via the GOV.UK support page to explore switching to a compliant employer. If you are in Zimbabwe and were in the process of applying through a recruitment agent when the route closed, seek to recover any fees paid where possible. The Citizen Advice Bureau and organisations such as the Migrants' Rights Network can provide guidance on legal recourse if an agent charged illegal fees. NHS England and large NHS Trusts continue to recruit internationally for registered nursing roles, though Zimbabwe is not on the UK's ethical recruitment red list — meaning NHS employers can recruit from Zimbabwe directly. Registered nurses and allied health professionals are not affected by the care worker visa closure in the same way, as they apply under separate occupational codes with higher salary thresholds. For those exploring alternative UK visa routes, professional qualifications, further education, or family reunion pathways may offer other options, and regulated immigration advice should be sought from a solicitor or adviser registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC).