KEY POINTS

• Nigerians and Zimbabweans received 120,692 UK care-worker visa extensions.

• Britain ended overseas recruitment of new care workers in July 2025.

• Proposed visa and residency changes could worsen staffing uncertainty.

Britain’s £15 billion adult social care industry is facing growing uncertainty as the government tightens immigration rules, raising concerns about staffing shortages and the ability of care providers to retain overseas workers.

Nigeria and Zimbabwe are among the countries most represented in the United Kingdom’s Health and Care Worker visa extension figures. Home Office data show that Nigerian nationals received 89,575 visa extensions in the year ending March 2026, while Zimbabwean nationals received 31,117.

Together, the two African countries accounted for 120,692 extensions, highlighting their significant presence in Britain’s care workforce. However, the figures relate to existing visa holders extending their permission to stay, not newly recruited workers.

Nigeria and Zimbabwe account for more than 120,000 extensions

Nigeria recorded the second-highest number of Health and Care Worker visa extensions during the period, behind India, which registered 107,306. Zimbabwe ranked third, with 31,117 extensions.

The figures underscore the contribution of African workers to Britain’s adult social care system, which depends on overseas recruitment to fill vacancies and sustain services for people who need assistance with daily activities.

Care workers support older people, individuals with disabilities and other vulnerable groups in residential facilities and their own homes. Staffing shortages can affect the ability of providers to deliver consistent care, particularly when recruiting and retaining employees becomes more difficult.

Despite the high number of extensions, the data do not establish how many Nigerian and Zimbabwean workers will be directly affected by the proposed immigration changes.

UK ends overseas recruitment of new care workers

The British government ended overseas recruitment of new care workers through the Health and Care Worker visa route in July 2025 as part of its efforts to reduce immigration.

The decision followed a period of rapid growth in recruitment from abroad, including from South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Although new overseas recruitment has been restricted, workers already in Britain can continue applying to extend their visas under the applicable rules.

The impact of the policy is evident in the decline in visa grants. Home Office statistics show that Health and Care Worker visas issued to main applicants and dependants fell by 38% year-on-year to 42,658 in the year ending March 2026.

Visas granted to workers in caring personal service occupations also dropped sharply, falling from 107,772 in the year ending December 2023 to 1,397 in the year ending March 2026.

The decline reflects tighter immigration policies and changes in applications, reducing the flow of new overseas workers into the sector even as existing migrants continue to seek extensions.

Proposed visa changes raise concerns for existing workers

Care providers are increasingly concerned about how further immigration reforms could affect their ability to retain experienced employees.

According to the report, proposed changes could require existing care workers to switch to the Skilled Worker visa route from July 2028. Such a transition could expose some workers to higher salary requirements, potentially making it more difficult for them to remain eligible.

The proposed changes add to uncertainty for migrants who have built their lives in Britain and for employers that rely on their skills and experience.

Separate settlement reforms could also extend the standard qualifying period for permanent residency from five years to 10 years. If implemented as proposed, the longer period would mean some migrants could wait considerably longer before qualifying for permanent residence.

For workers from Nigeria and Zimbabwe, these developments could influence decisions about whether to remain in Britain, seek alternative employment or explore opportunities elsewhere.

Care providers face staffing and financial pressures

Britain’s adult social care sector must balance workforce requirements against tighter immigration controls and the financial limits of care contracts.

Recruiting locally may not fully address staffing gaps, particularly where providers struggle to attract and retain enough workers for demanding care roles. Restrictions on overseas recruitment could therefore intensify competition for available staff.

Employers may also face additional costs associated with recruitment, training and retaining experienced employees. If staffing shortages worsen, some providers could find it more difficult to maintain service levels and meet growing demand for care.

For migrant workers, uncertainty over visa eligibility, salary thresholds and settlement requirements creates another challenge. Employers must also plan for future changes without knowing precisely how many existing workers may be affected.

The 120,692 visa extensions granted to Nigerian and Zimbabwean nationals demonstrate the importance of these two countries to Britain’s care workforce. However, the number of workers who will ultimately face changes under the proposed rules remains unclear.