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The short answer
The UK closed the care worker and senior care worker visa route to new applications from overseas from 22 July 2025, so a new offer of a sponsored UK care job to someone in Nigeria should be treated with deep suspicion. GOV.UK also says the employer, not you, pays the sponsor licence fee, the Certificate of Sponsorship fee and the immigration skills charge.
For several years the UK care sector was one of the most common routes for Nigerians moving abroad for work. It also became one of the most abused. Thousands of people paid agents large sums for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) and a job that turned out to be thin, unpaid or non-existent. The rules have since changed sharply, but the adverts have not stopped. This guide explains the pattern and the checks.
What changed in 2025
GOV.UK's guidance for health and social care jobs from abroad states that the care worker and senior care worker route "closed to new applications from overseas" from 22 July 2025. There is a transition period "until 2028 (to be kept under review)" for in-country applications by people already working in adult social care in the UK.
The Home Office explained the background in May 2025: more than 470 care providers had their licence to sponsor international staff suspended since 2022, and the crackdown on rogue providers had displaced around 40,000 workers. Ministers said too many workers had been "subject to shameful levels of abuse and exploitation".
How the scam works
- The advert. "UK care jobs, visa sponsorship, no experience needed" on Facebook, TikTok or WhatsApp. Sometimes a real UK company name is used without its knowledge.
- The CoS fee. You are asked to pay for a Certificate of Sponsorship, often presented as a normal cost. GOV.UK says the CoS fee, the sponsor licence fee and the immigration skills charge are fees "an employer must pay, not you".
- The fake or worthless CoS. GOV.UK warns that paying these fees risks losing money or receiving a fake CoS, leading to a refused visa. In other cases the CoS was real but issued by a sponsor that had little or no work to offer.
- The aftermath. Workers who arrived found too few hours, debts to the agent, or a sponsor whose licence was later revoked.
What happens when a sponsor's licence is revoked
This is the part many workers did not know about until it happened. A Staffordshire County Council support page explains that UKVI sends two emails: one saying the sponsor's licence has been revoked, and a second saying your CoS has been cancelled and that you have "60 days from the date of this CoS cancellation notification to regularise your stay or leave the UK". The council stresses that the 60 days run from the date the email is sent, not when you open it.
The Home Office said in May 2025 that sponsored care workers already in the UK can keep extending their stay, change sponsors and apply to settle, including those who must switch employers after a revocation. Councils and regional teams help displaced workers look for new sponsors.
Checks before paying anyone
- Read the current GOV.UK guidance for the route the job uses. For care work from overseas, that guidance says the route is closed to new overseas applications.
- Check the employer on the register of licensed sponsors. GOV.UK also suggests checking that a care employer is registered with the Care Quality Commission and has a verifiable physical address.
- Refuse to pay for a CoS. Our explainer on why paying for a CoS is against the rules covers the detail.
- Know the agency rule. GOV.UK says it is "illegal for UK-based agencies to charge anyone recruitment fees, except the employer, for finding work". Overseas agencies may charge only if the law where they operate allows it.
- Use a regulated adviser if you need advice; see how to check one.
Warning signs at a glance
| Sign | What GOV.UK says |
|---|---|
| A fee to get the job | A recruitment agency should never ask you to pay for finding you work in the UK |
| Unexpected contact | Listed as a warning sign |
| Vague job description, missing contact details | Listed as warning signs |
| Too good to be true | "It probably is" |
| You pay the CoS fee | Employer must pay, not you |
If you have already paid
Stop further payments. Keep every receipt, chat and bank record. GOV.UK says agencies in Great Britain that charge recruitment fees can be reported through the pay and work rights complaints form or by email to the Employment Agency Standards inspectorate at eas@businessandtrade.gov.uk. In Nigeria, see how to report a visa scam.
Where Pryme fits
If you are already working legally in the UK, a Pryme account gives you GBP details as well as NGN, so you can keep wages in sterling and use Swap to convert for family at home only when you choose, with the rate shown first.
Questions people ask
Is the UK still giving care worker visas to Nigerians?
GOV.UK says the care worker and senior care worker route closed to new applications from overseas from 22 July 2025, with a transition until 2028 for people already working in UK adult social care.
Should I pay for a Certificate of Sponsorship?
No. GOV.UK says the CoS fee, the sponsor licence fee and the immigration skills charge are employer costs, and paying them risks losing money or getting a fake CoS.
What happens if my UK care sponsor loses its licence?
UKVI cancels your CoS and, per a council support page, you have 60 days from the date of that email to regularise your stay or leave. The Home Office says affected care workers can switch to a new sponsor.
Can UK agencies charge me to find a care job?
GOV.UK says it is illegal for UK-based agencies to charge anyone except the employer recruitment fees for finding work.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Applying for health and social care jobs in the UK from abroad, part 1 · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Overseas recruitment for care workers to end (11 May 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- Staffordshire County Council: What happens when your sponsor's licence is revoked? · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Workers and Temporary Workers guidance for sponsors part 2 (version 08/26) · accessed Oct 2026
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