Yorkshire and Humber International Recruitment Project

Updates for Care Providers and Partners May 2026

Bursary Support

In the Yorkshire and Humber region we can offer bursaries to providers who commit to employ and sponsor a displaced care worker, whilst funding is temporarily available. Given the reduction in project funding, we are reviewing how long this fund is available for and/or whether the Bursary could be increased in line with the increased fees.

1. Home Office Approved Sponsor (HOAS) Bursary – Increased Rates

Reimbursement available for applications submitted from 11 May 2026

This bursary supports Care Providers who do not currently hold a sponsorship licence but wish to apply to the Home Office to become an Approved Sponsor.

If you are a Provider who is interested in applying for a licence or would like more information, please contact the North Yorkshire & York Hub at MakeCareMatter@northyorks.gov.uk.

Reimbursement amounts (based on Home Office fee structure from April 2026):

• £611 – small employer (fewer than 50 staff)
• £1,682 – large employer (50+ staff)

These amounts will be reimbursed once you have been approved as a Home Office Approved Sponsor.

2. Worker Visa Fee Increase April 2026 – Updated Reimbursement

Reimbursement available for applications submitted from 11 May 2026

The Visa fee for eligible displaced workers applying for a Visa for up to 3 years has increased by £20, bringing the total to £324. The YHIR project will reimburse the full £324 for eligible workers. The Visa fee for eligible displaced workers applying for a Visa for over 3 years has increased by £38, bringing the total to £628. The YHIR project will reimburse the full fee for eligible workers, according to the duration of visa applied for.

3. Care Providers Sponsorship Bursary – No Change

Available for Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) paid for or assigned from 16 December 2025 whilst funding is available

This bursary supports HOAS Providers in Yorkshire and Humber who offer employment to a displaced worker introduced through the project. It reimburses costs associated with issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship, subject to eligibility and available funds.

Home Office Costs for Sponsorship

• £525 – CoS administration fee
• Immigration Skills Charge (ISC):
  • £480 per year – small employer
  • £1,320 per year – large employer

Bursary Amounts Available - for Certificate of Sponsorships paid for/assigned from 16th December 2025 – whilst funding is available.

The bursary is released once the worker starts employment. Funding is limited and allocated on a first‑come, first‑served basis. It is not an entitlement.

Employer size definitions: A small employer typically has < £15m turnover, < £7.5m assets, and fewer than 50 employees. The receipt for the CoS payment will be used to determine the correct bursary amount.

Evidencing sponsorship for this bursary

The project currently seeks to reimburse costs for a 1- or 2-year sponsorship period and encourages employers to consider longer sponsorships where possible.

To ensure bursary funding is allocated fairly and in line with project criteria, we require clear evidence of sponsorship. This includes:

• Confirmation of the sponsor’s size
• Transaction of confirmation email (recipient, date and cost included)
• Certificate of sponsorship (CoS) up to and including the personal information section.

The YHIR project will ensure that Providers claiming bursaries meet sponsorship requirement in line with Home Office guidance, for example that workers are being paid the correct rates and are employed fairly and equitably in line with statutory employment requirements. The bursaries are an added benefit to support providers in the Yorkshire and Humber region with sponsorship costs; however, they are not an entitlement and will only be accessible whilst funding remains available, which is currently being reviewed.

4. Sponsoring for More Than Two Years – Additional Benefits

While the bursary does not cover more than two years of sponsorship costs, Providers may still benefit from offering longer sponsorship periods, including:

• Avoiding repeated £525 admin fees
• Locking in the minimum salary requirement at the rate applicable at the time of sponsorship
• Improved staff retention and reduced turnover
• Ability to reclaim unused CoS periods from UKVI on a pro‑rata basis

6. Sponsored Worker Pay

UKVI regularly check workers are being paid at least the salary stated on their CoS or in any change of circumstances notification. They do this by checking in 'real time' via the HMRC systems.   Worker’s salary payments should be at least monthly frequency, unless specified otherwise in the contract.  Salary should be paid equal to the period of time, e.g. if paid monthly, or less frequent than monthly, the salary paid to the worker over any 3-month period must be at least equal to a quarter of the required annual salary.  Please see Sponsor a Skilled Worker Calculation of Salary for more information, particularly where irregular patterns of work occur. Please bear in mind that they may check this without visiting your premises or speaking to you and your licence may be revoked if non compliance is found.