Zimbabwean nationals received 31,138 extensions of UK Health and Care Worker visas in the year to March 2026, the third-highest of any nationality, according to Home Office figures as revised in August 2026. Business Insider Africa earlier reported 31,117 from an earlier cut of the same statistics.

Only India (107,374) and Nigeria (89,629) had more. Taken together, Nigeria and Zimbabwe accounted for 120,767 extensions.

Extensions, not new arrivals

These figures count people who are already living in the UK and were given permission to stay longer on the care visa route. They are not new arrivals. NewZimbabwe made the same point when it shared the earlier figures on Tuesday: "these are not new arrivals."

The figures also do not count people being asked to leave. An extension is a grant of permission to stay.

The number of people coming in is much lower. Business Insider Africa reported that Health and Care Worker visas issued to main applicants and dependants fell 38% year on year to 42,658 in the year ending March 2026.

Why the door has closed to new care workers

The drop follows a confirmed change in policy. From 22 July 2025, the UK stopped accepting applications from overseas for care workers and senior care workers (occupation codes 6135 and 6136). Home Office minister Seema Malhotra set this out in a written statement to Parliament (HCWS759) on 1 July 2025, and the GOV.UK impact assessment for the rule changes (HC 997) gives the details.

People already in the UK can still switch into care roles from inside the country until 22 July 2028. This transition period is set out in the same documents. It is the main reason extensions, rather than new visas, now make up most of the activity on this route.

What is proposed but not yet law

Business Insider Africa reports two further changes that would affect Zimbabwean carers. These are proposals and have not been passed into law:

existing care workers might have to move onto the general Skilled Worker route from July 2028;

separate settlement reforms could extend the qualifying period for permanent residence (indefinite leave to remain) from five years to ten.

Zimbo Grapevine could not find GOV.UK confirmation of either change in final form. Carers should rely on official GOV.UK guidance or a regulated immigration adviser, not social media, before making decisions.

Why it matters

Care work is one of the biggest employers of Zimbabweans in the UK, and the wages support many households at home through remittances. The figures show a large Zimbabwean workforce already settled in the sector and renewing its permission to stay, even though the route has closed to new overseas recruits.

For families, the main dates to watch are July 2028, when in-country switching ends, and any final decision on settlement rules. Zimbo Grapevine will update this story when the Home Office publishes firm rules.

Sources: Business Insider Africa, Oct 2026: https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/lifestyle/uk-immigration-crackdown-threatens-pound15-billion-care-sector-as-two-african-nations/p18kgg4 · NewZimbabwe on X, 27 Oct 2026: https://x.com/NewZimbabweCom/status/2114949627329884254 · UK Parliament written statement HCWS759, 1 Jul 2025: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2025-07-01/hcws759 · GOV.UK HC 997 impact assessment, Jul 2025: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statement-of-changes-to-the-immigration-rules-hc-997-1-july-2025/spring-2025-immigration-rules-impact-assessment-skilled-worker-and-care-worker-july-2025-accessible-version · Home Office, Immigration system statistics data tables (extensions): https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables

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