Care manager visa sponsorship in the UK runs on SOC code 1232 — residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors. It is the occupation a licensed care company uses to sponsor a manager or owner on the Skilled Worker route, and it is the code your own company uses to sponsor you when you self-sponsor.
SOC 1232 is on the Home Office Immigration Salary List for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — and it stays there until 31 December 2026, so this is a window worth acting on now.
On This Page
What Is SOC Code 1232?
SOC occupation code 1232 is “Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors — all jobs”. The Standard Occupational Classification is the system the Home Office uses to define every sponsorable role, and 1232 is the one for the people who run a care service rather than deliver the hands-on care.
That word “proprietors” matters. SOC 1232 is not only for an employed registered manager — it explicitly covers owners and proprietors of care services. That is precisely why it is the code at the heart of self-sponsorship: it is the occupation your own care company sponsors you under when you own and manage it.
In one line
SOC 1232 is the visa code for care managers and care business owners. If you want to be sponsored to run a care service — including one you own — this is your occupation code.
SOC 1232 Is on the Immigration Salary List
SOC 1232 is listed on the Home Office Immigration Salary List for all four UK nations — England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Roles on the Immigration Salary List benefit from a lower salary threshold than the standard going rate, which makes the care manager route more accessible.
It is currently on that list until 31 December 2026. Listings get reviewed and revised, so the sensible move is to build your route while 1232 sits on the list rather than waiting.
Check it yourself on the official source: the Immigration Salary List on GOV.UK, and the Skilled Worker visa overview.
1232 vs 6135 and 6136: Owner Code vs Worker Code
If you are already in the UK as a carer, you are almost certainly sponsored under a worker code. SOC 1232 is the owner and manager code. Moving from carer to owner means moving up from the worker code to 1232.
| SOC code | Occupation | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| 6135 | Care workers and home carers | Hands-on carers delivering personal care |
| 6136 | Senior care workers | Lead carers supervising a team on shift |
| 1232 | Residential, day & domiciliary care managers and proprietors | Managers, registered managers and owners who run the service |
The jump from 6135 or 6136 to 1232 is the jump from being employed in someone else’s service to managing and owning your own. That is the whole point of the route below.
How SOC 1232 Powers Self-Sponsorship
A Skilled Worker visa holder can register a private limited company at Companies House, be a company director, and own shares. What you cannot do is be self-employed or make running that company your main job — which is exactly the gap self-sponsorship fills.
Self-sponsorship means you own a UK care company, that company obtains a Home Office Sponsor Licence, and it then sponsors you on the Skilled Worker route — under SOC 1232 — to run it. You become the sponsored care manager and proprietor of your own service.
- You register and own the care company at Companies House
- The company holds the Sponsor Licence — not you personally
- The company sponsors you under SOC 1232 as care manager and proprietor
- 1232 sitting on the Immigration Salary List makes the salary side workable
The Carer-to-Owner Pathway
Here is the route that takes you from carer under 6135/6136 to sponsored owner-manager under 1232:
Register the care company
A care company is registered at Companies House with the full CQC policy and procedure pack prepared and ready.
Register with the CQC and start caring
Register the company with the CQC and begin caring for real clients as a regulated service.
Build a real track record (6–8 months)
Spend six to eight months building a genuine track record — real clients, real contracts, real income.
Your company sponsors you under 1232
That track record lets your own company hold a Sponsor Licence and sponsor you under SOC 1232 to manage it.
You own and run your own service
You are now the sponsored care manager and proprietor of the care business you built.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is care manager visa sponsorship in the UK?
Care manager visa sponsorship is when a licensed UK care company sponsors a manager or proprietor on the Skilled Worker route under SOC occupation code 1232, which covers residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors. It is the code used when someone is hired to run a care service rather than to deliver hands-on care. The most powerful use of it is self-sponsorship, where you own the care company and that company sponsors you to manage it.
What is SOC code 1232?
SOC code 1232 is the Standard Occupational Classification code for residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors, covering all jobs in that group. It is the occupation a UK care company uses to sponsor a registered manager or owner on the Skilled Worker visa, and it is on the Home Office Immigration Salary List for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland until 31 December 2026.
Is SOC code 1232 on the Immigration Salary List?
Yes. SOC code 1232 is listed on the Home Office Immigration Salary List for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is currently on that list until 31 December 2026, which makes it a strong route to act on now. Being on the list lowers the salary threshold that applies to the role.
What is the difference between SOC 1232 and SOC codes 6135 and 6136?
SOC 6135 covers care workers and home carers, and SOC 6136 covers senior care workers. These are the worker codes for people delivering hands-on care. SOC 1232 covers care managers and proprietors who run the service. Going from carer to owner means moving from the worker code (6135 or 6136) to the owner and manager code (1232).
Can I sponsor myself as a care manager on a Skilled Worker visa?
Yes. A Skilled Worker visa holder can register a private limited company at Companies House, be a director, and own shares. With self-sponsorship you own a UK care company, that company gets a Home Office Sponsor Licence, and it sponsors you under SOC 1232 to run it. You cannot be self-employed or treat it as your main job until the company sponsors you, which is exactly why self-sponsorship exists.
How do I move from carer to care manager with sponsorship?
Register a care company at Companies House with the full CQC policy and procedure pack prepared, register it with the CQC and begin caring for clients, build a real track record over six to eight months with real clients, contracts and income, then use that track record so your own company can sponsor you under SOC 1232. At that point you own and run your own service.