only perl 5.22+ is supported

runtime/autoload/health/provider.vim

@@ -695,10 +695,10 @@ function! s:check_perl() abort
           \ ['Install Perl and cpanminus and verify that `perl` and `cpanm` commands work.'])
     return
   endif
-  let perl_v = get(split(s:system(['perl', '-W', '-e', 'print $^V']), "\n"), 0, '')
-  call health#report_info('Perl: '. perl_v)
+
+  call s:system(['perl', '-e', 'use v5.22'])
   if s:shell_error
-    call health#report_warn('Nvim perl host does not support '.perl_v)
+    call health#report_warn('Perl version is too old, 5.22+ required')
     " Skip further checks, they are nonsense if perl is too old.
     return
   endif

runtime/autoload/provider/perl.vim

@@ -11,6 +11,12 @@ function! provider#perl#Detect() abort
     return ''
   endif
 
+  " if perl is available, make sure we have 5.22+
+  call system([prog, '-e', 'use v5.22'])
+  if v:shell_error
+    return ''
+  endif
+
   " if perl is available, make sure the required module is available
   call system([prog, '-W', '-MNeovim::Ext', '-e', ''])
   return v:shell_error ? '' : prog

runtime/doc/provider.txt

@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@ The Vim legacy |perl-vim| interface is also supported (which is itself
 implemented as a Nvim remote-plugin).
 https://github.com/jacquesg/p5-Neovim-Ext
 
+Note: Only perl versions from 5.22 onward are supported.
 
 PERL QUICKSTART~