UK Scraps Overseas Care Worker Recruitment Amid Migration Crackdown
The UK government has announced plans to halt the recruitment of foreign care workers, shifting focus to domestic hiring in an effort to cut migration.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed the policy would take effect this year, requiring care firms to employ UK-based workers or extend visas for those already in the country.
As part of its efforts to reduce migration, the UK government is set to implement new visa and employment policies today.
The reforms, expected to be outlined later, aim to cut net migration by up to 50,000 lower-skilled workers over the next year.
While ministers argue the changes will bring balance to the immigration system, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has criticized the approach, calling for a stricter annual cap on migration.
According to a BBC report, Cooper emphasized that while the government will not set specific migration targets, adjustments to care worker and skilled visa rules will contribute significantly to lowering numbers.
The Home Office is expected to release further details in an immigration White Paper next week.
The new policy also impacts international students, ensuring they can remain and work after graduation while tightening compliance requirements for universities.
Care firms must now prove they attempted to recruit locally before seeking overseas candidates, with a pool of 10,000 UK-based care workers with cancelled sponsorships made available for employment.
Since taking office last July, the Labour government has already introduced restrictions, including banning dependents from accompanying migrant care workers.
Cooper also pledged to establish a “fair pay agreement” to make care jobs more attractive to domestic workers, reducing reliance on foreign recruitment.
Industry leaders have expressed concerns over the policy shift, warning that it could worsen staffing shortages in the care sector.
Care England, a charity representing independent care services, described the move as a “crushing blow” to an already fragile sector, arguing that international recruitment has been a lifeline for care providers struggling with mounting vacancies.
The government maintains that the changes are necessary to restore balance in the immigration system and prioritize training UK-based workers for long-term sustainability.
The full details of the immigration reforms will be outlined in the upcoming White Paper.
