Babatunji Wusu –
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The UK government will cease overseas recruitment of care workers as part of its strategy to reduce net migration.
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Care providers will be required to hire British workers or extend visas for existing staff.
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Aimed at cutting up to 50,000 low-skilled migrants in the care sector over the next year.
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Net migration reached 906,000 in 2023, prompting the government’s efforts to address high migration levels.
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New rules will raise the threshold for skilled worker visas and tighten the eligibility for temporary shortage occupation visas.
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Training initiatives will encourage UK residents to re-enter the workforce, especially in social care.
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Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp supports the care worker ban but criticizes the overall plans, advocating for a higher migration cap.
The UK government is set to end the recruitment of care workers from overseas in 2025, as part of a broader initiative to reduce net migration. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed this shift on Sunday, explaining that the time had come to halt international recruitment of care workers. The new rules will require care providers to prioritize hiring British workers or extend visas for those already working in the UK.
This move is designed to reduce the number of low-skilled migrants, particularly in the care sector, by up to 50,000 over the next year. The government’s decision comes amid ongoing concerns about high migration levels, with net migration reaching a record 906,000 in the year ending June 2023, and remaining elevated at 728,000 the following year.
Cooper also addressed the government’s intention to lower migration figures, although she rejected the idea of fixed targets, arguing that such measures would undermine the credibility of immigration policies.
In addition to curbing overseas recruitment, the government plans to raise the threshold for skilled worker visas to graduate level, up from the current A-level standard. The list of roles eligible for temporary shortage occupation visas will also be narrowed, limiting the number of jobs that qualify for discounted visa rates. These changes aim to reduce the reliance on migrants in low-skilled sectors.
Moreover, the government will introduce new training programs to help more UK residents re-enter the workforce, particularly in areas like social care, addressing workforce shortages domestically.
Although Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp expressed support for the end of overseas care worker recruitment, he criticized the overall measures as insufficient. He called for a stricter annual migration cap, suggesting that the Conservatives would seek a parliamentary vote on the matter. While he did not specify a number, Philp emphasized that the cap would exceed the anticipated reduction of 50,000 migrants under the current plans.
