UK to prioritise hiring care workers already in the country

Employers in the United Kingdom (UK) will now be required to prioritise hiring of foreign care workers who are already in the country before seeking to hire from overseas.

Employers who repeatedly violate immigration or employment laws will face bans from hiring overseas workers.

These new measures will take effect from April 9.

The initiative is part of the government’s broader Plan for Change which is designed to reduce reliance on overseas workers while addressing issues within the immigration system.

Under the rules, care providers must demonstrate that they have made efforts to recruit workers already residing in England who require sponsorship before turning to international recruitment.

Cracking down on exploitation and immigration abuse

Significant efforts have been made to maintain high standards in collaboration with the care sector, particularly in supporting care workers whose sponsors have lost their licences.

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The changes will also extend to the Short-Term Student visa route, which enables individuals to undertake English language courses in the UK for 6 to 11 months.

Concerns about abuse of this visa have led to stricter regulations, giving caseworkers greater authority to reject applications suspected of being fraudulent.

Seema Malhotra, the minister for Migration and Citizenship, stated:

“Those who have come to the UK to support our adult care sector should have the opportunity to do so, free from abuse and exploitation. We have already taken action to ensure employers cannot flout the rules or exploit international workers. Now, we are going further by requiring employers to prioritise care workers already in England before recruiting from overseas.”

These changes build upon measures announced in November to combat visa system abuse

Additionally, companies are now prohibited from charging workers for the cost of their sponsorship, which previously led to exploitation, unfair treatment, and unsustainable debt among care workers.

Since July 2022, the government has revoked over 470 sponsor licences in the care sector, affecting more than 39,000 workers associated with those sponsors since October 2020.

New minimum wage and broader impact

The government has also updated salary thresholds based on the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Care workers on Skilled Worker visas will now receive a minimum wage of £12.82 per hour. Similarly, salaries for health and education roles, including doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, and teachers, will be adjusted in line with current national pay scales.

Stephen Kinnock, Minister of State for Care, acknowledged the vital role of international care workers in supporting vulnerable populations. He stated:

“Prioritising care workers already in the UK will reduce reliance on international recruitment while ensuring the social care sector has the professionals it needs to thrive.”

These reforms come as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to address vulnerabilities in the immigration system, including misuse of Student and Graduate visa routes.

More details on reducing legal migration and aligning immigration policies with domestic skill development will be outlined in the forthcoming Immigration White Paper.