UK To Stop Recruiting Care Workers From Abroad
The United Kingdom will halt the recruitment of care workers from abroad as part of a broader immigration reform aimed at reducing net migration and tackling exploitation in the sector, announced Home Secretary Yvette Cooper on Sunday.
The new policy will be outlined in the Immigration White Paper to be presented to Parliament on Monday, May 12.
The government cited widespread abuse and debt bondage suffered by many migrant care workers recruited overseas as the driving force behind the decision.
According to a statement on the official government website, “Care workers from overseas have made a huge contribution to social care in the UK, but too many have been subject to shameful levels of abuse and exploitation.”
The Home Office revealed that some workers arrived in the UK only to find that the jobs they were promised did not exist or were subjected to unfair working conditions.
Since 2022, more than 470 care providers have had their licences revoked for violating sponsorship conditions, resulting in the displacement of around 40,000 care workers.
The government pledged support for these workers, helping them return to the workforce under legal and fair terms.
While new international recruitment will cease, migrant workers who already have legal sponsorship will be allowed to stay.
They will be able to extend their stay, switch sponsors, or apply for settlement, including those affected by the loss of their sponsor’s licence.
This policy change marks a significant shift in the UK’s approach to staffing the social care sector, focusing on reducing reliance on migrant labour and prioritising the training and development of a domestic workforce.
Additionally, the government will implement Fair Pay Agreements to improve employment conditions and enhance the professionalisation of the care workforce through the Care Workforce Pathway.
A major independent commission into adult social care, led by Baroness Louise Casey, is also underway to shape the future of the sector. sector.
Sodiq Yusuf is a trained media practitioner and journalist with considerable years of experience in print, broadcast, and digital journalism. His interests cover a wide range of causes in politics, governance, sports, community development, and good governance.
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