UK Social Care Sector Faces Recruitment Earthquake
The government has announced plans to end the recruitment of overseas care workers later this year—sending shockwaves through a sector already grappling with chronic staff shortages.
Speaking to the BBC, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed that health and care visas will no longer be available for international recruits. Instead, employers must rely on the domestic workforce or hire from a shrinking pool of displaced migrant workers already in the UK.
From Lifeline to Cut-off Line
The change comes despite clear evidence that international hiring was a game-changer. In 2022, the UK relaxed visa rules for care staff, resulting in a sharp drop in vacancies—from a record 164,000 in 2022 to 131,000 by 2024. Overseas recruits not only helped plug gaps but often outperformed domestic hires in key standards like sick days and training compliance.
Yet recent immigration crackdowns—including a ban on dependants and higher salary thresholds—have already caused a dramatic drop in overseas interest. Recruitment from abroad plummeted from 26,000 hires per quarter in 2023 to just 11,000 per quarter in 2024-25.
Sector Sounds the Alarm
Care providers and sector leaders warn this policy could be disastrous. The Homecare Association called international hiring “a lifeline,” while Care England’s CEO Martin Green described the move as “a crushing blow to an already fragile sector.”
“There’s no funding, no domestic recruitment plan, and no alternative,” Green said. “It’s not just short-sighted—it’s cruel.”
Pay Promises, But No Immediate Fix
The government argues that poor pay—not immigration—is the root of the crisis. Its white paper points to a forthcoming “fair pay agreement” that will establish better salaries and working conditions for care staff. But critics argue this is years away and still lacks funding.
Triple Whammy Warning
Jess McGregor, President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, warned that cutting off foreign recruitment without a robust replacement plan could force families to quit work for unpaid care, increase agency costs, and leave many without support entirely.
What Now for Recruitment?
Until systemic pay and workforce issues are resolved, providers face a daunting gap. As UNISON’s general secretary Christina McAnea put it: “Social care would have collapsed long ago without overseas workers. Take them away, and what’s left?”
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