News

Immigration & Visa changes

They include a cut in recruitment of new overseas care workers

Published May 2025

Today, Monday 12 May, the Prime Minister outlined the government’s Immigration White Paper that included details that care providers will no longer be allowed to recruit care workers from overseas.

Yesterday the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper gave an interview to the BBC ahead of the PM’s speech saying that the Care Worker Visa was to be changed as part of the White Paper.

Said Surrey Care Association CEO Nicola McLeish: The decision to halt international recruitment for social care is deeply alarming. Our sector is already under immense strain, and international staff have long been vital in filling critical workforce gaps. Without strong government advocacy and appropriate funding, this move could have exceptionally damaging consequences for the stability of care services in Surrey and across the UK.’ *unsplash

Sector leaders comment

Many national representatives of the adult social care sector have highlighted to the government the affect this will have on care.

Nadra Ahmed, National Care Association’s executive chairman and SCA’s conference keynote speaker this week, said changes would bring a: “Challenging scenario.”

Martin Green, OBE, Chief Executive of Care England and Dr Jane Townsend from The Home Care Association have also commented.

“This is a crushing blow to an already fragile sector. The Government is kicking us while we’re already down. For years, the sector has been propping itself up with dwindling resources, rising costs, and mounting vacancies. International recruitment wasn’t a silver bullet, but it was a lifeline. Taking it away now, with no warning, no funding, and no alternative, is not just short-sighted – it’s cruel.” said Martin Green.

Dr Townsend said said: “International recruitment is a lifeline for the homecare sector, enabling us to provide vital support to older and disabled people in their own homes. Care providers are already struggling to recruit within the UK. We are deeply concerned the government has not properly considered what will happen to the millions of people who depend on care at home to live safely and independently.

In his press conference speech this morning Monday 12 May, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said that: ‘2019 to 2023 net migration “quadrupled” under the previous government, reaching a record high of nearly one million in the year to 2023.’

In April, a restriction was added requiring providers to show evidence that they had attempted to recruit from England first before looking at international recruitment.

Added Nicola McLeish SCA’s CEO: We urgently need sustainable funding and a genuine recognition for the value of our workforce that champions the essential role of overseas carers and supports the long-term future of social care.”