Overseas Recruitment for Care Workers to End Amid Major UK Immigration Reforms
The UK government has announced a landmark change to its immigration policy, confirming that international recruitment for care workers will be brought to an end. The announcement, spearheaded by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, comes as part of a broader strategy aimed at reducing historically high net migration numbers while reforming the country’s troubled social care sector.
The End of Overseas Recruitment in Adult Social Care
In a statement released today ahead of the publication of the government’s immigration white paper on 12 May, the Home Office confirmed that no new international care worker recruitment will be allowed moving forward. The policy shift is framed as a response to growing concerns about abuse, exploitation, and the systemic failure to protect international workers once they arrive in the UK.
Yvette Cooper stated that while overseas workers have made a "huge contribution" to the UK’s care system, many have also experienced unacceptable levels of mistreatment. Reports include workers arriving under significant debt, being deceived about the nature or existence of their jobs, and receiving substandard or exploitative treatment from care providers.
Since 2022, over 470 care providers have had their sponsor licences suspended by the Home Office due to non-compliance or misconduct—prompting the government to take more aggressive action.
Supporting Displaced Workers and a Transition to Domestic Talent
The government acknowledged that the crackdown has displaced around 40,000 care workers. Many of these workers, having come to the UK with the legitimate expectation of employment, now find themselves in limbo. As part of the transition, these individuals will be prioritised for redeployment within the care sector—fulfilling the roles they were initially recruited to perform.
Importantly, international care workers already in the UK under valid sponsorships will not be forced to leave. They will retain the right to extend their visas, switch to new sponsors, and apply for settlement. This measure aims to ensure that existing workers, especially those impacted by revoked sponsor licences, are not penalised unfairly for the actions of rogue employers.
The long-term solution, according to the Home Office, will involve investing in homegrown care talent. Training, recruitment, and retention strategies will be put in place to professionalise and grow a robust domestic care workforce.
Structural Reforms and the Care Workforce Pathway
This recruitment policy change is not occurring in isolation. It follows a series of structural reforms designed to improve working conditions and promote sustainability in the adult social care sector.
In January, the government announced the expansion of the Care Workforce Pathway—a framework aimed at professionalising the sector and supporting skills development for care workers. Building on this, the current announcement includes a commitment to fair pay agreements, which will allow worker representatives, employers, and sector experts to collaboratively negotiate better terms and conditions across the industry.
These reforms aim to shift the UK’s dependency away from international labour and ensure fairer, more stable employment for all care staff.
Independent Commission to Shape the Sector’s Future
Further underscoring the significance of these changes, Baroness Casey has been appointed to lead an independent commission on adult social care. This commission is billed as a “once in a generation opportunity” to cut through party politics and build a cross-party, long-term vision for the sector.
Baroness Casey’s work will focus on evaluating the entire care system—from workforce and funding models to service delivery and quality of care—with the goal of creating lasting and meaningful improvements.
Immigration White Paper: A Wider Strategy
The decision to end overseas recruitment for care workers is one of several measures included in the upcoming immigration white paper, which will be laid before Parliament on 12 May 2025. The paper sets out the government’s wider mission to restore “order, control and fairness” to the immigration system, while also ensuring policies support economic growth and labour market sustainability.
Officials describe the reforms as part of a strategic shift that balances domestic workforce development with the need to reduce unsustainable levels of net migration.
Implications for Care Providers and Sector Stakeholders
For care providers, the message is clear: non-compliance will not be tolerated, and systemic reform is underway. The new policy places the onus on UK-based providers to invest in fair treatment, proper training, and recruitment practices that respect the dignity of all workers—foreign or domestic.
At the same time, providers are urged to engage with new workforce development programs and prepare for an environment where foreign recruitment is no longer an option for addressing labour shortages.
A Balancing Act Ahead
While the policy is expected to provoke debate—particularly from those warning of immediate staffing shortages—the government insists the plan is both necessary and just. By halting the recruitment of foreign care workers, protecting those already here, and investing in UK-based solutions, officials hope to stabilise a sector that has long been underfunded, under-regulated, and overly reliant on migration.
As the white paper is published and debated, all eyes will be on the government’s ability to deliver on its promise of fairness, workforce reform, and a sustainable future for adult social care in the UK.
Call Parachute Law today on 0207 183 4547
Related Reading:
Protect Your Share: Lock In Your Property Rights Today
UK Government to Slash 10% of Civil Service Jobs in Major Spending Review
