A quarter of care workers in the UK are foreign nationals, data has shown, and they will be subject to higher visa fees under the Government’s immigration reforms.
This week Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced she would be ending the recruitment of carers from overseas under plans to reduce the number of migrant workers in the UK.
The cost of employers seeking visas for overseas workers – known as the immigration skills charge – is set to rise by 32 per cent.
As a result, a five-year extension for just one care worker would cost their employer £6,600.
NHS England currently covers the immigration skills charge for trainee medics and dentists hired overseas.
But there are thousands of other healthcare professionals hired overseas, including carers, who are paid for by their direct employers.
The Liberal Democrats said ministers should waive the higher visa fee for NHS and care staff.
Research by the House of Commons Library has revealed the number of care workers from overseas rose by two thirds – more than 150,000 – in two years, from 233,700 in 2021/22 to 387,900 in 2023/24.
A recent report by the Health Foundation think tank found that, due to changes implemented by the previous government, there was a “significant decrease” in new work visas granted to care workers from 2023 onwards.
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“The latest data show that fewer than 2,000 care workers, home carers and senior care workers were granted Health and Care visas in the final quarter of 2024, compared with just over 20,000 for the same period in 2023,” the report said.
The Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey said: “Social care is in crisis, with millions of people missing out on the care they need because there aren’t enough care workers.”
“People who have moved to the UK to look after our elderly and disabled people are doing tough jobs and helping to keep our NHS on its feet. They should be thanked for their contribution, not demonised.”
The Government has pledged to boost pay for care workers.
“Care work is difficult, often dangerous, yet very badly paid. GMB is working with the Government on Fair Pay Agreements in care, which are desperately needed to give these highly skilled professionals the wage rise they deserve and fix the recruitment and retention crisis.
“But they aren’t coming in overnight. In the meantime steps to ensure we have enough staff are vital.”
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