In a significant policy shift, Yvette Cooper, the UK Home Secretary, has announced plans to halt the recruitment of care workers from abroad. This move aims to address the perceived issues surrounding immigration and reduce the number of lower-skilled workers entering the UK, as stated in her recent interview with the BBC. The complete phase-out of overseas recruitment for care workers is proposed to take effect this year. Instead, businesses will be mandated to recruit domestic candidates or manage the visa extensions of current foreign workers already residing in the United Kingdom.
Cooper’s declaration comes as part of a broader governmental strategy to refine immigration policies. The government intends to unveil detailed alterations to visa regulations on an upcoming Monday. One of the principal objectives is to decrease net migration by an estimated 50,000 lower-skilled workers over the next year. Given the public and political discourse around immigration, such measures have sparked mixed reactions across the political spectrum. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has critiqued the proposals as inadequate, suggesting the necessity for a fixed annual cap on migration to more effectively manage the influx of immigrants to the UK.
The issue of net migration has been a persistent concern for successive UK governments, which have sought various strategies to manage it. Recent data reported that net migration hit an unprecedented level of 906,000 in June 2023, following a record of 728,000 the previous year. While the Home Office has yet to confirm specifics of the forthcoming immigration White Paper, Cooper emphasized that modifications to skilled and care worker visas would be executed within the year, projecting a decrease in the number of visas issued for lower-skilled positions.
During her appearance on the BBC’s “Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg,” Cooper noted her intent to avoid establishing targets for net migration, arguing that such goals have compromised governmental credibility historically. Philp, participating in the same broadcast, countered Cooper’s stance by revealing that the Conservative Party is advocating for a parliamentary vote concerning an annual cap on migration that would likely exceed a reduction of 50,000.
Additionally, changes to immigration rules concerning international students and graduates are forthcoming, according to Cooper. She reassured viewers that students would continue to be permitted entry and the right to work post-graduation, while also announcing an introduction of new compliance standards for universities to tackle issues of student retention and adherence to immigration protocols.
The UK government has already instituted stricter regulations governing the care sector following its appointment last July. For instance, applications for Health and Care Worker visas surged to 18,300 in August 2023, leading to a drastic fall to 1,700 by April 2024 after the prohibition on dependent visas was enacted. Furthermore, as of April 9, additional restrictions were enforced requiring care firms seeking overseas workers to demonstrate efforts to recruit domestically first.
Going forward, the revised guidelines will necessitate care companies to prioritize hiring from local talent pools or from a specific group of 10,000 UK care workers whose sponsorships have been revoked before extending offers to international applicants. In conjunction with this policy, Cooper pledged to establish a “new fair pay agreement for care workers,” aiming to enhance the desirability of care positions for UK residents, thereby reducing the demand for foreign labor in this sector.
As the situation continues to evolve, the ongoing dialogue surrounding immigration and labor policy will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the political landscape in the UK.