Chris McAndrew, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
The UK government has announced plans to ban the overseas recruitment of care workers as part of a broader strategy to reduce net migration.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper revealed the new policy on Sunday, May 11, during an interview with Sky News.
Cooper stated that the government aims to restrict low-skilled worker visas and focus on high-skilled migration, along with improving domestic training. “We will be closing the care worker visa for overseas recruitment,” she confirmed, emphasizing the need to prioritize the UK workforce.
The policy update was also posted on the government’s official website, ahead of a detailed Immigration White Paper expected this week.
According to the Home Office, these changes could reduce the number of low-skilled foreign workers by approximately 50,000 in 2025.
However, the announcement sparked criticism from Care England, an organization representing independent care services.
CEO Martin Green called the move a “crushing blow” to a sector already struggling with staff shortages, describing international recruitment as a “lifeline.”
In response to concerns about staffing, Cooper suggested that care providers could hire from those already in the UK—such as current care workers who have been exploited or individuals with other visa types. She noted that existing visas could be extended to fill gaps, but insisted the time had come to end reliance on care worker recruitment from abroad.
