New Rules to Prioritise Recruiting Care Workers in England

The UK government has introduced new regulations that will require care providers to prioritise recruiting international care workers already in England before hiring from overseas. These changes, laid before Parliament on 12 March, will take effect from 9 April.

What Are the New Recruitment Rules?

Under the updated regulations, care providers who want to recruit workers from overseas must first prove that they have attempted to recruit a worker from within England who needs new sponsorship. The aim is to ensure that those who have already arrived in the UK to work in adult social care can continue their careers, while also reducing reliance on overseas recruitment.

According to the government, this move is part of a broader effort to restore order to the immigration system under the Plan for Change, linking immigration, skills, and visa policies to strengthen the domestic workforce.

Tackling Exploitation and Abuse in the Care Sector

The government has been working closely with the care sector to uphold high standards within the immigration system and support care workers in finding alternative jobs when their sponsor loses their licence. Efforts are underway to clamp down on employers who exploit international workers and ensure they are not unfairly burdened with costs they were never meant to pay.

Seema Malhotra, Minister for Migration and Citizenship, said:

“Those who have come to the UK to support our adult care sector should have the opportunity to do so, free from abuse and exploitation.

“We have already taken action to ensure employers are not able to flout the rules with little consequence or exploit international workers for costs they were always supposed to pay.

“We are now going further, requiring employers in England to prioritise recruiting international care workers who are already here and seeking new sponsorship, before recruiting from overseas.”

This new requirement builds upon previous government actions announced in November to prevent employers who abuse the visa system from hiring overseas workers. Employers who repeatedly violate immigration or employment laws will be barred from recruiting internationally, ensuring that workers are supported in transitioning to new jobs without fear of exploitation.

Additionally, the government has banned companies from charging workers for the cost of their sponsorship, a practice that has previously led to worker exploitation, unfair treatment, and unsustainable levels of debt in the care sector.

Between July 2022 and December 2024, the government revoked more than 470 sponsor licences in the care sector to clamp down on abuse and exploitation. Since October 2020, over 39,000 workers have been associated with these revoked sponsors.

Crackdown on Immigration System Abuse

Beyond the care sector, the government is also tightening regulations on the Short-Term Student visa route due to concerns about misuse. The visa, designed for those studying an English language course in the UK for 6 to 11 months, has reportedly been exploited by individuals who do not have a genuine intention to study or leave the UK at the end of their course.

To address this, the government is introducing tough new rules that will grant caseworkers expanded powers to refuse visa applications suspected of being non-genuine.

Updated Salary Thresholds for Skilled Workers

As part of the latest changes, the government has updated minimum salary thresholds for Skilled Worker visa holders to reflect data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). These updates include:

Care workers and other Skilled Worker visa holders must now be paid a minimum of £12.82 per hour.

Health and education professionals, including doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, and teachers, will also see their minimum pay rates adjusted in line with the latest national pay scales.

These adjustments aim to ensure that care workers and other skilled professionals receive fair compensation while reducing the potential for exploitation through low-wage employment.

Government’s Commitment to Strengthening the Social Care Workforce

The government has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting and valuing international care workers while reducing reliance on overseas recruitment. Stephen Kinnock, Minister of State for Care, stated:

“International care workers play a vital role in our social care workforce. We value their contribution and work supporting vulnerable people across the country every day.

“As we crack down on shameful rogue operators exploiting overseas workers here in the UK, we must do all we can to get the victims back into rewarding careers in adult social care.

“Prioritising care workers who are already in the UK will get people back to work, reducing our reliance on international recruitment, and make sure our social care sector has the care professionals it needs.”

Next Steps in the Government’s Immigration Reform

These changes are part of a series of measures designed to reduce potential abuse within the UK’s immigration system. The government is implementing further reforms targeting potential exploitation within the Student and Graduate visa routes, aiming to curb the sharp rise in migration seen in recent years.

The full details of the government’s long-term immigration strategy will be outlined in the forthcoming Immigration White Paper, which is expected to set the foundation for future policies on skills, work visas, and domestic workforce development.

What Do These Changes Mean for Care Providers and Workers?

For care providers, these changes mean:

A legal requirement to prioritise hiring international care workers already in England before seeking overseas recruits.
Increased compliance measures to prevent worker exploitation.
Higher salary thresholds for Skilled Worker visa holders.

For international care workers already in the UK, these changes provide:

Greater job security and opportunities without being displaced by new overseas recruits.
Protection from employers who engage in unethical practices, such as charging sponsorship fees.
A fairer Immigration system that prevents exploitation and ensures workers are properly supported.

As the UK government continues to reshape its immigration policies, these new rules mark a significant step toward creating a fairer, more sustainable social care workforce.

For the latest official information on these new rules and immigration policies, visit the UK government’s website