World Immigration News

Care worker recruitment from abroad to end, Cooper says

Release Date: 2025-05-12
Media: BBC
Summary: The UK Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, announced plans to end the recruitment of care workers from abroad as part of a crackdown on visas for lower-skilled workers. From this year, firms will be required to hire British nationals or extend the visas of overseas workers already in the UK. The government intends to reduce net migration by up to 50,000 lower-skilled and care workers over the next year through changes to visa and recruitment laws.

Additionally, the threshold for skilled visas will rise to the graduate level, and the list of shortage occupations eligible for temporary visas will be narrowed. The government also plans to introduce new requirements for training to help domestic workers re-enter the job market.

The opposition criticized the plan, with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp calling for a migration cap and arguing that if the Conservative Party had stayed in power, net migration would have dropped more significantly. There are also expected changes to international student and graduate policies, with a focus on improving university compliance and standards.

Care sector leaders expressed concern that the new rules would worsen the recruitment challenges in the care sector, which already faces a shortage of domestic workers.
Tags: UK

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