LONDON – The United Kingdom is all set to tighten the recruitment of care workers from overseas as a fresh legislation is set to take effect.
According to the official press release by the Home Office, from 9 April, care providers who want to recruit a new worker from overseas will have to first prove that they have attempted to recruit a worker from within England who needs new sponsorship.
This effectively means that overseas workers would not be prioritized and those within the country would be the first to have an opportunity of being hired.
Commenting on the legislation that was tabled in the parliament, Seema Malhotra, Minister for Migration and Citizenship, said that those who have come to the UK to support adult care sector should have the opportunity to do so, free from abuse and exploitation.
‘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,’ she added.
The UK government has been tightening the immigration rules for a couple of years now. The official data highlights that between July 2022 and December 2024, the administration revoked over 470 sponsor licences in the care sector to clamp down on abuse and exploitation and over 39,000 workers have been associated with these sponsors since October 2020.
Moreover, the Home Office has announced that fresh changes will also see the minimum salary thresholds updated to reflect the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This means that those working on the Skilled Worker visa, including care workers, are paid a minimum of £12.82 per hour.
‘Health and education occupations, including doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and teachers, will also see their minimum rates increased to reflect the latest national pay scales,’ stated a press release by the Home Office on Wednesday.
The Home Office has also highlighted that the government is continuing its clampdown on abuse in the immigration system with changes to the Short-Term Student route.
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