UK Ends Overseas Recruitment for Care Workers Amid New Visa Crackdown

In a major policy shift, the UK government has announced that care workers will no longer be recruited from overseas. The decision is part of a wider crackdown on migration aimed at reducing the number of lower-skilled workers entering the country through visa routes.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed the change during an interview with the BBC, stating that employers must now prioritize hiring from the existing pool of care workers already residing in the UK. The care worker visa route will be officially closed, marking a significant change for the health and social care sectors that have relied heavily on international staff.

The move is part of a broader plan to lower net migration figures, which stood at 728,000 in 2024—down from a record 906,000 in 2023. The government hopes to bring this number down by at least 50,000 annually through a series of reforms.

Additional measures include raising English language requirements, introducing higher qualification thresholds for skilled worker visas, and tightening asylum rules. A formal Immigration White Paper will be released soon to provide further details.

While the government believes these changes will encourage investment in domestic training and reduce reliance on foreign labour, care sector leaders have voiced serious concerns. They warn the decision could worsen already critical staffing shortages across the UK’s care system.