Labour unions and key figures in the UK’s care industry have voiced strong opposition to the government’s proposed ban on hiring care workers from abroad, warning that it could severely damage an already fragile sector.
According to *The Guardian UK*, a new immigration white paper—set for release Monday—will outline the government’s intent to stop overseas recruitment in the care sector. The proposal is part of a broader strategy to reduce legal migration and focus on developing the domestic workforce.
The announcement has sparked fierce backlash. Critics argue that foreign care workers are vital to the UK’s care system, which is already struggling with chronic staff shortages and limited funding.
Professor Martin Green, CEO of Care England, described the policy as “kicking the sector while it’s already down.”
“For years, we’ve faced escalating costs, staffing shortages, and minimal support,” Green said. “International recruitment hasn’t solved everything, but it has been a critical support. Removing it without any viable alternative is both short-sighted and cruel.”
Unison, the UK’s largest trade union, also denounced the plan and demanded clarity for migrant workers currently employed in the care sector.
Christina McAnea, Unison’s General Secretary, said the UK’s health and care systems would have collapsed without the contributions of migrant workers.
“Thousands of foreign care workers have kept the system afloat,” she said. “Now they’re left uncertain about their futures. The government must guarantee they won’t be forced out.”
McAnea also criticized the classification of care roles as “low-skilled,” calling for better pay and recognition for care workers.
In 2023, more than 58,000 foreign care workers entered the UK through the skilled worker visa route, comprising nearly half of all new entrants in the sector.
Defending the proposal, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the policy aims to reduce dependency on foreign labour and boost domestic employment.
“There are many untapped pools of labour in the UK,” Cooper told the BBC. “Employers should prioritise those already here, including individuals on existing visas who are not yet employed.”
While the government maintains the change is necessary for long-term sustainability, unions warn it could deepen the staffing crisis and place more strain on families in need of care services.
