UK Plans to Restrict Overseas Recruitment for Care Homes Amid Migration Overhaul

The UK government is set to introduce significant new measures aimed at reducing net migration, with care homes now facing a ban on recruiting workers from abroad. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced that employers in the care sector should instead focus on recruiting foreign staff already residing in the UK or extending existing visas. This move is part of broader plans targeting lower-skilled sectors and refocusing efforts on domestic workforce training.

Speaking during a series of interviews on Sunday, Cooper outlined Labour’s approach, prioritising higher-skilled migration and ending visas for overseas care workers. She emphasised the importance of encouraging companies to use available domestic talent, specifically workers who have come to the UK in good faith but may have faced exploitation from unscrupulous employers. Businesses are also expected to recruit from other visa holders already within the country.

Cooper declined to set a definitive reduction target for net migration but suggested these changes could lead to a decrease of up to 50,000 lower-skilled work visas over the next year. The measures reflect growing political pressure to address public concerns about immigration, as well as recent successes by Reform UK in local elections. Nigel Farage’s party has campaigned heavily on tighter immigration policies, accelerating the need for Labour to take decisive action.

The upcoming white paper will also tackle criminal offences committed by foreign nationals. Currently, the Home Office is notified only when offenders receive custodial sentences of at least one year. Under the new proposals, foreign nationals convicted of any offence will be flagged, allowing quicker deportation, particularly for those recently entering the country. Crimes such as violence against women, street crime, and knife offences will be prioritised under this revised policy.

Businesses in industries reliant on lower-skilled overseas labour, such as care and hospitality, are likely to face considerable challenges under the stricter visa controls. It is expected that work visas will now be time-restricted for roles that do not require graduate-level skills. Furthermore, foreign students graduating from UK universities will face tighter regulations regarding their right to remain after finishing their studies, adding an additional focus on high-skilled migration.

The government also plans to introduce a Labour Market Evidence Group, comprised of officials, industry leaders, and members of the Migration Advisory Council. This body will assess sectors’ dependency on overseas workers and promote investment in domestic skills development. The initiative highlights a policy direction favouring long-term workforce sustainability over reliance on foreign labour.

The new measures reflect Labour’s attempt to balance immigration reform with meeting employer demands, amidst mounting political pressure from rival parties and public opinion. While intended to address migration levels effectively, the restrictions may pose significant challenges for sectors heavily dependent on overseas workers, especially in the short term.