A union has assessed that changes to UK immigration restrictions will “spell total disaster” for the social care industry. Thus, the government has been told that “swiftly improved” pay and conditions will be necessary to boost domestic recruitment.
According to a group that represents providers throughout England, immigration has been praised for “saving the social care sector,” much like it did for the NHS after World War II. Foreign health and care providers will no longer be permitted to enter the UK with dependents, according to new plans unveiled by Home Secretary James Cleverly on 4th December 2023, in Parliament. In his Commons statement, he stated that the modifications aim to “curb abuses to the health care visa.”
In addition, Mr. Cleverly declared that incoming individuals under the health and social care visa categories “will be exempt so we can continue to bring in the healthcare workers on which our care sector and NHS rely.” The skilled worker earnings threshold would rise by a third to £38,700 starting in the spring of 2024.
Mr. Cleverly stated that in order for care providers in England to sponsor visas, they must be subject to regulation by the CQC (Care Quality Commission). According to the Home Office, additional information on the modifications pertaining to dependents would be provided “in due course.” However, no precise timeframe has been verified as of yet.
About 120,000 dependents joined 100,000 care workers and senior care workers in the year ending in September 2023, Mr. Cleverly informed the Commons. A considerable portion of dependents are relying on public services rather than contributing to economic growth, as only 25% of them are thought to be employed.
“Although we acknowledge that immigrants contribute significantly financially, we also believe that they perform excellent work in our NHS and health sector.” Reports from the Home Office released last month indicated that in September 2023, 143,990 visas for health and care workers were issued, over twice as many as in September 2022 (61,274).
Zimbabwean, Indian, and Nigerian people accounted for the top three nationalities on these visas, according to the Home Office. Only primary visa applications were included in the 143,990 number; dependents are not included.
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Conversely, the Office for National Statistics stated in its most recent migration report, which was also released last month, that the majority of work visas used by dependents to enter the UK were for health and care purposes. It further stated that this trend was responsible for the rise in immigration of individuals with work-dependent visas.
Partner and child applications can be submitted as the primary applicant’s “dependents,” and visas can be extended for a maximum of five years. The health trust association, NHS Providers, acknowledged that hiring foreign labor is not a sufficient solution for staffing shortages but called any developments that would discourage individuals from applying for employment in the NHS and social care “extremely alarming.”
“Foreign health and care workers must continue to see the UK as a viable place to work and live,” stated Miriam Deakin, head of policy and strategy at NHS Providers. It is quite disturbing that policies discourage people from entering the social care and healthcare sectors, as there are over 150,000 workforce shortages in the latter and over 120,000 in the former.
She termed the contributions of foreign employees as crucial and stated that the health and care industries have to appeal to both domestic and foreign workers with international education. The social care sector has been saved by immigration, according to Care England, regulations regarding dependents will make it more difficult for care providers to recruit foreign workers.
Its CEO, Professor Martin Green, stated: “The government needs to act quickly and make investments in bettering wages and working conditions to encourage domestic recruitment if it wishes to shift away from using foreign recruitment as a fix for the shortage of social workers.”
A general secretary, Christina McAnea, added that hospitals and care facilities “simply could not function without” overseas personnel. Unison, which represents health professionals among its members, said the reforms “spell total disaster for the NHS and social care.”
Instead of being made to live apart from their families in the UK, she said, they might now travel to “loving countries.” According to her, there wouldn’t be such a labor shortage if ministers faced head-on and addressed the challenging social care problems, as they have long pledged.
Caroline Abrahams, co-chair of the Care Support Alliance and charitable director of Age UK, expressed concern that the changes to the immigration regulations made by the government starting in the spring will have a substantial adverse effect on the lives of aged and disabled people in need of assistance, as well as their families.
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As she put it, “We will continue to be heavily reliant on inward migration, which is not where we should aspire to be” until we have a government willing to address the urgent need for social care reform and investment.
Important Update: Please note that the recent changes to UK immigration visa rules are specifically applicable to the private sector only. The National Health Service (NHS) is exempt from these modifications. This includes the cap on dependent visas and a raise in healthcare worker salaries. Readers must be aware that these rule changes do not impact NHS employees.
The recent changes to the UK’s immigration policies, particularly the new rules for care workers’ visas, have sparked widespread worry and concern among healthcare professionals and organizations. However, as a recruitment agency that specializes in providing healthcare staffing solutions, we at Dynamic Health Staff understand the importance of skilled foreign workers in the healthcare sector and are committed to supporting healthcare organizations in navigating these changes.
Businesses should investigate different staffing options, such as collaborating with recruitment firms like ours to locate skilled medical experts abroad, in order to adjust to these developments, in our opinion. To lessen the effects of any prospective labor shortages, organizations must place a high priority on the retention and development of their current employees.
All in all, we are still dedicated to offering top-notch staffing solutions to healthcare facilities and professionals, even in the face of potential obstacles brought about by the UK government’s crackdown on immigration rules. If you are a healthcare professional seeking flexible work arrangements, do not hesitate to contact us at +919810017608 or by email at enquiry@dynamichealthstaff.com. We are here to assist you in fulfilling your dreams.
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