Social care still propped up by overseas recruits amid migration restrictions

Responding to the Skills For Care report on the size and structure of the adult social care workforce, Nuffield Trust Fellow Camille Oung, said:

“More job vacancies being filled in social care is undoubtedly a thing to celebrate, as it should mean more people receive better support from care services. However, social care is still actively losing homegrown workers. The sector continues to be propped up by international recruitment, but the UK government is now taking multiple measures that kick away that support strut. As well as the specific block on visas for care workers, the wider tightening on immigration is likely to mean there will be fewer migrants on other types of visas who might work in the sector.

“With these barriers in place, there is a strong case for delivering better terms and conditions for care workers to attract and retain more homegrown staff, but the Employment Rights Bill measures aimed at achieving this are both some way off, and not clearly funded.”