Fears Rise as Tories’ Immigration Limits Risk Care Homes’ Future
TL/DR –
St Cecilia’s Care Group in Yorkshire has been able to fill staff vacancies at its homes by hiring 32 workers from overseas, mainly from India, Ghana and Zimbabwe, thanks to the UK government expanding the health worker visa scheme to include care workers. The company pays the same wages to these staff as their UK colleagues and without this hiring strategy, believes at least two of its care homes would have had to close down due to being unable to meet the minimum safe staffing levels. However, Mike Padgham, who has been in the care sector for 34 years, is concerned about the future due to plans drawn up by immigration minister Robert Jenrick to restrict foreign health and care workers to bringing only one relative each to the UK and possibly banning them from bringing dependants altogether.
Social Care Hiring Crisis Alleviated by New Immigration Route
Mike Padgham, a care home owner in Yorkshire, struggled for years to fill vacancies in his five facilities. However, the expansion of the health worker visa scheme last year to include care workers has improved the situation significantly. Since then, Padgham’s company, St Cecilia’s Care Group, has employed 32 overseas staff, mainly from India, Ghana, and Zimbabwe.
The company covers recruitment costs, and new hires receive the same pay as their UK colleagues. Without these international recruits, Padgham believes at least two of his care homes would have faced closure due to staffing levels.
St Cecilia’s experience reflects a nationwide trend. Over 123,500 people have arrived in the UK as care workers since the visa route was expanded.
Potential Immigration Restrictions Raise Concerns
Immigration minister Robert Jenrick’s plans to restrict foreign health and care workers to bringing one relative each to the UK has raised concerns among care providers. Some reports suggest the Home Office could ban them from bringing dependents altogether. There are also discussions about capping the number of NHS and social care workers hired abroad and altering the minimum salary overseas workers must be paid.
Padgham warns that a cap on care worker numbers, or a restriction on dependants, would spell disaster. He adds that changes to minimum salary thresholds, without additional government investment in social care, would make hiring from abroad unsustainable.
Impact on Families and Care Sector
These policy proposals have drawn criticism for their potential impact on individual families. Unions, like Unison, and organizations such as Migrants’ Rights Network and the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, argue that separating families is cruel and treats migrant workers as disposable economic commodities.
Mictin Ponmala, a health worker from India, says that for him and many international colleagues, the possibility of bringing family members was the main reason for choosing the UK. He warns that not allowing dependents will negatively impact the hiring of health and social care workers.
The Home Office has not commented on these plans or concerns. The government is expected to announce migration measures in the coming weeks. Padgham appeals to ministers to reconsider any plans to target health and social care, warning of the potentially damaging consequences.
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