The UK government has announced an immediate ban on overseas recruitment for social care roles and introduced sweeping restrictions on low-skilled migration as part of a major immigration overhaul. Outlined in an 82-page Immigration White Paper titled “Restoring Control over the Immigration System,” the new policy aims to significantly reduce net migration and redefine the concept of skilled work under the UK’s points-based system.
The Home Office confirmed the closure of the social care visa route to new international applicants, citing abuse of the system and the need to promote long-term workforce sustainability. Existing foreign care workers in the UK will be allowed to extend or switch visas only until 2028.
The government emphasized that social care must shift from dependency on low-wage international labor to domestic workforce development. Reforms include raising salary, qualification, and language thresholds while abolishing the Immigration Salary List, which had permitted lower pay thresholds for certain roles.
Employers will now be required to prove they have sought local candidates before hiring from abroad, particularly in sectors historically reliant on foreign labor. The Home Office stated that migration should no longer be used as a shortcut for workforce planning.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the reform as a necessary reset designed to reduce immigration levels, end public skepticism, and ensure that the system supports UK skills development.
Source : https://punchng.com/
