The UK government will enforce new rules starting April 9, 2025, requiring care providers to prioritize hiring migrant workers already residing in the country before recruiting from abroad.
This measure aims to combat exploitation within the social care sector, where many overseas workers have faced abuse, including fraudulent job fees, overcrowded housing, and below-minimum wages.
The shift comes as the UK’s social care sector has become increasingly reliant on foreign workers, especially following Brexit. In 2023-24, independent providers recruited 105,000 overseas workers, a sharp increase from 20,000 in 2021-22. However, with rising exploitation reports, including a 61% abuse rate in the care sector, authorities are tightening regulations.
In addition to the recruitment changes, the minimum wage for health and care visa workers will rise from £11.90 to £12.82 per hour. Despite the government’s intention to protect workers, healthcare leaders express concern that the move could exacerbate staffing shortages in an already strained system, with underfunding and rising operational costs posing further challenges to care providers.
