Care leaders warn migrant salary threshold will 'shut door' on EU care workers

Social care leaders say Britain will miss out on ‘desperately needed’ care workers after Brexit, because the Migration Advisory Committee’s (MAC) recommendation to government to lower the salary threshold for non-British workers fails to go far enough.

In a report, the committee has recommended the government reduce by £4,400 the salary threshold for skilled workers taking a job in Britain, after the UK leaves the European Union.

After Brexit, the right under freedom of movement rules for EU nationals to live and work in Britain goes. For people arriving in Britain with a job offer, MAC recommends cutting the general minimum salary requirement from £30,000 to £25,600.

While MAC argues the threshold will stop the undercutting of the labour market, care leaders have voiced their concerns that the workforce shortages in social care will only get worse.

Simon Bottery, senior fellow at The King’s Fund, said: “One in six staff working in adult social care in England have a non-British nationality. These workers are crucial for the viability of social care services which are struggling to cope with approximately 122,000 vacancies at any one time.

“By prioritising higher-paid workers, the Migration Advisory Committee recommendations for a points-based visa system would effectively shut the door to thousands of people who are desperately needed to shore up the social care workforce.

“In doing so, the Committee has batted the social care staffing problem back to government, challenging the government to improve care worker pay and conditions so more home-grown staff are attracted to the roles. However, the immediate reality is that the average hourly pay for care workers is below the rate paid in most supermarkets."

The MAC report was responding to the Home Secretary's commission into how a points-based system and salary thresholds for immigration post-Brexit could be introduced to strengthen the UK labour market.

The committee predicts “slightly increased pressure in social care” adding “We remain concerned about the situation in social care, but the root cause of the problems there is the failure to offer competitive terms and conditions.”

Martin Green, the chief executive of Care England, which represents independent care providers, has said he would like to see the salary threshold reduced to £15,000.

'Reducing threshold by £4,400 won't allow a single care worker' into UK

Christina McAnea, UNISON assistant general secretary believes "reducing the salary threshold by £4,400 won't allow a single care worker to come to the UK.

"The sector is already in crisis. Placing barriers to recruitment from overseas would cause it huge difficulties. Nor would the government's idea of a one-year visa be any better. By the time care staff have arrived and settled into their jobs, it'd be time for them to leave."

The assistant general secretary of the UK’s largest trade union, with more than 1.3 million members, said that as a consequence migrants' training and experience would be lost.

"The government can no longer duck its responsibility to reform social care. If wages were increased and training improved, people who already live and work in the UK might start to see care as an attractive career option."

Deborah Alsina chief executive of Independent Age, the older people’s charity, said: “The Chair of the Migration Advisory Committee has said that some difficult trade-offs are unavoidable, but it’s essential that social care providers are given assurances that any new system does not come at the cost of poorer care for the older people and families who currently depend on it.”

The Home Office is looking to introduce a points-based immigration system from 2021.

• ‘Like what you read? For more news click here and you can listen to our latest podcast ‘Let’s Talk About Care’ by clicking here