Care workers' exclusion from new Health and Care Visa called 'embarrassing shambles'

Home secretary Priti Patel has confirmed care workers won't be eligible for a new Health and Care visa under the government's new post-Brexit immigration system which comes into force in January, sparking criticism that the decision is an “embarrassing shambles”.

The Health and Care Visa will be open to people who want to work in the UK who have a confirmed job offer in one of the government's 'skilled' roles in NHS or social care - such as doctors, nurses and podiatrists but not care workers.

The government's one-page list of professions that currently qualify for the Health and Care Visa, reveals not one job on the list relates to social care.

Home secretary tells sector not to ‘rely on labour from abroad’

In a House of Commons statement, Home Secretary Priti Patel said: "At a time where an increased number of people across the UK are looking for work, the new points-based system will encourage employers to invest in the domestic UK workforce, rather than simply relying on labour from abroad.”

Under the UK's incoming points system, which will immediately end freedom of movement with the EU when it comes into force on 1 January 2021, those wishing to live and work in the UK must gain 70 points.

There is a mandatory requirement for visa applicants to have an offer of a job on a list of eligible professions and speak English - earning them 50 points. There is also a minimum salary requirement of £20,480.

Care workers are not paid enough to be classified as skilled workers, which means under the UK's new points-based system, foreign care workers will not be allowed to come to the UK to work.

Care providers’ hopes of recruiting desperately needed staff from abroad into Britain's care sector have been dashed by the arrival of what has been billed by the government as a cheaper, fast tracked health and care visa.

'Direct insult' to care workers

With Britain's care sector busy battling on the frontline against the coronavirus, on top of a workforce and retention crisis, the Home Secretary's decision is sending shockwaves throughout the sector.

Karolina Gerlich, executive director of The Care Workers’ Charity described the government's move as “another kick in the teeth” for care workers.

"Every care worker is highly skilled and a significant part of the care workforce consists of foreign care workers. The immigration policy is a direct insult to a hard-working sector who have risked their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Some lost their lives, lost their loved ones, people they care for, financial stability, their mental health has even been affected.

“It is unfathomable that their bravery and courage should be repaid in this way. Denying skilled and competent care workers the right to enter the country under the Health Care Visa will heavily and irreversibly impact a sector that is already at collapse from a struggling recruitment and retention rate.

“All care workers are highly skilled and invaluable members of the workforce and should be treated as such.”

Vic Rayner, executive director at the National Care Forum, which represents care homes, said: “It is a low paid sector but it is absolutely not a low skilled sector”.

‘Embarrassing shambles’

Currently, care providers employ EU workers but even with these workers, recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal there is an adult social care workforce shortfall of over 110,000 job vacancies.

ONS figures have revealed more than 350,000 adult care workers were born in EU and non-EU countries, in the year to September 2019.

The sector has an exceptionally high rate of eight per cent, compared to a vacancy rate of 2.8 per cent across all sectors.

With the new visa rules, care providers are left wondering how they can plug the workforce gap.

GMB, the trade union for NHS staff and care workers, has described the government’s new immigration rules as an "embarrassing shambles".

Rehana Azam, GMB National Secretary, said: “The Government’s new immigration rules are descending into an embarrassing shambles and makes no consideration or acknowledgement of the vital job care workers have been doing these past few months.

“It's those who rely on care and their families who now face being punished by this ministerial incompetence.

“The pandemic has shown just how vital these workers are, yet the Government seems intent on keep branding them as low skilled and exacerbating the crisis by creating new barriers."

'What does the government have against care workers?'

Labour has also criticised the government's announcement as an insult to care workers.

Shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds Labour MP said "After the government accused care workers of not following the guidance on COVID-19 and now this, can the Home Secretary please answer a simple question 'What does the government have against care workers?' ".

The Home Secretary left immigration minister Kevin Foster to answer that question. Mr Foster said the aim was to prioritise jobs for British people in the country over overseas workers.

At a time of increasing UK unemployment, the government hopes that care providers will seek to recruit more British workers. The government believes care providers should employ British workers at a more attractive wage.

UK Migration Advisory Committee chair Professor Brian Bell believes that with a National Living Wage of £8.72, an hourly wage of £10-12 would be needed to make a job in the care sector attractive.