Care chiefs call for government to change care worker immigration rules post Brexit

As the UK faces a staffing crisis in social care and other sectors, care leaders, employers and professional associations are urging the government to change the immigration rules post Brexit.

The response to the government penned by the Progressive Policy Think Tank along with Care England, United Kingdom Homecare Association and chief executives from other sectors are calling for changes to the immigration rules in line with the IPPR recommendations such as address existing skills shortages in sectors critical to the pandemic response and reduce salary threshold from £25,600 to the living wage.

In a report published by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), it states nearly two-thirds of EU employees in the UK would not be eligible for the skilled worker route if it were to apply to them from 1 January 2021 and warns the tighter immigration rules could hamper the UK’s economic recovery from COVID-19.

The current immigration plans could 'exacerbate pressures upon the sector'

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, said: “Our letter to the home secretary stresses that her department’s plans, when combined with the rejection of the MACs Shortage Occupation List recommendations, have the potential to create a perfect storm. The adult social care sector is already afflicted by a workforce crisis as a result of COVID-19. These plans have the potential to further exacerbate the pressures upon the sector.

“Care England will continue to campaign on behalf of the sector to ensure the creation of an immigration system which accommodates the sector’s needs. The government’s policy actions in relation to immigration will likely be a litmus test of the extent to which it values the sector, a test which it is currently failing.”

The analysis also indicates that for many sectors including social care, it will be very difficult for employers to sponsor new arrivals from outside the UK on the skilled worker route from next year.

While they may be able to recruit EU and non-EU workers in the UK on other immigration routes (for example, family visas or youth mobility visas, or EU citizens with settled status), in general, this will mean there is no straightforward way for recruiting from abroad in these sectors.

Applicants will require 70 points to apply for a visa in January

Colin Angel, policy director, United Kingdom Homecare Association said: “Government has recently rejected the Migration Advisory Committee’s recommendations about the Shortage Occupation List, at least for the foreseeable future.

"Although the shortage list would have had limited application for many social care employers, some would have found it extremely helpful in sourcing candidates from outside the UK for hard-to-fill roles, including live-in homecare.”

The letter also takes issue with the planned ‘Points Based’ immigration system which does not provide sufficient routes for adult social care workers to enter the United Kingdom.

Under the new rules, those who want to live and work in the UK will need to gain 70 points to be eligible to apply for a visa.

This would include a minimum salary requirement of £20,480. The think tank warns that unless the government drops its salary to the national living wage of £19,344, the recruitment crisis in social care would worsen.

Mr Angel added: “From January 2021, social care employers face a sudden restriction requiring them to recruit from the domestic workforce. The recommendations from IPPR are an important contribution to how the UK’s migration system could work more effectively in sectors which are known to face recruitment challenges.

"Government needs to consider the recommendations thoroughly.”

Reduce salary threshold to the living wage

The Progressive Policy Think Tank is calling for the following changes to the immigration rules, in line with IPPR recommendations:

• Extending the shortage occupation list to allow for the inclusion of jobs at all skill levels, reflecting the fact that skills shortages can exist in any part of the labour market.

• Following the Migration Advisory Committee's advice to immediately add new occupations to the shortage occupation list in time for the introduction of the new system, in order to address existing skills shortages in sectors critical to the pandemic response.

• Reducing the salary threshold of £25,600 to the living wage (i.e. £19,344 annual salary for a 40 hour week), which will bring the immigration system in line with labour market needs while preventing undercutting.

• Exempting employers from the immigration skills charge if they can demonstrate to the Home Office that they are investing in skills and training, in order to reward employers who are training up the next generation of workers.

To read the full report click here