The UK government will ban care homes from hiring new staff from overseas, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced, as part of sweeping reforms to reduce net migration. Instead, care providers will be urged to recruit from within the UK or from foreign workers already residing in the country.
The move is part of a white paper to be unveiled on Monday, which outlines the government’s strategy to slash low-skilled migration and tighten immigration controls across various sectors.
Care worker visa scheme to close
Cooper confirmed that the overseas care worker visa route will be shut down, meaning care homes must now rely on existing visa holders or foreign workers already living in the UK. She said many had arrived in good faith but had been exploited by disreputable employers, and should now be prioritised for recruitment.
The Home Office aims to cut up to 50,000 lower-skilled visas in the coming year as part of the migration reforms.
Foreign criminals to face tougher deportation rules
In a significant shift, the Home Office will now be notified of all foreign nationals convicted of crimes in the UK — not just those sentenced to prison. This will allow authorities to consider deportation more broadly, including for offences such as knife crime, street crime, and violence against women and girls.
Any foreigner placed on the UK sex offender register will be deemed to have committed a serious crime and will no longer be eligible for asylum protections, regardless of sentencing.
Stricter rules for foreign workers and students
The reforms will also introduce tighter language requirements for foreign workers and stricter rules for international students who wish to stay in the UK after graduation. While reports suggested an A-level English requirement, this has been denied.
Most work visas for non-graduate roles will be strictly time-limited. Employers in sectors like engineering and IT who fail to prove sufficient domestic recruitment efforts may lose the right to sponsor foreign workers.
Labour Market Evidence Group to guide reforms
A new Labour Market Evidence Group will be established to assess sectors overly reliant on foreign labour. This group, made up of officials from the Migration Advisory Council and industry bodies, will help shape future visa policy and encourage domestic workforce development.
Political pressure mounts
Cooper’s overhaul comes as the government faces mounting pressure over immigration, particularly following the local election gains by Reform UK. The right-wing party has capitalised on voter frustration over illegal Channel crossings and rising migration figures.
While skilled visa numbers have already declined, business leaders warn that the latest crackdown could worsen labour shortages in industries such as care, hospitality, and retail.
