New figures released on Thursday have revealed that a record number of foreign health and care workers were granted UK visas in 2023. The visas were issued to 146,477 applicants, a significant increase from the 157,636 applicants who were granted the visa in 2022 and 63,291 applicants in 2021. Within these three years, 367,404 healthcare visas have been issued.
The data also showed that when dependents were considered, the total number of people granted the visa rose to 349,929. This means that in 2023, more health and care workers will be granted UK visas than ever, and more family members will be allowed to join them.
This increase in the number of visas granted is likely due to the ongoing efforts to bolster the UK’s healthcare system, which has been under strain due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government has been actively recruiting healthcare workers from overseas to help fill the skills gap and ensure that the NHS can continue to provide high-quality care to patients.
Low Pay for the Health Sector
UK charities have raised concerns over the UK Government’s failure to address the problem of low pay in the health sector, which is making migrant workers more susceptible to exploitation.
The issue has come to light as the Government has announced new rules preventing foreign carers from bringing their loved ones to the UK starting the 11th of March. The Government hopes that this move will help reduce legal migration.
However, these new regulations will also increase wage thresholds from £18,600 to £29,000 in April. This policy has been heavily criticised by opposition politicians, including London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who believe it will further burden the already-stretched NHS and social care system.
This new policy is expected to significantly impact the UK’s health and social care sectors, as they heavily rely on migrant workers. The proposed wage threshold increase could potentially lead to a shortage of skilled workers in the country. The UK Government has yet to address the concerns raised by charities and opposition politicians.
616,000 visas issued
According to the latest Government figures, the number of people living in the UK on a work visa has reached an 18-year high, with 616,000 issued last year. The Home Office has attributed this increase to care workers and home carers.
More than 105,881 main applications were granted to care workers, home carers, and senior care workers through the health and care route. Interestingly, the number of visas issued to principal applicants in the care workers and home carers category was over four times higher in 2021 than in 2020, with 89,236 visas issued, up from 19,864.
Experts suggest that there appears to be a growing population of vulnerable migrant workers in the health and care sector, which is already known for being low-paid, with low protection and high-risk jobs.
They argue that as long as the Government fails to address low pay in health and care, the sector will continue to rely on overseas labour. This, in turn, will lead to migrant workers being exploited unjustly.
Although the Home Office is taking more actions against sponsor-employers who exploit workers or break the rules, some experts believe underlying issues still need to be addressed.
Do not try to punish care workers
The current situation demands that the Home Office implement a robust plan to assist migrant workers in finding new sponsors if a licence is revoked.
When a sponsor’s licence is revoked, migrant workers who were associated with that sponsor are left vulnerable, uncertain, and in debt. This is a significant issue as they are being punished for an employer’s actions, which is highly unjust.
It is vital that the Home Office has in place a comprehensive plan that safeguards and supports migrant workers who are unfairly affected by their employer’s behaviour.
Without such a plan, migrant workers may be discouraged from reporting exploitative employers, which can have detrimental effects on both British and migrant workers, as well as vulnerable adults under their care.
The former Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, who was dismissed last year, urges the Prime Minister to adopt the policies she proposed to address the current situation. She advocates for a cap on overall numbers and emphasises that Britain will be unrecognisable if this situation persists.
It is critical that the Government takes decisive action to address this issue, as the welfare of migrant workers and their families and the British workforce’s integrity are at stake.
Impact of new laws
According to a recent expert analysis, the UK may experience a significant decrease in its appeal to care workers with family members. This could result in employers shifting their focus towards younger workers without families or those willing to leave their families behind in search of work opportunities.
It’s worth noting that in the agriculture sector, the UK has been able to recruit tens of thousands of workers through seasonal agricultural visas despite offering less advantageous visa conditions. However, this may not be the case for the care industry, which requires a more long-term commitment from its workers.
The negative impact of this scenario would be that care workers who come to the UK alone may become more isolated and vulnerable to exploitation. Such workers might struggle to access the support and resources they need to thrive in their new environment. Therefore, addressing these potential challenges is crucial to ensure that the UK remains an attractive destination for care workers.
Largely coming from India
According to the Home Office, a significant number of care workers and home carer occupation visas were granted to Indian (18,664), Nigerian (18,143), and Zimbabwean (15,279) nationals in the previous year, accounting for almost six out of every ten (58%) of the visas issued in this category.
The data shows that Indian citizens received the highest number of visas granted to nurses (11,322 visas), accounting for over half (51%) of those granted. Indian nationals also received just under a third (32%) of senior care worker visas (5,301 visas).
In 2023, the total number of people admitted to the UK under a work visa was 616,371, an increase of 46% from 421,565 in 2022. This figure represents the highest number for any 12 months since comparable records began in 2005.
Out of the 616,000 individuals admitted via this route, just over half (337,240 or 55%) were principal applicants, meaning they were directly granted visas for work purposes. The remaining individuals (279,131 or 45%) were dependants, meaning they were granted visas based on their relationship with the principal applicant.
In 2022, principal applicants accounted for 63% of the total number of people arriving under a work visa, while dependants made up 37%. The increase in the number of people admitted under this visa category highlights the UK’s reliance on foreign workers to support the economy.
