SESCA has published a new policy briefing, The Health and Care Worker Visa Route – Policy and Context, examining the dramatic shifts in international recruitment policy between 2022 and 2025.
The Health and Care Worker visa route has moved from rapid expansion to sharp contraction and is now operating at significantly lower levels as a result of tighter government policy controls. This change has profound implications for adult social care providers across the South East and nationally.
Drawing on Home Office visa statistics and Skills for Care workforce data, analysed by SESCA, the briefing tracks trends in international recruitment and assesses the impact of tightening immigration rules on workforce stability. It highlights the steep fall in new visa grants for care roles, increased compliance pressures, and growing divergence between NHS and non-NHS recruitment capacity.
The document also sets out the wider policy context, including the Government’s proposed “Earned Settlement” reforms, which would extend the pathway to indefinite leave to remain (ILR) for care workers from five years to 15. SESCA outlines why these proposals risk further destabilising the social care workforce at a time of sustained vacancies, rising demand, and ongoing pressure on NHS discharge capacity.
The briefing concludes with key considerations for policymakers and structured questions for Ministers to support parliamentary scrutiny.