Proposal to end recruitment of overseas social care workers | White Paper

One of the most impactful proposals within recent Government White Paper is the plan to end the recruitment of overseas social care workers. 

The proposal to end the recruitment of overseas social care workers is rooted in concerns about exploitation and abuse within this sector. Reports have highlighted that many international care workers have faced unfair treatment, debt, and even non-existent job offers upon arrival in the UK. 

In March 2025, the Home Office had revealed that since 2022, over 470 social care providers had had their sponsor licences suspended, leaving around 40,000 displaced care workers. To protect care workers already in the UK, the Government are proposing to end the overseas recruitment for social care roles and push for care providers to use the displaced care worker pool to recruit into their roles. 

Consequences for the Social Care Sector

The decision to end overseas recruitment for social care workers will no doubt have huge repercussions for the sector. 

Social care in the UK relies on international workers to meet workforce demand; this policy will involve a significant restructuring of the workforce. The government plans to deal with this by

• investing in training and development of domestic talent
• establishing fair pay agreements
• expanding the Care Workforce Pathway to professionalise the workforce

The Government has proposed a transition period until 2028, where visa extensions and in-country switching for those already in the UK will be permitted, however, this remains under review. 

Challenges 

It is clear that the White Paper proposal to end overseas care worker recruitment poses uncertainty both for the care providers, and care workers. 

While the policy aims to protect care workers and reduce exploitation, it also presents challenges. The social care sector is already facing significant workforce shortages, and the end to overseas recruitment may worsen this problem.