Immigration Policy restricting Care Worker Visas: Radio Interview
Vicky Haines, MD of Kingsway Care and social care champion, reacts to today's new immigration policy restricting care worker visas.
Brighton & Hove, UK — Vicky Haines, Managing Director of Kingsway Care, has today criticised the government’s newly released Immigration White Paper. She warns that the policy shift could have devastating consequences for home care providers and the older and disabled adults who depend on them.
Speaking live on BBC Radio 5 Live and LBC this morning, Haines described the new restrictions on Health and Care Worker Visas as “ill-considered and reckless.” She added that the government’s refusal to acknowledge the essential contribution of overseas care workers in the UK risks pushing an already fragile care system into crisis.
Listen to Vicky Haines on LBC Radio this morning on the audio below.
We are only ever one accident, illness or old age away from needing care,” Haines said. “To restrict overseas recruitment, when there simply aren’t enough domestic candidates to fill the gap, is not only short-sighted — it’s dangerous.
Overseas Recruitment: A Vital Lifeline for UK Care
Kingsway Care employs six overseas CareGivers from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Philippines and India. They are valued team members and much loved by our clients.
Kingsway Care, a multi-award-winning home care company with headquarters in Brighton & Hove, is one of many providers. These providers rely on a blend of local and overseas staff to meet increasing demand.
We understand the need to manage immigration numbers,” Haines explained. “But we didn’t ‘choose’ overseas recruitment as an easy fix. We were forced into it by decades of government neglect, poor funding, and the long-standing failure to make care a viable, respected career path in the UK.
The new White Paper compels care providers to hire only from the pool of displaced workers already in the UK. Many of these workers were brought here by rogue agencies with little oversight. Haines expressed grave concern about being expected to lower recruitment standards to fit this new directive.
We cannot be expected to employ people who do not meet the standards of care our clients deserve. Compassion, reliability, and commitment cannot be compromised. That’s what’s at stake here.
Care Is Skilled, Critical Work
Contrary to recent comments made by Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Immigration Minister Chris Philp, Haines argues that care is anything but “low-skilled.”
The idea that professional carers can be trained in two weeks shows a fundamental misunderstanding of what community care involves,” she said. “We’re responsible for medication management, dementia care, safeguarding — often in complex and emotionally challenging situations. These are not low-skilled jobs.
Innovation in Care
Kingsway Care win 'Innovation in Care Award' at the Leaders in Care Awards 2024
Haines also addressed the claim that the sector “chose migration over technology and training”.
Frankly, that’s insulting. We’ve already invested in digital systems like Birdie and Nourish, we are training our teams continually, and we’ve led innovation in care while being overlooked by every government in recent memory.
The Real Crisis Is Government Neglect
Haines believes the government’s attempts to shift blame onto providers is a distraction from the real issue. This issue is a social care sector brought to its knees by underfunding, undervaluing, and chronic political disinterest.
To say migration has ‘undermined social cohesion’ is disingenuous. What’s undermining social cohesion is a lack of foresight, planning and compassion in policymaking. And it is the most vulnerable who will suffer as a result.
Kingsway Care is calling on the government to urgently reassess the new visa policy. They ask the government to work collaboratively with care providers to find sustainable solutions.
This is not a numbers game. It’s about people’s lives. If the government wants to reduce migration, it must first fund care properly, change the national narrative, and create real pathways into care careers. Until then, overseas recruitment remains essential.
Thank you to Dr Jane Townson, OBE and the Home Care Association for giving us the opportunity to have our say.
