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Pan Africa

UK to Curb Overseas Recruitment in Care Sector Amid Sweeping Immigration Reforms

May 13, 2025

(3 Minutes Read)

The United Kingdom is set to implement major changes to its immigration policies, with one of the most significant being a forthcoming ban on the overseas recruitment of care workers. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced the move in a BBC interview, framing it as a step toward reducing net migration and promoting employment among British citizens.

This policy forms part of a wider effort to tackle historically high migration figures, which reached 906,000 in June 2023 and remained high at 728,000 in 2024. The government anticipates the reforms could cut the number of lower-skilled visas issued by around 50,000 over the next year.

Additional measures include raising the minimum educational requirement for work visas from A-levels to a university degree and tightening the list of occupations eligible for shortage-related visas. Currently, this list includes roles like carpenters and pharmacy assistants, positions where employers are allowed to pay foreign workers below the national average wage.

The reforms could have far-reaching consequences for African countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Kenya, which have become major sources of care workers for the UK. Migration through care sector jobs has served as a crucial economic lifeline for many families, and the new restrictions threaten to cut off that pathway.

These changes may also affect national economies that rely heavily on remittances sent by workers abroad. As a result, African governments could face mounting pressure to create sustainable local employment, particularly in the healthcare and social services sectors already grappling with workforce shortages.

While the UK government emphasises the importance of hiring locally, care industry leaders have expressed concern that the domestic workforce cannot meet the sector’s growing demands. Nadra Ahmed, chair of the National Care Association, warned that the ban could worsen existing staff shortages in an already strained system.

In response, the government has pledged to invest in training and introduce a “fair pay agreement” aimed at improving wages and working conditions to attract more British workers to the sector.

The Labour government insists these reforms are about regaining control over migration rather than setting hard limits. However, critics like Conservative Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp argue that the measures don’t go far enough. He is calling for an annual cap on immigration, subject to Parliamentary debate.

Labour also plans to tighten rules around student visas and hold universities accountable for their graduates’ employment outcomes. While international students will still be allowed to remain and work post-graduation, institutions that fail to meet performance benchmarks could face restrictions.

Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan criticized the proposals as insufficient, urging more substantial investment in the care workforce, including higher wages, structured career paths, and better working conditions.

Some analysts suggest the government’s tougher stance on immigration may be politically motivated, influenced by the rising popularity of Reform UK—a right-wing party led by Nigel Farage—pushing both Labour and the Conservatives to adopt stricter rhetoric.

For African professionals eyeing opportunities in the UK care sector, prospects are narrowing. Migration experts warn that while the reforms aim to prioritise local employment, they risk destabilising both the UK’s care infrastructure and the economies of migrant-sending countries. In response, African governments may need to invest more heavily in vocational training, job creation, and explore labour agreements with other international partners.