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Brexit: UK's new fast-track immigration system to exclude care workers Brexit: UK's new fast-track immigration system to exclude care workers
(about 1 hour later)
Minimum salary thresholds to also remain in place, presenting additional barrierMinimum salary thresholds to also remain in place, presenting additional barrier
The exclusion of care home staff from the government’s post-Brexit fast-track visa system for health workers threatens to cause “an unmitigated disaster” and increase the risk of future Covid-19 infections, social care leaders have warned. Care home staff have been excluded from a post-Brexit fast-track visa system for health workers, in a move that critics say could prove “an unmitigated disaster” and may increase the risk of spreading coronavirus.
The government said it hopes Britons will instead fill any jobs shortfall in the sector, which currently stands at around 10% of all posts. But Care England, which represents the largest private providers of care beds, said the decision treated social care staff as “second class citizens” and the National Care Forum, which represents voluntary providers, warned it could increase the use of agency staff who have already been shown to have spread coronavirus. Confirming there would be no special treatment for carers coming from the EU or the rest of the world, the government said it hoped Britons would fill a shortfall of around 120,000 workers, equating to 10% of all posts. Currently 17% of care jobs are filled by foreign citizens.
Details of the immigration system, which comes into force in the new year, outlined in a 130-page Home Office paper, shows there will be, in effect, no route into the UK for the vast majority of overseas care staff despite repeated warnings from the sector of shortages and concerns about the impact of coronavirus. Prof Martin Green, the chief executive of Care England, which represents the largest private providers, said the decicison, amid a pandemic in which 20,000 people have died in UK care homes, “has the potential to destabilise the sector even further with potentially disastrous consequences”.
Home Office officials expect an increase in UK nationals joining the care sector amid rising unemployment in other sectors, caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The National Care Forum, which represents voluntary providers, said it could increase the use of agency staff, which as been shown to increase the risk of Covid-19 transmission.
However, with an estimated 122,000 vacancies in the social care workforce before the pandemic and 17% of jobs taken by non-British citizens, according to an industry survey, employers and unions criticised the policy. Details of the immigration system, which comes into force in the new year, were outlined in a 130-page Home Office paper. At a time of widespread appreciation for health and care staff during the pandemic, the government has offered fast-track entry under a “health and care visa”, with reduced application fees and dedicated support to assist those applying and their families.
“​Refusing to include care workers in the ​new NHS visa is a disastrous mistake that will make ​existing problems spiral,” said Unison assistant general secretary Christina McAnea. But despite the name, the list of professions that can use the visa, set out in an appendix of the document, does not cover care staff.
Amid widespread appreciation and praise for health and care staff during the pandemic, the government has come up with fast-track entry under a “health and care visa” with reduced application fees and dedicated support to assist those applying and their families. A Downing Street spokesman said: “We want employers to invest more in training and development for care workers in this country. On care workers specifically, our independent migration advisers have said that immigration is not the sole answer here, which is why we have provided councils with an additional £1.5bn of funding for social care in 2021-22, as well as launching a new recruitment campaign.”
But despite the name, the list of professions that can use the visa, in an appendix of the document, does not cover care staff. Vic Rayner, the executive director of the National Care Forum, said that in London, where around 38% of care workers are non-British, the policy could be “an unmitigated disaster”.
Labour condemned the decision. Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow home secretary, told the Commons he was “disappointed if, unfortunately, not shocked at the evidence, yet again, that this government does not consider carers to be skilled workers”. “We have 122,000 vacancies, growing demand for our services, and then the tap is turned off like this,” she said. “It is not good news at all. What you need for good care is a stable, skilled and plentiful workforce. And in the context of Covid-19, where you are trying to minimise movement of staff, any shortages might increase movement of staff and use of agency staff, which we are trying to avoid.”
Speaking at Home Office questions, he asked the home secretary, Priti Patel: “What does the government have against care workers?” Robin Hall, the secretary of Hampshire Care Association, said a shallower pool from which to recruit could drive up wages, which without greater public funding would mean fewer staff employed per resident.
Kevin Foster, the junior Home Office minister who answered in place of Patel, said the care sector should end its reliance on overseas staff. He said: “People will look at what’s happened over the past few months and think that surely the vision for the social care sector is not to carry on looking abroad to recruit at or near the minimum wage, but we need to prioritise jobs in this country.” “That will damage the quality of care we can deliver,” she said. “You also may have to get less choosy about who you employ, and that’s a dreadful thought. A lot of our EU staff are highly skilled. They are smart, articulate and speak three or four languages. We don’t get that quality of applicants from the UK because of the status the profession has.”
Christina McAnea, the assistant general secretary of Unison, which represents many care staff, said excluding them from entry was “a disastrous mistake”. She said: “The huge vacancies in care can’t be filled simply by using newly unemployed workers. This shows how little the government understands the scale of the task ahead.” During Home Office questions in the Commons, Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow home secretary, asked his opposite number, Priti Patel: “What does the government have against care workers?”
While a few very senior care roles in the NHS could allow arrivals to qualify for the visa, the minimum threshold is what is known as regulated qualifications framework (RFQ) three or above, roughly equivalent to A-levels. While a few very senior care roles in the NHS could allow arrivals to qualify for the visa, the minimum threshold is what is known as regulated qualifications framework (RFQ) level three or above, roughly equivalent to passing A-levels.
The Home Office classes most care staff as being at RFQ one, equivalent to lower-graded GCSE passes. New overseas nationals will still be able to work in care but only if they are dependants of someone else, or have another type of visa, for example a student visa. The Home Office classes most care staff as being at RFQ one, equivalent to lower-grade GCSE passes. New overseas nationals will still be able to work in care, but only if they are dependents of someone else or have another type of visa, for example a student visa.
Much of the rest of the Home Office document sets out in more detail previously announced elements of the new immigration regime, which will close UK borders to lower-paid workers or those who cannot speak English after the country leaves the EU.Much of the rest of the Home Office document sets out in more detail previously announced elements of the new immigration regime, which will close UK borders to lower-paid workers or those who cannot speak English after the country leaves the EU.
Farm workersFarm workers
The new system has prompted warnings about a lack of seasonal farm workers. Arrangements have been made for seasonal harvest workers, but below levels the National Farmers’ Union has said are needed. The updated immigration document gives no new details on this, saying the sector will be reassessed at the end of this year after the end of a pilot scheme. The new system has prompted warnings about a lack of seasonal farm workers. Arrangements have been made for seasonal harvest workers, but below levels that the National Farmers’ Union has said are needed. The updated immigration document gives no new details on this, saying the sector will be reassessed at the end of this year after the end of a pilot scheme.
English language testsEnglish language tests
The document does outline the first details of stringent English language tests that will apply to all immigrants. In future, arrivals will have to demonstrate language competency by showing they have “passed a secure English language test” or that they “meet the required level in a previous successful immigration application”. The document outlines the first details of stringent English language tests that will apply to all immigrants. In future, arrivals will have to demonstrate language competency by showing they have “passed a secure English language test” or that they “meet the required level in a previous successful immigration application”.
Scientists, engineers and artistsScientists, engineers and artists
The document gives the first details of the government’s “global talent” route, which will be led by an Office for Talent based inside No 10. The system will encourage the arrival of not just scientists and engineers but also leading workers in the humanities and arts. Would-be arrivals can be processed rapidly if their application is endorsed by bodies such as the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering or Arts Council England. The document gives the first details of the government’s “global talent” route, which will be led by an Office for Talent based at 10 Downing Street. The system will encourage the arrival of not just scientists and engineers but also leading workers in the humanities and arts. Would-be arrivals can be processed rapidly if their application is endorsed by bodies such as the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering or Arts Council England.
DeportationDeportation
On deportation, the paper outlines what it calls a robust and consistent approach for people from the EU and elsewhere. Currently, all EU nationals jailed for a year or more are considered for deportation, and possibly for shorter jail terms if they are serious or persistent criminals. This only applies for sentences imposed after the end of this year. On deportation, the paper outlines what it calls a robust and consistent approach for people from the EU and elsewhere. Currently, EU nationals are only deported if they are deemed a threat to public security. Under the new rules, as with non-EU nationals, they will be considered for deportation if they are jailed for 12 months or more, or are serious or persistent criminals with shorter jail terms.