UK Halts Care Visas – Major Setback for Ghana, Nigeria

UK to End Care Worker Visas — Big Blow to Ghana and Nigeria

The UK government has announced plans to cancel the care worker visa route, a move expected to take effect in the coming months. This change will likely affect thousands of foreign nationals, especially from countries like Ghana and Nigeria, who come to the UK to work in the health and social care sector.

Yvette Cooper, the UK’s Home Secretary, made the announcement on Sunday, May 11, 2025. She explained that the decision is part of a broader strategy to reduce overall migration numbers and the UK’s dependence on overseas workers for low-paid and low-skilled jobs.

Cooper stated that the care visa program had been heavily used by migrants and described it as a“failed free market experiment.” She believes removing this visa route will help cut annual immigration by around 50,000, although she did not set a fixed target for net migration.

The details of this new policy will be officially released in a white paper on Monday, May 12, 2025. It will include further measures to tighten immigration rules, especially for employers who rely on foreign workers for roles that do not require high qualifications.

This decision has sparked concern in the health and social care sector. Care providers are already struggling with severe staff shortages, and many fear that shutting down the care visa route could worsen the situation. Jane Townson, CEO of the Homecare Association, questioned how care services will be managed without a steady supply of foreign workers, especially when many local positions remain unfilled due to low wages and harsh working conditions.

In response to these concerns, Cooper pointed out that around 10,000 care workers are already in the UK under this visa route. She encouraged care providers to prioritize hiring from this group. She also mentioned that some of these workers had been given jobs that either didn’t exist or failed to meet proper standards.

To improve the system, Cooper promised to introduce a “fair pay agreement” to ensure better wages and working conditions for care workers in the UK. The policy change follows recent local election gains by the Reform UK party, which has taken a strong stance against high levels of migration.

The party’s rise in popularity is seen as a sign that public concern over immigration is growing. Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer has also pledged to bring migration under control, promising British workers that he has “got your back.” Critics of the plan argue that it is too little, too late.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp called the move a mere “50,000 tweak” and criticized the Conservative government for waiting until immigration had already risen above 900,000 in 2023 before acting. The government also plans to restrict skilled worker visas to graduate-level roles and limit non-graduate roles to short-term positions in specific industries.

While student visa rules will not change drastically, universities will face tighter checks to ensure compliance. This marks a significant shift in the UK’s approach to immigration, with both economic and political consequences still unfolding.

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