Care England Welcomes PAC Report Spotlighting Failures In The Visa System And Echoes Urgent Calls For Reform

Care England, has welcomed the publication of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report on the Skilled Worker visa route, which echoes long-standing concerns raised by the sector regarding exploitation, compliance failings, and the consequences of poorly planned immigration changes.

The report draws heavily on written evidence submitted by Care England, which highlighted widespread issues with the Home Office’s management of the Health and Care Worker visa, including:

• Lack of cross-government coordination, especially between the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
• Operational delays and poor customer service, hindering recruitment and harming care delivery.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, said:
“We are pleased that the Committee has recognised the fundamental flaws in the Skilled Worker visa system and the disproportionate impact these have had on the care sector. Our evidence clearly showed that poor planning, weak enforcement, and a lack of interdepartmental collaboration have led to systemic failings. The consequences for vulnerable people who rely on care services are profound.”

The PAC report explicitly cites Care England’s evidence alongside that of UNISON, the Homecare Association, and the Cavendish Coalition in highlighting the risks and realities facing migrant care workers.

The report calls on the Home Office and DHSC to:

• Set out the implications of ending overseas recruitment for care workers.
• Work collaboratively when creating new policies.
• Monitor the impact of this decision on vacancy levels.
• Strengthen safeguards for migrant workers during the transition period to 2028.

Care England continues to advocate for a comprehensive workforce strategy that balances domestic recruitment due to the scaling back of international recruitment, supported by robust enforcement mechanisms and cross-government collaboration.

Professor Green added: “The decision to shut off overseas recruitment for care workers without a fully funded and realistic domestic workforce plan is not only short-sighted, it risks undoing the fragile progress made in stabilising care workforce shortages. The government must now work with the sector, not against it.”