New rules on overseas care worker visas have been introduced by the government today.

The laws, which are designed to cut net migration and tackle visa abuse, ban overseas care worker dependants and require all sponsored workers to be registered with the CQC.

Minister for social care, Helen Whately MP, said: “International care workers make an invaluable contribution caring for our loved ones, but international recruitment and more immigration are not long-term solutions to our social care needs. These rules provide a more ethical and sustainable approach.

“We are boosting our homegrown workforce by reforming social care careers. These include the first ever national career path for care workers and a new care qualification. 

“Our reforms will grow the domestic workforce and build on our success over the last year that saw more people working in social care, fewer vacancies and lower staff turnover.”

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Mike Padgham, chair of the Independent Care Group, said the rules amounted to “kicking social care whilst it is down”.

“Today’s changes will reduce our ability to recruit staff from overseas at a time when we cannot fill our shifts and provide the care we need to do. At the same time, the government is doing nothing to help us to recruit from this country,” Padgham added.

“The result is bound to be a reduction in the quantity and quality of care that we, as a country, can provide to the most vulnerable sector of our community, the people who need support the most.”

The ICG chair said a new workforce strategy was required that would make social care more attractive to domestic workers and warned reducing overseas recruits would affect more than just care delivery.

“This will have a detrimental impact on the provision of care, adding to the 1.6 million who currently can’t get the care they need,” he said. “And by reducing available community care, the government will undoubtedly increase the number of people who cannot be discharged from hospital, also contributing to rising hospital waiting lists.”