Ease visa rules for care workers, government told

The government has been urged to relax its visa requirements for EU workers to allow the social care sector to overcome a potentially crippling labour shortage.

The independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) said the sector was facing “severe and increasing” problems with hiring and retaining staff after Brexit, and called on the government to allow care workers to apply under the “shortage occupation list”. Currently, more than 10% of care worker vacancies are currently unfilled.

Following the UK’s exit from the EU, social care workers from EU countries have to apply for a visa through a points-based system focused on their skills and expected salary. However, social care wages in the UK are lower than the £30,000 threshold, prompting the MAC to urge the government to give visas to workers earning £20,480 a year.

Meanwhile, only senior care workers can apply under the UK’s health and social care visa.

(Benjamin Fox | EURACTIV.com)