Yvette Cooper Close Care Worker Visas In Migration Crackdown – But There's 1 Problem

Yvette Cooper on BBC's Sunday with Laura KuenssbergYvette Cooper has announced the government’s plan to close care worker visas in a bid to cut down on migration.But many critics have pointed out that there’s a shortage of employees in the social care sector.The home secretary told the BBC that it was “time to end” care worker recruitment from abroad with 50,000 fewer visas for lower-skilled workers.The minister also told Times Radio today that “uncontrolled, especially lower-skilled migration” is “undermining the economy”, and that she is going to set out a plan to get it down.“This huge increase in net migration has happened at the same time as we’ve also seen a big increase in UK residents not being in work, not being in training and being on benefits instead,” she explained.But, as the House of Commons’ own research from October shows, an average of 8.3% of social care roles were vacant in 2023/24.That’s the equivalent to approximately 131,000 vacancies.The Commons briefing also noted that the number of vacancies has only come down since 2021/22 because of “increased international recruitment.”“However, vacancies remain high compared to the wider UK economy,” the Commons briefing added.It pointed out that demand for social care is rising, although a job in the sector offers particularly low pay, and limited opportunities for career progression.Even so, the home secretary told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg she could see a time when the government would say no care workers should come from abroad.“We’re going to change those rules this year to prevent the care worker visa being used to recruit from abroad. But we will allow them to continue and to extend visas,” she said, saying care companies should be recruiting from that pool rather than recruiting from overseas.The minister said this would discourage exploitation, too.The announcement, which comes two weeks after Reform UK’s success in the local elections and the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, triggered frustration online.Critics claimed that Labour is trying to emulate Nigel Farage’s party, as Reform UK has long proposed a complete freeze on non-essential immigration.This is doing little more than putting a big tick mark next to everything Reform claim. Stupid and self-defeating. https://t.co/gpMXT3qNdv— James Meadway (@meadwaj) May 11, 2025Just Yvette Cooper casually talking about the ills of net migration.If i was listening to this on the radio, I'd swear it was a Reform MP. pic.twitter.com/sXUCPmy8Dl— Narinder Kaur (@narindertweets) May 11, 2025“We will be closing the care worker visa for overseas recruitment” - Home Secretary Yvette CooperDon’t we have a desperate shortage of care workers? pic.twitter.com/eCJOcMBDLq— Peter Stefanovic (@PeterStefanovi2) May 11, 2025Opposition MPs also called out the announcement.The Liberal Democrat health and social care spokesperson Helen Morgan said: “Today marks yet another announcement from the government of tinkering around the edges yet failing to properly tackle the crisis in our social care.“Labour must step up and take proper action to address recruitment shortages including paying our care workers properly and rolling out a plan for career progression.“This action must be taken without delay to ensure patients can receive the high quality care they need.” Related...Starmer Says Illegal Migration 'Unfair' On Working People And MigrantsTories 'Frankly' Do Not Deserve 'Any Thanks' As Visa Curbs Expected To Bring Down Migration, Minister Says'Shouldn't Be Allowed To Make Stuff Up': James Cleverly Left Stuttering Over His Migration Claims

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