Amid staff crunch, UK eases visa norms to woo health workers

London, December 25

Foreign social care workers, care assistants and home care workers, including those from India, will soon be eligible for a UK Health and Care Visa for a 12-month period as part of temporary measures to meet shortages in the sector. The UK government said on Friday that thousands of additional care workers could be recruited to boost the adult social care workforce, following temporary changes to the scheme, which will make it quicker, cheaper and easier for social care employers to recruit eligible workers to fill vital gaps.

These workers cover work in government-backed care homes and also care assistance for the elderly and disabled in their own homes.

“The care sector is experiencing unprecedented challenges, prompted by the pandemic. The changes we’ve made to the health and care visa will bolster the workforce and help alleviate some of the pressures being experienced currently,” Home Secretary Priti Patel said. “This is our New Plan for Immigration in action, delivering our commitment to support the NHS and the wider health and care sector by making it easier for health professionals to live and work in the UK,” she said.

The change follows recommendation from the UK’s Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to make care workers and home carers eligible for the Health and Care Visa and add the occupation to the Shortage Occupation List (SOL). Inclusion on the SOL stipulates an annual salary minimum of GBP 20,480 for carers to qualify for the Health and Care Visa.

The British government said Covid-19 had highlighted a range of staff shortages within the social care sector, placing pressures on the existing workforce. The temporary measures announced this week are expected to come into effect early next year and will be in place for a minimum of 12 months, providing a staffing boost while the sector deals with the additional pressures of the pandemic and will be reviewed after the minimum period.

“It is vital we continue to do all we can to protect the social care sector during the pandemic and beyond,” Health Secretary Sajid Javid said. Since Brexit, social care workers from EU countries are no longer automatically eligible to work in the UK and instead have to apply for a visa like other countries. The DHSC said care providers who do not already hold a sponsor licence in the Skilled Worker route can register for a sponsorship licence ahead of implementation early next year. Providers who are new to visa sponsorship will be supported through the process through a series of engagement activities in January and February, to introduce them to the system and find out how to act as a visa sponsor. — PTI

US warship sidelined with Covid outbreak

• A US Navy warship has paused its deployment to South America because of a Covid outbreak, the Navy said on Friday
• The USS Milwaukee, a litorral combat ship, began its deployment from Mayport, Florida, on December 14 and was heading into the US Southern Command region
• The ship’s crew is “100% immunised” and all of those who tested positive have been isolated on the ship
• The number of crew testing positive was not disclosed. The ship has a crew of a little more than 100. AP

Care workers allowed to bring along dependents

• Care workers and carers recruited to the UK will be able to bring their dependents, including partner and children, with the Health and Care Visa offering a pathway to settlement should they remain employed and wish to remain in the UK.