Government set to launch new care home visa scheme
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Care staff will be added to the Government’s official shortages list in order to allow foreign workers easier access to the UK.
There has been a widely reported shortage of care home staff in recent years as the UK deals with an ageing population.
As a result of the move, care workers, care assistants and home caters will become eligible for a special year-long “Home and Care Visa.”
The Migration Advisory Committee recommended the move prior to the government announcement last night.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said “it is vital we continue to do all we can to protect the social care sector during the pandemic and beyond.
“These measures… will help us ensure short term sustainability and success for our long-term vision to build social care back better,” he added.
The scheme will allow dependents to move with care workers and offers a pathway to citizenship dependent on future employment prospects in the UK.
It is the latest move by Government to address staff shortages in specific areas, after efforts to plug gaps in the HGV sector earlier this year.