New £15 million fund for the international recruitment of adult care workers

On 10 February 2023, the Government launched a £15 million fund to support international adult care workers coming to work in England. Guidance published on 17 February 2023 provides further details about the fund and how it is to be used.

In February 2022, care workers and home carers were added to the Shortage Occupation List, meaning the roles became eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route. This addition was in recognition of the significant skills shortage in the care sector in the UK. Despite this positive change, many care providers found the process of sponsoring care workers from outside the UK challenging and laborious.

The Government seems to have acknowledged the challenges faced by care providers in the creation of this £15 million fund which will be available over 2023 to 2024. The purpose of the fund is to “provide employers with a range of mechanisms so that they are able to take advantage of the benefits presented by international recruitment.”

Examples of how the funding could be used include:

• Helping care providers identify and attract overseas candidates;
• Assisting with sponsor licence applications and visa applications;
• Helping new arrivals access affordable housing; and
• Developing pastoral support, for example, buddy schemes.

Applications for the fund can be made online by a lead local authority. This lead local authority will act on behalf of the local authorities in the partnership, and in collaboration with care providers in those local authorities. The guidance provides information regarding the key dates for funding over 2022/2023 and 2023/2024.

The fund, launched by the Department of Health and Social Care, applies to England only. It will come as a disappointment to care providers in the other areas of the UK that the fund is not available to them. The Shortage Occupation List does state that there is a shortage of care workers and home carers in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There is therefore a question as to whether the devolved administrations of the UK will follow a similar approach and attempt to ease this recognised shortage by announcing comparable funding.

We understand that many care providers in the UK are experiencing difficulties in recruiting and retaining suitably qualified staff. The task of sponsoring care workers from outside the UK can seem burdensome to those not familiar with it. Our Immigration team has significant experience advising clients in the social care industry and is well-placed to guide you through the whole process.

If you require advice or assistance with sponsoring care workers to work in the UK, please do not hesitate to contact us.