The UK government’s recent Immigration White Paper presents severe challenges for migrant workers in health and social care, particularly regarding the extension of Indefinite Leave to Remain from five to ten years and the suspension of overseas recruitment through social care visas.
Key impacts include:
- Worsening Staffing Shortages: With over 130,000 vacancies in adult social care and 27,000 nursing posts in the NHS, suspending recruitment risks further deepening the crisis.
- Increased Workloads & Burnout: Remaining staff face heavier burdens, risking burnout and lower quality care.
Threats to Care Facilities: Recruitment difficulties may cause service disruptions or closures. - Exploitation Risks: Migrant workers on visas face heightened vulnerability due to strict sponsorship rules, exacerbated by current proposals.
- Job Insecurity & Anxiety: Changes create uncertainty and reduce job stability for migrant workers, reinforcing power imbalances with employers.
UNISON Scotland’s Migrant Workers Organising Committee, alongside sector leaders, condemns the policy for unfairly labelling migrant workers as “aliens” and threatening their rights and wellbeing.
The committee urges a complete policy rethink, emphasising that migrant workers are vital solutions to workforce shortages, not problems to be penalised.
Our message is clear:
“Let Migrant Workers Breathe! Don’t Condemn, Commend. Don’t Break, Uphold. Don’t Disintegrate Families, Encourage Them.”
We stand in solidarity and support Composite G to protect migrant workers’ rights and secure sustainable workforce solutions in health and social care.