A post-Brexit visa scheme designed to address staffing shortages in the UK’s social care sector has been slammed for enabling “horrific” exploitation of migrant workers. According to Eleanor Lyons, the UK’s anti-slavery commissioner, the care worker visa route—introduced by the Conservative government in February 2022—was poorly designed, leading to large-scale fraud and abuse.
Lyons described the scheme as a “blunt instrument” that failed to protect vulnerable workers, allowing rogue employers to take advantage of desperate jobseekers. Speaking after the Home Office revoked over 470 care company licenses due to concerns over fraud and mistreatment, she called the scale of the issue “alarming.”
Widespread Abuse and Visa Tied to Exploitation
Since the scheme’s launch, approximately 155,000 care workers have come to the UK under the visa program. Shockingly, more than 39,000 were linked to employers that later lost their sponsorship licenses, leaving many at risk of deportation due to strict immigration rules.
Lyons expressed concern that while the government is now cracking down on rogue employers, migrant workers remain vulnerable. Under the current system, those whose sponsors lose their licenses have only 60 days to find a new employer before facing removal from the UK.
She urged ministers to introduce key reforms, including:
• Ending tied visas to allow migrant care workers to move freely between employers.
• A licensing scheme to regulate international hiring practices.
• Harsher penalties for employers found guilty of exploitation.
Exploitation, Debt Bondage, and Fake Care Homes
Investigations have revealed shocking cases of abuse under the visa scheme. Many migrant care workers, particularly from India, Zimbabwe, and the Philippines, were deceived into paying illegal recruitment fees. Some found themselves trapped in debt bondage, with their wages and passports confiscated.
In one case, 275 workers were issued sponsorships for a care home that did not exist. At least 177 companies with records of labor law violations were granted licenses to hire from abroad. Experts warn that loose oversight allowed these fraudulent practices to flourish.
The Modern Slavery Helpline identified a record 918 potential victims of modern slavery in the care sector in 2023—up from just 63 in 2021. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has also acknowledged that modern slavery is now a feature of the UK’s social care industry.
Labour Promises Investigation, But Will It Happen?
Before the 2024 general election, Labour pledged to investigate the treatment of migrant care workers. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper previously accused the Conservatives of “turning a blind eye” to the exploitation crisis, saying it had put vulnerable people at risk and undermined immigration policy.
Despite this, it remains unclear whether the government will proceed with an official inquiry. The Work Rights Centre continues to pressure ministers for urgent reforms, warning that “tinkering” with policy changes is not enough to address what it calls a “national scandal.”
A Fair Work Agency is set to be introduced in 2026 or 2027 to tackle worker mistreatment. However, Lyons stressed that the agency will only be effective if it operates independently and has proper enforcement powers.
Urgent Calls for Change as Migrant Workers Face Deportation
The Work Rights Centre has documented multiple cases of workers facing financial ruin after their employers lost sponsorship licenses. One migrant from North India reportedly paid £16,000 in recruitment fees to work in the UK, only to face deportation after his employer’s license was revoked.
The organization is demanding immediate action, including:
• Ending tied visas to prevent employers from exploiting workers through threats of deportation.
• Introducing criminal penalties for fake care providers and fraudulent sponsors.
• A civil penalties system to hold non-compliant employers accountable.
With 470 care employers already stripped of their licenses, critics argue that this is far more than a case of “a few bad apples.” The government’s next steps could determine whether the UK’s social care sector remains a viable destination for migrant workers—or whether exploitation continues unchecked.
The Home Office and Department of Health have yet to comment on the growing controversy. The Conservative Party has also declined to address allegations that its visa scheme enabled widespread abuse.
