UK to end overseas care worker recruitment after visa fraud probe in India

Business Standard

12-05-2025

The UK government is preparing to stop recruitment of overseas care workers as part of its broader effort to reduce net migration, just two months after a BBC investigation uncovered large-scale visa fraud linked to Kerala, India.
According to UK Home Office figures, nearly 1,40,000 health and care visas were issued in 2023 to meet staffing shortages in Britain's care sector. Of these, 39,000 were granted to Indian nationals.
'Care workers from overseas have made a huge contribution to social care in the UK, but too many have been subject to shameful levels of abuse and exploitation,' the government said in a press release on May 12, 2025. 'Workers seeking to support the UK's care sector arrived to find themselves saddled with debt, treated unfairly, or in extreme cases discover the jobs they were promised did not exist.'
470 sponsors suspended since 2022
The Home Office has suspended over 470 care providers from sponsoring foreign staff since 2022, citing irregularities and abuse of the system. Authorities say around 40,000 overseas workers have been displaced due to the crackdown, though most remain in the country and are now eligible to rejoin the workforce through verified employers.
According to the government, those who are already in the UK on valid sponsorships will still be allowed to extend their stay, switch employers, or apply for settlement—provided they remain compliant with immigration laws.
A long-term shift is also underway to reduce reliance on foreign workers by training more UK residents for roles in adult social care. 'This government is committed to tackling these issues and has committed to establishing Fair Pay Agreements,' the statement said. These agreements will enable representatives from across the sector to negotiate better employment terms.
The measures build on an earlier initiative announced in January to expand the Care Workforce Pathway, which is intended to help professionalise the sector. Baroness Louise Casey has also been appointed to lead an independent commission on adult social care, with a focus on building long-term consensus across party lines.
Kerala fraud exposed by BBC probe
The clampdown follows revelations of large-scale visa scams affecting Indian workers. In March, a BBC report found that many aspiring care workers in Kerala had fallen prey to fake recruitment agents after the UK added care roles to its shortage occupation list during the pandemic.
This made it easier for care homes in Britain to sponsor foreign staff, triggering a rush of applications. In Ernakulam district, police said they now receive daily complaints from individuals who were promised jobs abroad but ended up defrauded.
'This is not just about one or two isolated cases. There's a pattern here,' a senior police officer told the BBC. 'Fraudsters are swindling lakhs of rupees from unsuspecting people by falsely promising them jobs in countries such as Europe, Canada, the UK, and New Zealand.'
Why Kerala was targeted
Ketan Mukhija, senior partner at Burgeon Law, told Business Standard that agents deliberately targeted Kerala due to its high migration rates.
'Fraudsters target individuals from Kerala primarily due to their strong aspirations for better employment opportunities abroad,' said Mukhija. 'Many migrants are driven by economic necessity and the desire to support their families, making them more susceptible to scams that promise high-paying jobs.'
He added that many victims struggle to take legal action because of the costs involved. 'Lawyers are expensive, and these workers are already in deep debt.'
Local migrant rights organisation Thittala estimates that between 1,000 and 2,000 Keralites affected by visa fraud or exploitation remain in the UK. Many more are stranded in India after spending lakhs on fraudulent agents.
In Kothamangalam, a small town in Ernakulam district, BBC reporters met around 30 individuals who said they had collectively lost crores of rupees attempting to get care visas to the UK.
Key points
* 1,40,000 care visas issued in 2023; 39,000 went to Indians
* Over 470 UK care providers have lost their sponsor licences
* Around 40,000 overseas care workers were displaced
* Visa fraud complaints surge in Kerala, India
* Victims often don't pursue legal action due to cost
* UK to expand training and move away from dependence on overseas staff