Home secretary James Cleverly has confirmed that the government has officially banned care workers from bringing dependents as part of their efforts to cut migration.
From March 11, overseas care workers will be stopped from bringing dependants to the UK in a move that has been widely criticised by people across the board.
The current shortage occupation list regime will also be scrapped, meaning employers will no longer be able to fill labour gaps by offering 20 per cent below the going rate for jobs.
A Government spokeswoman said: “Care workers make a vital contribution to society, but immigration is not the long-term answer to our social care needs.
“That is why measures due to be laid in Parliament will cut the rising numbers of visas granted to overseas care workers and address significant concerns about high levels of non-compliance, worker exploitation and abuse within the sector of overseas workers.
“It is also why the Government has announced that providers in England will only be able to sponsor migrant workers if they are undertaking activities regulated by the Care Quality Commission.”
Reaction to the move has flooded in on social media.
Here’s a round-up of what people have had to say:
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