An inspection of the immigration system as it relates to the social care sector (August 2023 to November 2023)

Home Office accepted: Work has been underway since early 2023, through various strands of activity. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) undertook an extensive review of the Shortage Occupation List last year, after being commissioned by the government in 2022.  The MAC also recently undertook a review of the Immigration Salary List, which the government has now responded to. Work reforming the Skilled Worker route continues, including net migration policy changes, which the Home Office worked in lock-step with the Department of Health and Social Care on since mid 2023. Engagement activities across adult social care and broader sectors continue and the Home Office continues to engage with departments where there is exploitation within sectors (and where policy levers on broader labour market issues reside).

Home Office accepted: Work is already underway to review operational processes and structures, including all processes relating to the safeguards in the sponsor licensing process at both licence application stage and when allocating Certificates of Sponsorship.  The Home Office is engaging with key stakeholders within the care sector and the Department of Health and Social Care, to inform our decision-making in this area and a review of processes encompassing this feedback will be completed within 3 months.

Home Office accepted: The Home Office is reviewing the current compliance structure with a view to providing tighter control of compliance activity and enable more robust decision-making linked to the department’s objectives of tackling immigration abuse.  This review will also incorporate capacity plan adjustments to take in to account expectations around performance targets and to ensure appropriate levels of resource are allocated to all functions.

Home Office accepted: The Home Office has been working with the Care Quality Commission and the Department of Health and Social Care since the summer of 2023 on policy development and data sharing. To reflect the shared responsibilities relating to the adult social care sector (including Home Office responsibilities relating to visas), the department has been engaging with the Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities, the Director for Labour Market Enforcement and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, to map responsibilities across central and local government and the sector. Workshops continue between parties and a formal document setting out the roles and responsibilities of each department will be produced by May 2024.

Home Office accepted: The Home Office will work with other government departments and agencies to produce a document for migrants on their employment rights.