The government has backed controversial recommendations to limit employers’ ability to recruit adult care social workers from outside Europe.
In future, councils and other agencies will only be able to recruit adult practitioners from outside the European Economic Area if they have already advertised vacancies locally for at least two weeks at the appropriate market rate.
The Home Office has accepted recommendations from the Migration Advisory Committee to remove adult – though not children and families – social work from a list of shortage occupations for which employers are free to recruit from across the globe.
Survey on vacancy rates
This is despite a recent Community Care survey showing vacancy rates for children’s and adult practitioners were similar – 13% and 12% respectively.
However, the committee found “no compelling evidence” of shortages in adult services, to the disappointment of adult social care leaders.
More information
Information on Tier 2 of the points-based immigration system