The 81% Drop-in Overseas Care Visas: What This Moment Really Means for Our Sector by Shrien Dewani

By: Shrien Dewani 

The latest figures reported by Community Care should give every leader in adult social care pause. An 81% fall in the number of visas granted to overseas care staff is not a minor fluctuation in workforce trends; it is a structural shift with profound implications for the stability of care in the UK. 

This is not about policy headlines. It is about people and the fragility of the workforce pipeline that supports those who rely on us every single day. 

What the Article Tells Us 

The Community Care analysis outlines a rapid and deliberate tightening of international recruitment routes over the past two years: 

• Visas granted to overseas care workers dropped from 27,941 to just 5,189 in the year to September 2025. 

• In the most recent quarter, following a full ban on overseas recruitment, only 303 visas were issued. 

• Earlier restrictions such as preventing care workers from bringing dependants and limiting sponsorship rights had already sharply reduced applications. 

• International staff had been essential in reducing vacancy rates from 10.5% in 2022 to 7% in 2025. That trajectory is now at risk. 

• Sector analysts warn that the government’s planned Fair Pay Agreement will not take effect until 2028 and is underfunded, making it unlikely to attract enough domestic workers to fill the gap. 

The message is unmistakable: 

The workforce supply that helped stabilise social care is disappearing faster than a domestic solution can replace it. 

Why This Matters for Social Care 

Behind the statistics is a hard truth the sector cannot ignore: 

1. Our workforce was stabilising, because of international colleagues. 

The fall in vacancies in recent years was not accidental. It was driven by the commitment and professionalism of people who travelled here to support our services. We welcomed them, depended on them, and built safer staffing levels because of them. 

2. Removing a primary recruitment route without an immediate alternative is dangerous. 

A sector already operating with tight margins and rising acuity cannot absorb another workforce shock. 

 The risk is clear: 

• Higher vacancy rates 

• Increased agency dependence 

• Greater instability for people living in care communities 

• Pressure on local authority placements and NHS discharge pathways 

3. The workforce challenge is not short-term it is systemic. 

Demographics, complexity of need, and the scale of demand mean the UK will require sustained, predictable workforce supply for decades, not just years. 

To remove an established pipeline without a ready replacement is to ignore the lived realities of social care today. 

What Our Focus Should Be Now 

As leaders, we must respond with clarity rather than panic. 

1. Stability must be the top priority. 

People cannot deliver good care in systems that feel unpredictable. Policy announcements should reflect and respect the operational realities of care providers across the country. 

2. We need clear workforce pathways. 

Whether domestic or international, a long-term plan must outline how the sector will attract, support, develop, and retain care professionals. 

3. Fair conditions matter but delayed reform cannot be the only answer. 

A Fair Pay Agreement arriving in 2028 does not solve the workforce gap of 2025–2027.  

The timeline simply does not match the urgency. 

4. The UK must continue to value international colleagues. 

If we say social care is a compassionate sector, then our workforce policies should reflect that compassion in how we speak about people, how we welcome them, and how we build careers that are respected. 

A Positive Way Forward 

We cannot change policy decisions overnight, but we can influence the direction of travel. 

A balanced, constructive approach is possible: 

• Advocate for transitional workforce arrangements so providers are not left without options. 

• Strengthen partnerships across local systems to recruit, train, and develop domestic staff. 

• Continue to show that international colleagues are not a crisis fix, but an integral part of a modern, ethical social care system. 

• Lead with dignity, clarity, and compassion the qualities our sector deserves. 

Social care thrives when people feel valued, supported, and part of something meaningful.  

If we hold onto that truth, and speak from it consistently, we can help shape a more stable and humane path through the years ahead. 

Leadership begins with honesty, and it continues with hope.