Rogue employers continue to exploit migrant nursing staff in adult social care, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has said, as it makes fresh calls for a government intervention.
RCN general secretary and chief executive Professor Nicola anger, last week, wrote to home secretary Yvette Cooper to demand she speeds up an investigation into migrant care worker exploitation, which was promised after the 2024 general election.
“These exploitative practices will continue, and I fear, will become more frequent”
Nicola Ranger
The union reported an eightfold increase between 2020 and 2024 in enquiries from nursing staff who think they are victims of exploitation in social care.
Social care organisations wishing to sponsor workers from overseas are expected to shoulder certain associated costs.
However, the union said some workers had been “coerced” into handing over large amounts of money to supposedly cover fees.
These demands for payment have sometimes been made under threat of deportation, because their visa status is tied to their job.
In other cases, staff are asked for “excessive” repayment fees if they wish to leave their contracts.
One RCN member was reportedly asked to pay £25,000 to their employer.
NHS guidance states that the maximum repayment an organisation can demand is £3,000 if the recruit leaves a job within 12 months; this falls to £1,500 for someone who leaves after 12 months, and £750 if they leave after £750.
The RCN has made calls for an investigation into these exploitative practices, which were seemingly answered ahead of last year’s election when Ms Cooper told The Guardian she would investigate the issue if elected.
The investigation is set to be led by the ‘single enforcement body’ that is being created as part of the government’s Employment Rights Bill.
However, the RCN has now aired concern that, under the current timeline, it would not be possible to start such an investigation until spring 2026 at the earliest, due to the length of time it is expected to take to set up the enforcement body.
Professor Ranger said, in her letter, that Ms Cooper’s commitment last year was “an important step” in recognising the issue, but that the investigation should be brought forward.
“These exploitative practices will continue, and I fear, will become more frequent,” she said.
“I urge officials in the Home Office and across government departments to launch the promised investigation now to ensure that victims are not let down by lengthy processes.”
The RCN boss also called on the government to review the sponsorship system as a whole for the Health and Care Worker visa.
Currently, workers for whom their employer has had a sponsorship licence revoked has 60 days to find a new sponsor before having to leave the country. Professor Ranger said this should be extended.
A government spokesperson, following RCN’s letter, acknowledged that there had been an “unacceptable rise” in reports of abuse and exploitation of workers in adult social care.
They pointed to work that has been done to begin clamping down on exploitation in the sector, such as making it clear that passing down sponsorship fees risks an employer losing their licence.
The spokesperson added: “The sponsorship system, which holds providers to highest standards, has highlighted these unethical practices, and urgent work is taking place across the sector to address this.”
