12 May 2025, 18:32 | Updated: 13 May 2025, 06:05

By Frankie Elliott

Sir Keir Starmer's decision to end the recruitment of care workers from abroad is "deeply worrying" for the social care sector, a care home CEO has warned.

Kevin Humphrys, CEO of the Oakland Care Group, expressed his concern after the Prime Minister announced on Monday that migrant workers would be banned from taking jobs in care homes.

The care home boss said international hiring had been a "cornerstone of maintaining a stable workforce" in social care, adding that its removal left the sector in an "impossible position".

Writing for the LBC App, Mr Humphrys asked: "As a society, we must ask ourselves: are we prepared to let our most vulnerable people bear the brunt of this decision?

"The previous relaxation of immigration rules, which allowed us to recruit care workers under the health and care visa scheme, was a lifeline for the sector.

"Social care is not an optional luxury; it is a fundamental pillar of a compassionate, functioning society. If the government is serious about fixing the care sector, it must provide immediate solutions, not just long-term promises."

It comes as the Chief Executive of Care England also warned that care homes would be forced to close as a result of the Government’s latest crackdown on immigration.

Speaking to LBC, Professor Martin Green rejected Sir Keir Starmer’s claim the UK is “addicted to cheap labour” as he warned of the devastating impact the Government's plans could have on the care industry.

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