The extent of the reliance of Scotland’s care sector on lifeline international workers has been revealed in a survey of providers published today.

With nine in 10 members of some teams coming from overseas, sector leaders say banning recruitment from abroad could be ‘catastrophic’.

The UK government has committed to stop international recruitment of social care workers by 2028 by ending a visa scheme for the sector, alongside changes to language requirements and settlement rules for migrants.

However, a survey of 225 members of the independent sector body Scottish Care shows the ‘deep integration’ of international staff into Scotland’s social care workforce, which the organisation says is now in jeopardy.

International workers were found to make-up an average of 32% of the responding organisations’ total workforce, while 7% of respondents reported more than 90% of their total workforce have come from overseas.

Of the more than 11,000 international workers employed by respondents, nearly 7,000 are currently on a visa.

Social care organisations have told Scottish Care the end of international recruitment will likely lead to severe staffing shortages, increasing dependency on expensive agency staff and lead to service closures.

Many providers also raised concerns around their inability to recruit local staff, and the loss of cultural and community benefits, where international workers have become “part of the fabric” of teams and communities.

Dr Donald Macaskill, CEO of Scottish Care, said the “disturbing” survey findings make clear the need for a different approach for Scotland:

“It paints a picture variously described by participants as ‘disastrous’, ‘catastrophic’ or ‘complete collapse’.

“The extent of dependency upon international colleagues is very significant and we urgently require the UK Government to take stock of reality and not to continue to act in a manner which is disrespectful of individual workers and social care as a whole and which is completely ignorant of the reality of Scotland’s particular needs.

“The Prime Minister in word and action is hurting Scotland. That needs to change.”

The proposed changes to immigration rules have already been criticised by Scottish Care and the Scottish government.

The independent care sector representative said as many as 66% of its members continue to actively recruit from overseas.

Scottish Care says the changes to immigration rules are seen as an ‘existential threat’ by the independent social care sector.

Speaking to the Scottish parliament’s health, social care and sport committee earlier this week, Scottish Care Deputy CEO Karen Hedge said the change will have ramifications on entire families and the communities where they live:

“We know that the requirements for Scotland are often different, particularly for our care homes.

“What we find is that one member of a family moves here to work in that care home, and then they bring other members of their family, and they also work in that care home.

“So any changes to current visas: it is not just an individual that will be affected. We will see whole families being uprooted from local communities, and that will have a huge impact in that space.”

 

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