UK bans foreign carers, extends citizenship application from 5 to 10 years

by Gene Alcantara, London

Thousands of Filipino workers in the United Kingdom are facing uncertainty as the

government decided to stop hiring care workers from abroad and tighten immigration

laws.

Filipinos in UK after attending the annual London Barrio Fiesta queue up for courtesy buses from the venue to the train station. [Photo by Gene Alcantara]

The measures which are designed to make it harder to move to, and settle in the UK,  are part of a white paper called Restoring Control Over the Immigration System, released by the

government May 12.

The document reveals that while nurses may still qualify under the Skilled Worker visa, Filipino care workers—who often enter the UK through Health and Care Worker visas—will no longer be able to apply from abroad. 

Care homes must recruit from within the UK or hire foreign workers already living in the country.

Employers would need to convince authorities about the difficulty in hiring workers from the country before they can be allowed to recruit from overseas.

This change will particularly affect Filipino workers, who have been coming to the UK

as carers without undergoing the usual recruitment process for overseas migrants.

Filipinos make up a significant portion of the UK’s healthcare workforce, with an estimated

50,000 Filipino nurses and midwives registered with the Nursing and Midwifery

Council, second only after India.      

In its report December 8, 2023 Tinig UK estimated that between 2021-2022, there could be around 90,000 care workers from the Philippines in England alone.  This number was extrapolated from the adult social care sector data which shows that 6% of the 1.5 million filled vacancies in England are of Filipino ethnicity during that period.

Other key changes are proposed in the new immigration policy.

Migrants will now have to wait up to 10 years before applying for UK citizenship, replacing the previous five-year rule. 

However, those who demonstrate a “real and lasting contribution” to the economy and society, such as doctors, nurses and engineers, may earn UK citizenship earlier.

Skilled foreign workers must meet A-level standard English proficiency, a significant

increase from the previous GCSE-level requirement.

Dependents of visa holders will also need to pass basic English tests.

The qualification requirement for Skilled Worker visas has been raised to RQF Level 6 meaning,  applicants must now have degree-level qualifications to be accepted.

This change makes it harder for lower-skilled workers to secure sponsorship.

The minimum salary requirements will also increase, though the specific figures have yet to be disclosed.

The Immigration Salary List, which replaced the Shortage Occupation List, has been abolished, replaced by a Temporary Shortage List. 

Only sectors deemed critical to the UK’s industrial strategy or infrastructure will qualify for time-limited work visas.

The Graduate visa, which previously allowed some 150,000 international students to stay in the UK for two years post-study at degree or postgraduate degree level, has been reduced to 18 months. 

This scheme enabled the graduates to do any job in the UK but many reportedly find it difficult to land jobs in their chosen subjects.

Employers sponsoring foreign workers will face a 32% increase in the Immigration Skills Charge, though there is no commitment to reinvest these funds into domestic training programs.

Reforms aim to restore control over UK borders

The UK government believes these reforms will restore control over UK borders, reduce reliance on foreign labour, and encourage businesses to invest in homegrown talent.

The Labour Party hopes these measures will substantially lower net migration, which stood at 728,000 in the 12 months leading up to June 2024.

This is worked out by deducting 479,000 emigrants from the UK to other countries, from the total figure of 1,207,000 who have immigrated in the past 12 months to the UK.

Critics view the move as desperate reaction to Reform UK's strong performance in the May 2025 local elections, where the right-wing populist party secured 677 Councillor seats, taking control of 10 local councils and gaining representation in all 23 councils across the country.

Immigration is a major issue for voters in the UK fed up with pressures brought on by migrants on everything from education, health, housing and other aspects of British society.

Labour is not viewed as having been managed effectively for example the issue of asylum

seekers and boat people.

The Immigration White Paper sets the stage for future legislation, but implementation timelines remain unclear.

Filipino community leaders and advocacy groups have voiced deep concerns over the policy shift. 

Many fear that the UK’s care industry will struggle to fill vacancies without Filipino workers, who have historically played a vital role in elderly and disability care. 

Some Filipino professionals already in the UK may need to switch visas or seek alternative employment to remain legally in the country.

Future Prospects

Many Filipinos working in the care sector fear job insecurity, visa complications, and limited future opportunities due to the government's decision to end overseas recruitment for care workers.

The Filipino community is now closely monitoring the situation, with advocacy groups pushing for clarifications and possible exemptions for existing workers.

Rommel C Abellar, Filcom leader, showing off a crispy pata dish during a community dinner. [Photo grabbed from his FB page]

Rommel C. Abellar, a long time Filcom leader in London, posted on Facebook how he felt about the new developments. 

“Too emotional! Noong Sunday, sa isang Immigration Forum, sinabi ko sa isang abogado na dapat ibalik natin ang samahan ng mga nagkakaisang FilCom leaders para mag-ingay sa ginawang kagaguhan ng gobyernong inendorso ko.”

He continued in another post, “Sinabi ko rin na importante na mag-ingay ang mga kababayan natin at kontrahin ang plano ng gobyerno. Nagawa natin ito sa kampanya

natin sa Senior Carers noong 2006 at £35K threshold noong 2015. Magagawa natin ngayon.”

In the popular chat group Pinoy UK which has 70,000 members, an anonymous member posted, “Mainit ang isyu ngayon dito sa UK about illegal migration (from boats) and now parang UK government plans to reduce legal immigration… Just saw some posts sa FB and nagbabasa ako ng mga comments… Maraming Briton ang nagsasabi na the best daw ang mga Filipinos in the UK. Kasi very kind, hardworking and adaptable sa culture nila compare sa other nationalities…”

The poster concluded, “I’m so happy na maganda ang reputations nating mga Pinoy dito sa UK. Sana wag natin sirain yun, iwas po tayo sa gulo and crimes… Nakaka-happy na kahit papaano na appreciate tayo ng mga Britons…. ”

Another anonymous member 644 reacted pointedly to the news, “No more overseas care workers. Sad.”

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