The United Kingdom has officially terminated its care worker visa program, a move that directly impacts thousands of Kenyans who were seeking employment in the UK’s health sector.
On Monday, May 12, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the closure of the visa route as part of sweeping immigration reforms aimed at curbing the UK’s dependence on foreign labour.
“We are permanently shutting down the care visa route,” said Starmer. “Care workers from overseas have made a huge contribution, but too many have been subject to abuse and exploitation. We’re restoring control and fairness to the system.”
Impact on Kenyan Workers
The announcement comes as a significant setback for Kenya, which signed a bilateral labour agreement with the UK in November 2021. That agreement had opened doors for trained Kenyan health professionals to fill gaps in the UK’s overstretched care sector.
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Since then, hundreds of Kenyan care workers have relocated to the UK, with thousands more in the pipeline. The cancellation of the program now puts many of these plans in jeopardy.
Additional Immigration Reforms
The UK Prime Minister also introduced several other changes targeting immigration:
- Higher English Language Requirements: Applicants for all major visa routes will now need to meet stricter English proficiency standards. Adult dependents will also be required to have basic English skills.
- Increased Skills Threshold: Only degree-level qualifications will be accepted for work-based migration, effectively ending visa access for diploma-level jobs.
- Longer Settlement Period: Migrants will now need to live in the UK for 10 years—up from the current five—to qualify for permanent residency, unless they make significant economic contributions.
- Increased Immigration Skills Charge: UK employers will pay higher fees for hiring foreign nationals to encourage investment in local talent.
- Digital IDs and eVisas: All overseas nationals will receive digital identification and eVisas to improve immigration enforcement.
Political Justification
Starmer defended the policy shift by arguing that previous governments had allowed unchecked immigration that put pressure on local services and limited opportunities for British workers.
“Settlement in the UK is a privilege, not a right,” he emphasized. “This is about backing British workers and reducing overall migration levels.”
With these new changes, the UK government is charting a new course in immigration policy—one that could redefine its labour relationship with countries like Kenya in the coming years.
Image:
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer during the immigration policy announcement. Photo/UK Government
