Concerns have been raised about the impact on Huddersfield’s care homes of the change in government policy regarding Visa rules.
A recent crackdown on overseas recruitment by the government has banned care homes from hiring foreign workers, aiming to reduce net migration by 50,000.
This policy, effective from May 2025, has sparked concerns among local care providers, who rely heavily on international staff to address long-term shortages.
Bilal Ahmed, who has worked at the Trinity Care Home in Huddersfield for two years, expressed his frustration, saying: “Overseas workers have been important to keep these services running. Without them, we’re struggling to fill shifts, and it’s the elderly and disabled who suffer most.”
Mr Ahmed added that local recruitment efforts often fall short due to low wages and demanding conditions, which can leave vulnerable residents without care.
“I wouldn’t have shown up (if this law was going to be introduced),” he said.
“A large number of people will be impacted. Because of the new regulation that the government has introduced, some of us are already considering travelling to Australia, Canada, or America.”
The National Care Association’s Nadra Ahmed called the situation a “challenging scenario,” noting that care homes in Huddersfield and surrounding areas are already stretched thin.
Father-of-two Imran Khan, 32, has an uncle who lives in a Huddersfield care home and is concerned about the impact the changes to the law could have on his relative’s care.
“The staff are lovely, but you can see they’re stretched,” he said. “I worry about what these changes mean for his care.”
Meanwhile, community efforts to support care homes continue, with local volunteer organizing activities to boost morale.
To improve patients’ health, volunteers are visiting Trinity Care Home to host wellness activities that emphasise both mental and physical well-being, including mindfulness exercises and mild exercise sessions.
Announcing the changes earlier this month, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “It is time to end that care worker recruitment from abroad.”
“We are going to introduce new restrictions on lower-skilled workers, we should be concentrating on training in the UK.”
“We will be closing the care worker visa for overseas recruitment.”