UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea says overseas workers, who have become essential to the survival of Britain’s care system, are being pushed into fear and insecurity on several fronts. A rise in anti-immigrant rhetoric, she argues, is making daily life increasingly unsafe for staff who already face discrimination in their communities and pressure from employers.
According to UNISON, migrant carers are reporting verbal abuse, threats and even physical attacks linked to heightened hostility around immigration. Some say they have also been targeted by rogue employers who use the threat of deportation to silence complaints about exploitation.
The situation intensified days after ministers revealed plans to extend the wait for indefinite leave to remain from five to fifteen years for overseas care workers. For many, the announcement came as a severe and unexpected setback.
“These workers were invited to Britain to stabilise a collapsing system,” McAnea says. “To now tell them they must wait an extra decade before they can build real security here is devastating.”
On Wednesday 17 December, hundreds of migrant care workers are expected to travel to Parliament to call for reforms. They will demand an end to restrictive sponsorship rules, stronger workplace protections, fair pay and the ability to settle in the UK under the original five-year route.
‘Unacceptable treatment’ in the workplace
Accounts shared with UNISON highlight the conditions many workers face. Patrick (Not real name), for example, says his employer routinely threatened to alert immigration authorities if he raised concerns or failed to meet impossible targets. He and his colleagues reported being underpaid, denied pension contributions and refused mileage payments. Some were working every day of the week without rest or additional pay.
In another case, Joshua (Not real name) lost his job after his employer’s sponsorship licence was revoked. As the sole provider for his family, he now faces financial hardship and remains at risk of removal from the country.
These stories, UNISON says, reveal how the current visa system ties migrant workers to specific employers, making it easier for unscrupulous companies to intimidate or exploit staff who fear losing both their jobs and their legal status.
The union is calling for a sector-wide visa that would allow workers to move between employers without risking deportation. They argue this change would curb abuse and raise standards across the industry.
Concerns over the Home Office’s new rules
The government’s plan to triple the waiting period for settled status has drawn sharp criticism from unions, campaigners and migrants themselves. Many arrived believing they could secure long-term stability after five years of service. Rewriting the rules midway through their stay, McAnea warns, could force experienced staff out of the country and worsen already severe workforce shortages.
“It risks driving skilled workers to countries that value them more,” she says.
A sector already under strain
Despite the challenges, there is a glimmer of progress in the form of a new fair pay agreement for adult social care workers. UNISON says it will push the government to implement it swiftly, arguing that low wages are a key barrier to recruitment and retention.
Care work demands skill, emotional strength and sound judgement, yet many roles pay little more than the legal minimum. With thousands of vacancies nationwide, industry leaders insist the sector cannot afford to lose the overseas workers who have become its backbone.
“It’s time for the country to stand with migrant care workers,” McAnea says. “They are the people who keep homes running, support vulnerable residents and help families stay together for longer.”
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