The UK’s Skilled Worker visa, which was meant to help ease labour shortages, especially in essential sectors like social care, is facing serious scrutiny.
A new report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has raised concerns about how the system is working in practice, especially for migrant workers.
One of the biggest issues highlighted is how the visa ties a worker’s legal status directly to their employer. The report points out that this setup puts too much power in the hands of employers and leaves many workers feeling trapped. For those facing poor working conditions or abuse, speaking out could mean losing their job and with it, their right to stay in the country.
The findings raise a bigger question: While focusing on controlling migration, is the UK overlooking the basic rights and protections migrant workers deserve?
In this article, we’ll break down the main issues raised in the report, look at how the UK government has responded so far, what it all means for migrant workers already in the country, and what might change going forward.
What’s Going Wrong with the Skilled Worker Visa?
The Skilled Worker visa route opened in December 2020 for the sole purpose of addressing job shortages in sectors like social care, and so far, more than 1.18 million people have applied through it. But as the PAC report shows, this system is structured in a way that leaves migrants in a vulnerable position.
At the heart of the issue is a rule that ties a migrant worker’s visa to their employer’s sponsorship. That means if a worker loses their job or experiences abuse, they may be hesitant and afraid to report it, because they could also lose their right to live and work in the UK.
This imbalance of power has led to a disturbing range of problems, especially for workers in the social care sector, where regulation is weaker, pay is lower, and demand for staff is high.
The PAC report highlights the following concerns:
- Debt bondage: Some migrants arrive in the UK already in debt after paying recruitment agents in their home countries, despite UK laws prohibiting such fees.
- Illegal working hours: In some cases, workers are forced to work well beyond legal limits or under unsafe conditions, often without proper contracts or protections.
- Little support when sponsors lose their licence: If an employer loses their sponsor licence, the worker’s visa becomes invalid, often leaving them in limbo without help or guidance.
- No clear data: Perhaps most alarming, the Home Office has no concrete data on how many migrant workers have been exploited or how many remain in the country after their visas expire.
See the summary of the official PAC report:
The Committee’s Verdict
The Public Accounts Committee didn’t hold back in its criticism of the government’s approach. Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, chair of the PAC, said the system was rolled out too quickly without basic safeguards in place.
“The speed at which the government opened this visa route came at a painfully high cost, to the safety of workers and the integrity of the visa system,” he said.
This isn’t just about poor planning. The committee believes the government “lost sight of the risks” when designing the scheme, failing to build mechanisms that would prevent abuse, track visa holders, or crack down on dodgy recruitment practices—especially those occurring outside the UK.
Read Also: UAE Tightens Rules on Nigerian Travellers, Rolls Out New Visa Options
Policy Shift: Overseas Care Worker Ban
Adding to the tension, the government recently announced a ban on overseas recruitment of care workers—a move aimed at reducing net migration. The PAC says this sudden shift could worsen existing staff shortages, especially as the demand for care services continues to grow.
- Instead of reactive bans, the committee recommends:
- A cross-government strategy to prevent exploitation
- Systems to track migrant departures
- Stronger enforcement against unregulated recruitment agencies
- Better alignment between visa policies and domestic workforce plans
Without these changes, the UK risks repeating the same mistakes, only with different groups of workers.
What This Means for Skilled Workers
If you’re a current or future Skilled Worker visa holder, especially in care-related jobs, here’s what this means for you:
Stricter oversight is expected: The government may increase sponsor inspections and compliance checks.
Changing jobs still requires sponsor approval: Job mobility remains restricted unless you follow formal procedures.
Read Also: Top 10 Toughest Visas for Nigerians to Get (And Why They’re So Difficult)
Support is lacking if your sponsor fails: There’s still no clear protection if your employer loses their licence.
Fewer care-sector jobs will be available to overseas applicants: New migration rules are likely to limit access.
What Happens Next?
The PAC’s report has highlighted critical failures in how the Skilled Worker visa is being managed—failures with real consequences for both migrant workers and essential UK services.
If reforms are made, the system could become more ethical and transparent. If not, the risks of exploitation and labour shortages will likely persist, harming both the people the system is supposed to protect and the sectors that depend on them.
Read the full PAC report.
Discover more from Leaving Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
