'Grotesque' abuse of migrant care workers laid bare in damning report

'Grotesque' abuse of migrant care workers laid bare in damning report Andy Burnham faces calls to overhaul the visa system as the Royal College of Nursing warned of harrowing cases of bullying, racism and financial exploitation in the care sector Harrowing cases of bullying, racism and financial exploitation have been uncovered as Andy Burnham faces calls to end "grotesque" abuse of migrant care workers. Nursing chiefs warn unscrupulous employers are taking advantage of a power imbalance in the visa system to demand huge repayments, withhold earnings and allow toxic treatment of staff. The Prime Minister faces calls to act as part of his social care shake-up. A damning report by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) called for an overhaul of the visa system, making it easier for workers to escape employers without facing threats. It also demanded proper investigations of exploitation cases. In one case, it said, a care worker was told they would have to pay £25,000 to leave their job before their contract expired. RCN General Secretary Professor Nicola Ranger said: “Just the week after the Prime Minister laid out his plans for social care in England, this report exposes the scale of grotesque exploitation taking place in the sector. "A National Care Service meeting the needs of an ageing population, with complex conditions will need to be registered nurse led. We’re the ones with the skill and expertise to make it work, but not while so many of our migrant colleagues are being exploited. "Fixing social care and changing the system that allows this exploitation, bullying and discrimination must come hand in hand." Under existing rules, people in the UK on a health and social care visa must be sponsored by an employer. Those who change jobs require a new sponsor and an updated visa. In one of his first acts as PM, Mr Burnham announced he wants to speed up plans to deliver a new National Care Service. Prof Ranger warned: "One of the major causes (of migrant worker abuse) is a visa sponsorship system which creates a dangerous power imbalance, allowing unscrupulous employers to use withdrawal of sponsorship as leverage to extort money, alter contracts, reduce pay or bully and harass with impunity. It’s a shocking scenario which hands individual employers all the power. It has no place in a National Care Service. “For years, our members have bravely spoken out and sought support against these appalling practices, but we know these cases are just the tip of the iceberg. Migrant workers are routinely intimidated and left fearful of speaking out." The report was based on analysis of 383 cases where migrant health and social care workers sought help from the RCN between 2023 and 2025. Of these 197 related to repayment clauses - to recover costs from staff wishing to leave their jobs before the end of their contract. More than half of these clauses were over £3,000, with one as high as £25,000. One in five raised issues about pay, with many saying they were paid less than their contracted hourly wage. And it unearthed 35 cases where contracts were changed after a worker started - often to reduce pay or force longer hours. And there were 68 cases of severe bullying and harassment, with some cases involving racist discrimination, the RCN said. It is estimated that 30% of staff in the adult care sector are non-British nationals. The RCN called for a new umbrella organisation to administer visas, to make it easier to tackle threats from employers. It also said the new Fair Work Agency must properly monitor the way staff are treated and go after unethical businesses. It also said staff must be given 180 days - rather than the current 60 - to find a new employer when they move jobs to eliminate the risk of deportation. In a speech last week, Mr Burnham praised overseas care workers, saying: "Many people from other countries have been caring for my dad [who has Alzheimer’s]. “I want those carers to know: we appreciate you, we appreciate what you are doing to support people here.” There is growing speculation that he plans to exclude care workers from controversial migration reforms that would see people forced to wait up to 15 years to claim indefinite leave to remain (ILR). At the moment people become eligible after five years. A government spokesperson said: “This government stands firm on our zero-tolerance approach to labour exploitation and abuse of our immigration system by unscrupulous employers. We are taking action against rogue care providers who have used their sponsor license to exploit workers, and we’ve ended overseas recruitment for care workers after unacceptable levels of abuse and exploitation.”