Top Tips for Care Homes Recruiting from Overseas
16th November, 2023
Recruiting staff from overseas can be an effective strategy for UK care homes to address staffing shortages and bring in diverse skill sets and perspectives.
However, it’s essential to approach the process ethically, legally, and with consideration for the well-being of the prospective employees. There are visa routes available to individuals looking to move to the UK to work in the care sector, namely the Health and Care visa.
Here are some top tips on how UK care homes can minimise the risk and maximise the benefit of recruiting from overseas:
Research the Market
Before diving into the recruitment process, it’s important to research the market and understand the current trends and demands. This will help you decide which countries to focus on for hiring from and what qualifications and experience to seek in candidates.
Understand immigration laws and requirements
Familiarise yourself with UK immigration laws and the specific visa requirements for hiring foreign workers. Ensure that your care home meets all legal obligations and has the systems and processes in place to ensure effective sponsorship of workers and compliance with your duties as a sponsor licence holder.
Work with reputable recruitment agencies
Collaborate with reputable international recruitment agencies that specialise in healthcare staffing from overseas. These agencies can help you find qualified candidates, verify their suitability for the role and sponsorship and support them through the relocation process.
Be alive to concerns of modern slavery
Sadly, international recruitment can attract agencies and third parties who are not reputable or trustworthy. It is therefore crucial to carry out due diligence on such third parties, understand exactly what charges you will incur and the candidates will incur and to have agreeable terms of business, clearly documenting responsibilities and charges.
Offer competitive compensation and benefits
To attract overseas talent, ensure that your compensation and benefits packages are competitive and consider offering relocation assistance or accommodation support during the initial transition.
Cultural orientation and support
Help new employees integrate into the local community and workplace culture by providing cultural orientation and ongoing support. This could include cookery classes, help with local dialect and colloquial terms and guidance on local places of worship for the worker’s faith.
Create a support system
Moving to a new country can be a daunting experience, so it’s important to create a support system for your overseas employees. This can include providing someone with a mentor or friend to assist them in adjusting to their new surroundings. It can also involve helping them find transportation, registering with a GP, as well as offering support for any challenges they may encounter.
Remember that hiring from overseas should complement your efforts to recruit locally. Finding a middle ground between both methods is important. This will help in having a varied and talented workforce. Additionally, it will benefit the community you are serving.
For further guidance on recruiting overseas staff for your care home and ensuring compliance with UK immigration laws, our experienced immigration solicitors are here to assist. If you have any questions or need help with applying for a sponsor licence, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our dedicated team of immigration experts.
Contact a member of our team today
Please note that this briefing is designed to be informative, not advisory and represents our understanding of English law and practice as at the date indicated. We would always recommend that you should seek specific guidance on any particular legal issue.
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