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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
John Stevens

Tory MPs want to block overseas workers from UK care homes in extreme immigration plan

A gang of Tory MPs is trying to force Rishi Sunak to stop foreign staff taking jobs in care homes - despite a huge number of vacancies.

The New Conservatives Group on Monday will demand the struggling PM adopt their extreme plan for immigration.

In a challenge to Mr Sunak’s authority, Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson will speak at its launch.

The MPs, led by Tom Hunt, are angry that he has failed to deliver on the 2019 Conservative manifesto pledge to slash the numbers of people arriving in this country.

Net immigration stood at 226,000 when Boris Johnson made the promise, but it has risen to an all time high of 606,000 since then.

In order to reduce the numbers, the group wants Mr Sunak to take radical action, including ending a scheme to give visas to carers to fill staff vacancies.

Rishi Sunak faces pressure from Tory MPs as he struggles to deliver on his promises (AP)

Social care workers, care assistants and home care worker roles are currently included on the Shortage Occupation List.

This means staff are eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa, lasting either three or five years.

Latest figures show there were an estimated 165,000 vacancies in the adult care sector in England last year, up 52% from the year before.

The New Conservatives Group said the immigration system set up by the government after Brexit has been "too lenient" and is not working.

"In 2019, we won our biggest majority in 30 years… with a manifesto that promised that there would be “fewer lower-skilled migrants and overall numbers will come down”,’ the MPs said.

“Voters across traditional Conservative heartland seats and new Red Wall seats alike placed their trust in us to keep our word. It’s time for us to honour that promise.”

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