Conclusion 12

There were fundamental failures in the implementation and oversight of the care worker visa route when it was expanded in 2022, which led to unexpectedly high numbers of arrivals in a short space of time. The Home Office significantly underestimated the level of demand for the route and was slow to respond when the number of arrivals outstripped its highest estimates. Inadequate oversight also meant that, while many workers did come to fill genuine vacancies, there was also fraud and exploitation, which the Home Office was slow address. The Home Office should look urgently at reforming its processes to learn lessons and ensure this failure is not repeated. (Conclusion, Paragraph 48)