Explore strategies and best practices for recruiting internationally to address ongoing workforce capacity challenges. Learn how to navigate the complexities of hiring talent from oversees.
International recruitment must always be carried out in a legal and ethical manner. Providers need to be supported to recruit staff from abroad in a way that meets the needs of those people when they arrive and are in post.
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This guide, produced by the Department of Health and Social Care and Skills for Care, aims to encourage and enable good practice in adult social care international recruitment.
This Overseas recruitment bite-size guide helps you to explore and maximise opportunities that overseas recruitment offers. It was produced by the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Care, with the South East Social Care Alliance.
This video has key information about the shortage occupation list, the health and social care visa and right to work checks.
This accompanying document answers some common questions about recruiting from overseas.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has produced illustrative scenarios to provide some context of what the new immigration rule changes mean in practice. These are correct as of 29 January 2024.
Becoming a visa sponsor help sheet
This help sheet document takes you through the step-by-step process of gaining your sponsorship licence.
Applying for a certificate of sponsorship help sheet
This help sheet supports adult social care providers who are applying for a certificate of sponsorship to sponsor care workers from overseas for the Health and Care Worker Visa route.
If you have any difficulty with the application, further advice can be obtained from the sponsorship, employer and education helpline - Telephone: 0300 123 4699 Monday to Friday, 09:00-16:00, or email: Businesshelpdesk@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
This information can also be found on the gov.uk website where providers would need to go to apply for their licence: UK visa sponsorship for employers: Apply for your licence - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
This video explains the key stages of licence applications and how to provide a thorough and effective application.
There are a significant number of dedicated adult social care workers who have been displaced from their original employer and potentially left without work, through no fault of their own.
If you have vacancies in England and you're looking to recruit international workers, please contact your relevant regional lead.
Explore what ethical recruitment is and the code of practice.
Code of practice for international recruitment guide
This guide sets out principles and best practice benchmarks to be adhered to by all employers when recruiting international health and social care personnel.
Ethical recruiters list
A comprehensive list of recruitment organisations, agencies, and collaborations that operate in accordance with the code of practice.
NHS Employers International Recruitment Toolkit
This toolkit aims to encourage and enable good practices and processes for the recruitment of international staff in the NHS.
Gathering and assessing criminal record information for UK and non-UK nationals, including displaced people
Recommendations that employers can take to gather and assess criminal record information for all applicants, including displaced people, to demonstrate you are taking a fair and consistent approach across all candidates.
Safer recruitment checklist
This checklist covers a step-by-step process to recruiting safely and fairly. It will help you ensure you are taking all possible approaches to information gathering and able to evidence your actions.
Pastoral care guide for international recruitment in social care
This guide contains links to useful resources that will help social care employers explore resettlement support and pastoral care for overseas recruits.
It covers the following stages in the journey of recruiting overseas workers:
- preparations prior to employment
- induction
- settling in
- six months and beyond.
We’ve produced a series of videos providing an overview of what you need to know about modern slavery, from the scale of the problem, what to look out for, and what action you can take to protect your employees.
Watch our Modern slavery videos
Hear from employers who share their experiences of recruiting internationally.
Country Court - recruiting from overseas
Helen Meadows, Head of People at care provider Country Court, shares their experience recruiting internationally and gives a step by step overview of employing from overseas.
Askham - a perspective on international recruitment
Aliyyah Nasser of Askham shares their experience recruiting internationally, becoming a sponsor, supporting newly-arrived staff and the value they bring to their workforce.
Becoming a home care employer of overseas workers
This session includes shared learning from providers who have recruited from overseas and guidance from the Home Office.
Jeanine Willoughby and Amanda Ashworth, project managers for workforce capacity and transformation at Skills for Care, look at how recruiting from overseas can support social care providers and the realities of how it’s being used...read the blog.
How can international recruitment help with building your workforce? We look at how social care providers are recruiting from overseas, and what you need to know to get started’...read the blog.
Getting it right from the start is key to keeping staff long-term. We look at what to cover during the induction process...read the blog.