‘Low skilled’ care workers from the EU will lose the automatic right to work in the UK’s care sector post Brexit but could apply for short-term visas lasting a year, according to new immigration proposals. A government White Paper on immigration recommends low skilled workers could apply for the short term visas as part of what the Home Office describes as ‘a new route for workers at any skill level for a temporary period’. The White Paper states: ‘We recognise the challenges faced by these employers, particularly in sectors like construction and social care, who would find it difficult immediately to adapt. ‘This route will allow people to come for a maximum of 12 months, with a cooling-off period of a further 12 months to prevent people effectively working in the UK permanently. ‘We will engage extensively with business and stakeholders as part of the engagement process on the duration and cooling off periods.’ The document also stated the year-long visa ‘will enable workers of all skill levels to move between employers with no specific sponsorship requirement’ and will ‘offer flexibility to employers as they implement changes’. The Home Office said the short-term visa will give care bosses the staff they need and 'ensure they have the incentive to train young people in the future'. The Department stated: ‘The 12-month visa will provide access to the labour market, but no access to benefits. People arriving on this route will not be able to bring family members with them, won’t accrue rights to settle in the UK.' The White Paper also includes a consultation on a minimum salary requirement of £30,000 for skilled migrants seeking five-year visas. The government has said it will engage with employers as to what salary threshold should be set, but critics argue the salary minimum wrongly links a person’s high skills to high pay, when starting salaries for nurses are at £23,000. The proposals include an end to the current cap of 20,700 on workers classed as high-skilled including nurses and doctors coming to the UK from Europe and elsewhere, using 'Tier 2' visas. The UK Homecare Association has tweeted it will review the White Paper 'to see how a single, skills-based immigration system and the earnings threshold will operate and what impact it will have for the capacity of the #homecare sector following #Brexit.' In a foreward to the White Paper, Home Secretary Sajid Javid stated: “frank conversations' with businesses across the UK will continue 'as we develop the system over the next 12 months”. The government has said the UK will leave the EU on 29 March 2019. (source: image: pexels)