Migrant Nursing Staff Exploitation in the UK: RCN Report Highlights Serious Concerns
RCN Research Exposes Exploitation of Migrant Nursing Staff
New research from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has raised serious concerns about the exploitation of migrant nursing and social care workers in the UK.
The report highlights how some employers allegedly use workers’ immigration status and visa sponsorship as leverage, leaving vulnerable staff at risk of financial exploitation, unfair treatment and workplace abuse.
Internationally Educated Nurses in UK Social Care
Internationally educated nurses play an important role in the UK’s social care sector. However, the RCN argues that the current visa sponsorship system can create a significant power imbalance because a worker’s right to live and work in the UK may be closely linked to their employer.
The RCN reviewed around 400 cases involving health and care workers who sought support after experiencing alleged exploitation or extortion between 2023 and 2025. Most were registered nurses, alongside other nursing professionals, including nursing support workers.
The organisation believes these cases may represent only a small proportion of the wider problem because some migrant workers may be reluctant to report abuse due to fear of losing their jobs, immigration status or ability to remain in the UK.
How Visa Sponsorship Can Be Used as Leverage
According to the report, some employers allegedly:
- Demand large repayment fees from workers who leave their employment.
- Pay workers less than the salary agreed in their contracts.
- Change employment terms and working conditions.
- Threaten or use withdrawal of visa sponsorship as leverage.
- Ignore concerns about poor or unsafe working practices.
- Subject workers to bullying, harassment and discrimination.
The RCN describes the situation as a serious power imbalance within the sponsorship system, arguing that workers can feel trapped because changing employers may have immigration consequences.
Key Findings From the RCN Report
The research identified several concerning patterns among the cases reviewed:
- More than half involved employers using repayment clauses to recover money from workers who wanted to leave.
- Some repayment demands reportedly exceeded £3,000, with one case reaching £25,000.
- Around one in five cases involved wage-related problems, particularly workers being paid below their agreed hourly rate.
- More than half of those seeking support reported poor workplace practices.
- Around one-third of those cases involved serious bullying or harassment, including alleged racial discrimination.
RCN Calls for Reform
The RCN is calling for stronger protections for migrant nursing and social care workers, including changes to the current sponsorship system.
Its recommendations include:
- Moving visa sponsorship away from individual employers to an industry-wide or umbrella system.
- Strengthening enforcement of employment standards through the proposed Fair Work Agency.
- Giving workers more time to find a new employer after leaving a sponsored role, with the RCN calling for the current 60-day period to be extended to 180 days.
- Improving oversight and enforcement against employers accused of exploiting migrant workers.
Protecting Migrant Care Workers
The report argues that migrant nurses and care workers should be able to raise concerns about pay, working conditions and workplace abuse without fearing that their immigration status will be used against them.
The RCN says stronger safeguards are essential if the UK is to maintain a sustainable social care workforce and ensure that internationally recruited healthcare professionals are treated fairly.
For migrant workers experiencing difficulties, the RCN says its member support services can provide access to immigration guidance, welfare advice, financial wellbeing resources and psychological support.
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