International Recruitment
Funded resources to support International Recruitment in
the West Midlands
Looking to recruit?
Are you a care provider with a valid sponsorship license who is looking to recruit? There are displaced workers looking for alternative employment
In the West Midlands, a pool of displaced workers is being administered by Lifted
The West Midlands International Recruitment Partnership is pleased to annouce that as part of our support offering to support displaced individuals we are now working with Lifted
Lifted specialises in matching sponsored individuals with new sponsors
There is no cost for West Midlands based providers to engage with this service although sponsorship licence costs will need to be borne by the provider should a successful placement occur. This is a different offering to their standard service and is only accessible when you register through this page
They do offer additional services including ongoing compliance, but Lifted will discuss these options with you when you register
Already found a displaced worker?
If you have already found a displaced worker you'd like to employ, this will still be possible providing they meet the following criteria
Is already in the UK and was previously sponsored as a skilled worked under occupation codes 6135 or 6136 (or their equivalent SOC 2010 occupations codes of 6145 and 6146 respectively)
Or
The worker is already legally working for you as a care worker or senior care worker, and has been working for you in that role, with permission on another immigration route, for at least the 3-month period before the date of their application. This also includes if they have been sponsored by another company and you now want to employ them full time (Full time employment must meet the skilled worker visa sponsorship rules - ie 37.5 hours a week and min £25000 pa)
You should explain this when you assign a CoS to the worker. You can do this either in the job description field or by adding a sponsor note after you’ve assigned the CoS. If you do not include this information, the worker’s application may be refused.
The full government guidance can be found here (refer to section SK 4.29)
irwestmids.co.uk
This Hub has been developed to provide information, advice and guidance on international recruitment to the adult social care sector. It has been developed for both providers of adult social care and councils operating in the West Midlands and offers Free advice
This programme of support for international recruitment is being co-ordinated by West Midlands ADASS, working in partnership with West Midlands Employers, councils and the independent provider sector.
(provided by West Midlands Employers)
International Recruitment News
STOP PRESS - Care Worker VISA for new out of country applications to end 22 July 2025
Following the publication of the Government's white paper on changes to immigration rules, it was formally announced by the Home Office on the 1 July 2025 that new out of country Care Worker Visa applications will end on the 22 July 2025. This means you can no longer recruit carers from overseas. You can still recruit sponsored workers who are already here, but you will not be able to bring new applicants into the UK. More details here
Upcoming International Recruitment Events
The West Midlands International Recruitment Programme run monthly Live Legal International Recruitment Webinars.
If you are a Care Provider in the West Midlands and have any questions about these webinars, please email our team at hello@wmca.international
Previous International Recruitment Events
Recordings are available of previous webinars for West Midlands registered care providers. We can only give access to these to West Midlands registered care providers. Please contact us for the password
HR and Legal Helpline
As part of a regional programme of support, WM Employers are supporting West Midlands CQC registered providers with:
- Legal, HR support and advice services
- Legal and HR email contact – WMIRHelpline@la-law.com
This service is provided by Legal and HR professionals who have extensive experience in international recruitment.
The benefits of this service will enable all CQC registered care providers and local authorities’ access to quality information in support of providing consistent and equitable information and advice. Providers shall be entitled to 30 minutes FREE consultation in respect of a query. See T&C’s
My UK Life
https://ai.myuk.life/wm/ - My UK Life is a helpful online platform for international recruits in the UK.
It offers support with jobs, visa issues, and settling in. Whether you need job advice, help with your CV, or answers to everyday questions, My UK Life is there to make your life in the UK easier. It also works in many languages and includes a 24 / 7 chat support in WhatsApp. We strongly recommend that you encourage your international recruits to register with them (Its Free of charge)
Buddying resources
The Care Association has recently completed a project supporting the implementation of 'Buddying Schemes' within care settings
Buddying is a proven method of delivering support and pastoral care to new recruits - particularly those from overseas
We have collected a wealth of best practice from care providers and you can access it by clicking the button beloww
Additional Advice for WMCA Members
If you are a member of the West Midlands Care Association (WMCA) there is some additional advice about sponsorship licenses available within the
Member area of this website (Members password needed)
The West Midlands International Recruitment Partnership is a joint initiative of various regional stakeholders including WM ADASS, West Midlands Care Association and WM Employers. We are not a recruitment agency, Our aim is to support people affected by licence revocation.
This particular element of the support program is being administered by the West Midlands Care Assoication Ltd
If you need to contact us about international recruitment, please email hello@wmca.international
