The proposal would more than double the CoS fee, from £239 to £525 per individual, imposing an additional £286 cost per international recruit. This equates to an estimated £10.3m sector-wide cost for care providers.

This comes on top of the government retaining severe restrictions introduced in the April 2024 immigration changes, including the ban on dependents for overseas social care workers, which caused a drop from 105,000 international recruits in 2023/24 to 18,000 in the first half of 2024 according to Skills for Care.

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, said: ‘International recruitment has been a lifeline for the sector, proving to be the saving grace as providers endure an unprecedented domestic workforce crisis with no meaningful government support to address it. Targeting international recruitment with these fee increases is an attack at the very heart of the sector's ability to function.

‘Care providers are already fighting to sustain services, and these additional costs will push many to breaking point. The Government must reconsider its position immediately. Without urgent action, this relentless financial strain will jeopardise care delivery for the millions of people who depend on it. The time for meaningful workforce reform and investment is long overdue.'

Care England is calling on the government to urgently reconsider the proposed fee increases for CoS and to develop a comprehensive workforce strategy that supports both domestic and international recruitment, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the adult social care sector.