The report, Unreciprocated Care: why internationally educated nursing staff are leaving the UK, is based on a survey of more than 3,000 migrant nursing staff, including care workers, nursing support workers and registered nurses. It found that 42% are already planning to leave the country, with two-thirds of those intending to move to a country other than their home country. Those who planned to leave were asked what would impact their decision to stay in the UK, with 70% selecting salary and 40% selecting immigration policy.

It comes after the government announced plans to close the care worker visa route at a time of widespread vacancies in social care and introduce more restrictive immigration measures. Migrant nursing staff in social care and the NHS cannot access public funds until they are granted indefinite leave to remain, a status they can only secure after five years in the country. The government is proposing doubling the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain to 10 years. 

Other countries provide nursing staff quicker routes to settlement, with Canada and New Zealand offering permanent settlement on arrival.

On the third day of its annual conference in Liverpool, general secretary and chief executive Professor Nicola Ranger will condemn the government's proposal to close the care worker visa route when there is ‘no credible plan to grow the domestic workforce', urging ministers to secure the future of social care and the NHS by abolishing the no recourse to public funds (NRPF) rule and granting immediate indefinite leave to remain to nursing staff.

The RCN says its survey findings could mean up to 55,000 migrant nursing staff are considering leaving the country. This figure doesn't include those in care worker roles, suggesting thousands more could now also be considering their future in the UK, while others cancel plans to come over.

The report also details shockingly normalised levels of discrimination faced by migrant nursing staff, with 64% of respondents said they had experienced discrimination since moving to the UK.

As well as providing faster and cheaper routes to settlement, countries like Australia, Canada and New Zealand offer superior pay. Additionally, in the UK, those from overseas must currently wait five years to apply to stay permanently, paying yearly visa renewal costs and then £3,029 per person to apply for indefinite leave to remain.

Professor Ranger said: 'Our report shows thousands of migrant nursing staff are ready to leave the UK. This situation is bad enough, but now the government's cruel measures could accelerate this exodus, doing great damage to key services.

'Closing the care worker visa route and making migrant nursing staff wait longer to access vital benefits is the hostile environment on steroids. They pay tax and work in our vital services, they deserve the same rights. Sadly, this government is intent on pushing people into poverty, away from the country, and with no credible plan to grow the domestic workforce in sight. Government must do all it can to get the next generation into nursing.

'Rather than pandering and scapegoating, ministers should focus on what patients and vulnerable people need – safely staffed services. Without the measures we're calling for, our amazing colleagues from overseas will continue to leave.'