The video explains how the West Midlands International Recruitment Programme came into being and how it has developed since:
Phase 2 of the Programme aligns closely with the 2024/25 strategic priorities set by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the West Midlands Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (WM-ADASS).
For access to support, resources, and updates on the International Recruitment Programme, visit the West Midlands IR Hub
This phase utilises funding from the DHSC to enhance existing services and introduce new initiatives to address the key challenges faced by:
- Care Providers: Registered care providers, particularly those with licensed sponsorships, will benefit from enhanced compliance support, HR guidance, and access to a pool of work-ready international recruits.
- International Recruits: international care workers impacted by employer sponsorship revocations will gain access to vital services, including job placement support, visa guidance, and platforms to report unethical practices.
In this phase the support model has been built around five key elements:
- Central Support – we are working in partnership with West Midlands Care Association (WMCA) to sign post international care workers to support. WMCA run our regional mailbox, to which UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) direct all displaced international care workers.
- Self-Service Support – enabling international recruits to access tailored resources and signposting to support, including employment, education, social care, training and housing, through AI-powered technology. My UK Life delivered by Bridgit Care, provides a scalable and long-term approach to supporting international care workers that could continue beyond the funding, reducing pressure on services while improving integration and access to opportunity.
- Specialist HR and Legal Support – providing expert legal, policy, and HR guidance for both care providers and international recruits. This is delivered by West Midlands Employers (WME) in partnership with Lester Aldridge
- Recruitment Facilitation and Support – we are working in partnership with Lifted to deliver a service designed to support displaced* international care workers in finding a new ethical employer who values and respects them. Lifted also manage the West Midlands Regional Pool of Displaced International Care Workers on behalf of the Programme, which care providers are required to try to recruit from before applying to recruit overseas.
- Local Authority Support – including the distribution of small grants for local projects and additional funding for enhanced support offers through regional councils. Under the Minimum Support Offer each of the 14 West Midlands Local Authorities received £20,000 from the regional IR fund to implement core support activities:
- Facilitate the engagement of a nominated commissioner to act as first point of contact to receive notifications of suspensions and revocations of licences by UKVI.
- Participate in the WM-ADASS Regional International Recruitment (IR) Partner Steering Group to collaborate on IR Programme development.
- Work with local care providers to identify opportunities for local employment opportunities for displaced workers.
11 of 14 Local Authorities in the West Midlands secured additional funding so that they could provide an Enhanced Support Offer. Support included drop-ins for International Recruits, legal support, English Language Programmes, job signposting and much more.
A sixth element is Regional Coordination overseen by WM-ADASS, ensuring the integration of services, effective governance, and strategic alignment across the region.
For access to support, resources, and updates on the International Recruitment Programme, visit the West Midlands IR Hub
You can also download a summary of the support available for easy reference and sharing.
To find out more about how we use information gathered through the programme, please view our Privacy Notice.
*Displaced international care workers have been identified as international care workers who have been impacted by the revocation of their employer’s sponsor license, their current sponsor cannot provide sufficient work or they have been identified by a Regional Care Partnership as needing support to gain new sponsors