THE government’s decision to relax immigration rules to overseas social care staff will fail to tackle the staffing crisis threatening to overwhelm the sector, trade unions have warned. 

Social care providers can now hire workers from abroad after the profession was added to the shortage occupation list today, allowing migrants to get work visas to fill job vacancies. 

But the role still requires applicants to earn at least £20,480 a year to qualify — far higher than the average wage of workers in the sector at £16,900.