By Julia Harris, 16th January 2014

Today, I had a break from my ordinary routine and attended a Meeting at The Home Office, talking to 2 Members of The Migration Advisory Committee Secretariat about the changes I have experienced in the domestic recruitment market following the changes to the domestic worker visa in April 2012 and the skills shortages I have identified in the domestic market sector.

The changes to the domestic worker visa meant that anyone who entered the UK before 5th April 2012 could continue to renew their visa and have the freedom to change employer, as they had done previously, however anyone entering the UK after that date would only be able to stay up to 6 months, would not be able to renew their visa and would not the the right to change employer.

While preparing for the meeting, I was able to take time to contemplate how much has changed over the past 21 months in our market sector, as normally I am so busy with the day to day running of my business, to stop and take stock.

It hit me then that all the things that I had predicted would happen, had actually come to pass and we in the UK are now faced with a massive dilemma, as fewer and fewer people want to and are prepared to take on permanent live in jobs – whether as carers for the elderly or infirm or as nanny / housekeepers.

This creates big problems for family’s that rely on live in help for child care and for our carer clients who need a live in carer to look after them, as what do they do now?

Luckily there are still available some of the Asian domestic worker visa holders who entered the UK before the changes took place, who are willing to live in, as the majority now look for high paying daily jobs in London. However, due to the rules of ‘supply and demand’, they are asking for higher salaries than have previously been earned, are much more choosy about the type of employer they will work for, the days and hours they are prepared to work, the area they are prepared to work in and the duties they are willing to do.

We are also successfully placing British and European candidates in these roles, especially when the client offers separate accommodation, but the majority of these Nationalities, working in the domestic sector would given a choice also prefer daily work.

What the Home Office don’t seem to fully appreciate is that these vacancies may be classified as ‘low skilled’ but to do the job properly, to a high standard, the candidates must have the necessary work related relevant experience.

At the meeting I strongly recommended the reversal of the 2012 changes to the domestic worker visa. Becasue if domestic workers were allowed to stay and renew their visa as they has been allowed to do previously there would be ready made experienced qualified staff available to fill our live in jobs.

I totally understand that immigration is going to be the ‘battleground’ for the next General Election and that was unofficially confirmed in my meeting today, and I do realise that the Government needs to be seen to be reducing the number of unnecessary non EU migrants allowed into the UK.

However in reality, if you allow domestic workers the right to extend and renew their visa and to change employer, as they had done previously, you are only talking about the maximum of a few hundred people per annum, and that would make so little difference to the total migration figures, but all the difference to the people needing care and families needing live in support… Those people who come to us needing our help.

The biggest problem resulting from the reduction in the volume of applicants is the lack of choice for clients and it begs the question in five years time who will there be to fill the live in positions?

Julia Harris is one of the most trusted and respected names in childcare and domestic recruitment. She is a passionate advocate for families’ rights to quality and flexible home based childcare. She has advised Granada Media and the BBC on drama story lines featuring nannies and her expert views on childcare and domestic help have featured in the national press. Julia has advised Government Ministers on Childcare Strategy and continues to lobby Parliamentary Committees on the future for domestic workers in the UK.