Blunkett pushes upskilling rather than endorsing a work-and-teach visa

(UNITED KINGDOM) A proposal to tie skilled immigration to domestic training—popularly described as a “work and teach” model—has moved into active discussion inside Whitehall but remains off the statute books as of October 2025. The idea, developed by the Good Growth Foundation, would require some skilled migrants to spend a portion of their time mentoring or training UK workers in shortage areas.

There is no bill, no draft rules, and no pilot scheme in place. Officials have discussed the concept across departments, but the government has not adopted it, and Labour has not made it party policy. For now, this remains a proposal shaping the wider debate over skills, fairness, and economic growth, not a change to immigration law.

Core question and public reaction

At the centre of the debate is a political and social question: can a visa be structured so the arrival of talent also lifts the skills of local workers in a direct, measurable way?

The Good Growth Foundation argues that it can, framing the plan as a “story of shared success” that links labour market gaps to a clear training payoff. Their polling suggests strong public appetite for action that steers workers into shortage roles:

• 79% back government steps to support moves into shortage sectors.
• Explaining the “work and teach” condition reduced those “very concerned” about immigration by 18 percentage points.

The polling feeds a broader narrative: the public reacts more positively when migration is paired with visible, local benefits.

Intellectual and political context

Former Labour Home Secretary and Education Secretary David Blunkett has long called for a “skills revolution”, urging government and employers to expand training, improve regional fairness, and build lasting ladders into work. While he has not explicitly endorsed a “work and teach” visa in recent public remarks, his 2022 review on skills policy is seen as part of the intellectual groundwork for Labour’s approach. The review:

• Pushes systemic reform over short-term fixes.
• Stresses stable training pathways and targeted support to raise participation and wages.
• Argues the UK cannot rely on quick overseas hiring to patch gaps forever.

The political setting adds urgency. Labour has signalled a firmer line on migration, with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stating migrants will need to show they are contributing to society to earn the right to stay. Separately, new rules requiring English language ability at A-level standard for skilled work routes were due to apply from January 2025.

These changes reflect a theme of higher bars for admission and stay, paired with a stronger domestic skills plan. Yet the “work and teach” concept is not on the books: officials have explored it, think tanks have promoted it, and ministers have commented on related aims, but there is no confirmed structure, timetable, or enforcement plan.

Proposal details and policy debate

The Good Growth Foundation’s report, Take Back Control, outlines the headline mechanism:

• Selected visas, aimed at sectors with severe shortages, would be linked to a requirement that the sponsored worker also trains or mentors UK colleagues for part of their time.
• Employers would still fill urgent roles with experienced people from abroad, but the presence of those workers would also spread know-how and reduce future reliance on imported skill.

Officials in the Home Office, Treasury, and Downing Street have examined the approach, but none has launched a consultation or proposed draft rules.

Expected sectors and political appeal

No formal list of sectors exists, but observers expect initial focus to mirror labour market data: health and care, engineering, green tech, and advanced manufacturing frequently top lists. The Foundation’s advocates, such as Praful Nargund, have called the concept a potential “silver bullet” for uniting voters who want growth, fairness, and control. Those words hint at political appeal but do not replace the need for detailed design.

Basic mechanism — simple in outline, complex in execution

A plausible sequence for the visa might look like:

1. A sponsoring employer offers a job to a skilled migrant as usual.
2. The visa carries a defined training or mentoring duty — for example, a set number of hours per month directed at named UK employees or apprentices.
3. Clear records, monitoring, and penalties for non-compliance would be required, plus support to ensure the training is substantive.
4. Protections must exist so the worker is not exploited and the training time does not undermine the role they were hired to perform.

Each step is manageable in theory but demands exact rules, resourcing, and enforcement.

Current status, timing, and what is and isn’t changing

As of October 2025:

• The “work and teach” visa is not yet law.
• There is no implementation date, no pilot, and no official consultation document.
• Any move to practice would require public consultation, draft rules, and formal changes to the Immigration Rules before employers or migrants would see new obligations.

Separate changes to skilled routes are moving ahead: the government confirmed tougher English rules for skilled work visas from January 2025. These are distinct from the “work and teach” debate but indicate a general push for quality and contribution.

For official details on the Skilled Worker route as it stands today — including eligibility, salary thresholds, and sponsor duties — refer to the UK government’s guidance on the Skilled Worker visa at the exact link: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa. This is the definitive reference and does not include any “work and teach” requirement.

Stakeholder perspectives and practical questions

Employer groups and trade unions have not taken formal public positions—largely because no text exists to analyse. Key practical concerns include:

• Would training time be capped, funded, or offset?
• Would mentoring lead to higher wages and progression for local staff?
• How to avoid a box-ticking compliance burden that drains time without building real skill?

The UK skills backdrop makes the debate urgent: some estimates tie nearly a quarter of vacancies to skills shortages, especially in technical roles, digital jobs, and care.

Questions for migrants and UK workers

• For migrants: Would training time be part of contracted hours? Affect performance targets, bonuses, or settlement paths? How would disputes be handled?
• For UK workers: Will training be protected time? Will it link to promotions or wage increases?

Good design features suggested include:

• Named mentors and defined skills goals
• Scheduled training time within the working week
• Recognition for trainees (wage increments, progression steps)

These turn a slogan into tangible benefits and help build public trust.

Employer implementation concerns

Employers will want clarity on:

• Standard templates to record mentoring hours
• Proof of attendance for trainees
• How training time impacts output targets and client deadlines
• Whether training time counts as an allowed business cost

None of these details are public yet, but they will determine whether the policy is workable in busy firms.

Design options and measurement

Policymakers face choices that trade simplicity, impact, and fairness:

• A modest, time-limited duty (e.g., a small number of hours per month in the first year)
• Embedding duties in existing apprenticeship and skills programmes so mentoring aligns with recognised qualifications
• Tying training duties strictly to shortage roles

Measuring results matters:

• Counting hours is simple but may miss quality
• Tracking skills outcomes is better but resource-intensive
• A blended model — hours plus a short checklist of skills goals — could be a middle path

Whitehall is reportedly weighing such details; employers and unions will want to shape them if a consultation opens.

Safeguards and risks

Safeguards are essential:

• Skilled migrants should not be forced into unpaid teaching beyond rules.
• UK trainees should get protected time, not squeezed learning on top of full workloads.
• Sponsors need a simple, fair system that rewards good practice, not paperwork.
• Government must avoid over-promising what a visa can achieve — it can accelerate training but cannot replace investment in colleges, equipment, childcare, transport, or local capacity.

Important: The present rules remain in place. Sponsors can continue to recruit through existing routes, and applicants should plan with current salary, occupation code, and language rules. Treat speculative “work and teach” job adverts with caution unless tied to an established training programme.

Practical steps for different groups (recommended actions)

• Employers:
  • Map roles where mentoring is easiest to provide without harming output (teams already coaching juniors).
  • Test internal tracking tools to record training time.
  • HR: review job descriptions and workload models for a small, scheduled training duty.
• Migrants and applicants:
  • Ask sponsors how mentoring is handled today and what support exists for staff who teach.
• UK workers:
  • Speak with managers about training goals tied to promotion steps.
• Compliance-minded readers:
  • Prepare for detailed record-keeping and phased rollouts if policymakers proceed (as governments often test complex employer duties before scaling).

VisaVerge.com analysis suggests readiness for detailed compliance rules and phased rollouts will reduce future stress for sponsors and employees.

Evidence, pilots, and transparency

Officials will face pressure to show early wins if they advance the idea. Possible steps to build evidence and public trust:

• A small pilot in one sector to test measurement, worker protection, and sponsor compliance
• Publication of anonymised results so public and Parliament judge outcomes, not slogans
• Metrics to monitor: completion of recognised modules, promotions into shortage roles, retention rates

Steady reporting and clear metrics will be crucial for public confidence.

Restating the facts and near-term expectations

To be clear:

• The “work and teach” visa proposal exists and was developed by the Good Growth Foundation.
• Policymakers have discussed it and polling shows the public responds positively when training links are clear.
• Yet there is no law, no official draft, and no implementation date.
• The most concrete near-term change remains the January 2025 increase in English language requirements for skilled work visas.

If the government moves ahead, expect intense scrutiny on transparency: how many UK workers get trained, which skills they gain, and whether shortages reduce over time.

Bottom line and three design priorities

For now, the prudent path is calm preparation and close attention to official updates. Employers and applicants should rely on current rules and verified guidance, not rumour.

Three points stand out for policymakers:

1. Clarity beats ambition — a simple, time-limited training duty tied to shortage roles will be easier to run and trust.
2. Protection matters — rules must guard against misuse and respect mentors’ and trainees’ time.
3. Evidence wins — pilots, public metrics, and steady reporting will decide whether the idea endures.

Done well, a carefully designed “work and teach” rule could help close skills gaps, raise wages, and ease public anxiety. Done poorly, it risks adding bureaucracy without improving outcomes. The lives affected—newcomers and UK workers building careers—deserve a system that works for both.

For current official guidance on skilled migration, consult the UK government’s Skilled Worker page: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa.