 "Impact of UK visa rules on caregivers: Stranded Indian workers seek help")
The UK government has reported a substantial decline in healthcare visa applications following the implementation of restrictions on family dependants. Hundreds of Indian care workers, who find themselves unfairly stranded in the country, are appealing for help.
Sharp decline in visa applications
Latest statistics from the Home Office show a dramatic 76 per cent drop in overseas workers applying for jobs in the UK's care sector. There has also been a 58 per cent reduction in family dependants in the Health and Care visa category since the new restrictions were implemented. Indian nationals, who topped the Health and Care visa grants last year, are particularly affected.
The number of dependants in the student visa category also saw a significant decline, with a 79 per cent drop in applications since the new rules came into effect earlier this year.
UK government's response
“This monthly data is the most up-to-date picture of visa levels, showing that on current trajectories legal migration continues to fall across key routes,” said UK Home Secretary James Cleverly in a statement.
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“The British people deserve an immigration system that puts their interests first. Our approach is about control and fairness; to the highly skilled coming here who deserve a decent wage, to taxpayers who shouldn’t be relied on to support them, and to British workers who shouldn’t be undercut,” he added.
The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak-led government is keen to demonstrate falling immigration numbers ahead of a general election later this year. Since March, care providers in England must register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to address worker exploitation and abuse within the sector.
Impact on Indian care workers
Indian nationals received 38,866 Health and Care visas last year. Many now face difficulties due to previously lax rules governing recruitment agencies. The National Council of Gujarati Organisations (NCGO) UK is lobbying on behalf of these workers.
“Some of these victims had borrowed thousands of pounds to get the visas and now face deportation for no fault of theirs,” said the NCGO UK.
“Some of these agencies are bogus and operate from a hired desk at serviced offices. The majority of them were not checked for their genuineness by the Home Office and were issued with quotas like confetti,” Kanti Nagda of the NCGO UK told news agency PTI.
Stranded workers appeal for help
These stranded workers, some with families and young children across London, Leicester, Oxford, and other UK cities, are desperately seeking job opportunities within their narrow work permit rules. They face deportation within 60 days if they cannot secure employment.
“Sixty days is a very short notice for a family to arrange departure as it could unsettle their children’s schooling, lead to loss of rent or deposit, furnishing costs, air ticket and relocation costs,” reads an online petition on the UK Parliament website. The petition is nearing the 10,000 signatures required for an official government response.
The Home Office has acknowledged that care workers have been offered visas under false pretences, travelling thousands of miles for jobs that don’t exist or are paid far below the minimum wage.
Amidst tightening UK visa rules, there has been a 12 per cent drop in student visa applications. Universities and diaspora groups warn against further restrictions on the post-study Graduate Route visa, which could lead to a dramatic fall in applications from Indian students.
New restrictions on caregivers and skilled workers
The new visa rules restrict caregivers from bringing dependants, aiming to curb the number of dependants accompanying workers. Additionally, skilled workers now face higher salary thresholds to bring dependants into the country. The measures include raising the salary threshold for skilled workers and removing the 20 per cent "going-rate" discount for migrant workers in shortage occupations.
In 2023, approximately 120,000 dependants accompanied 100,000 workers on the visa route. Nationals from the Philippines, Nigeria, India, and Zimbabwe form the largest group of caregivers in the UK.
Path ahead for Indian students?
Path ahead for Indian students?
"The recent restrictions on dependent visas have had a notable impact on various sectors in the UK, particularly affecting Indian students and professionals in healthcare. We've received numerous queries about these cases, and we advise students to connect with UK-based communities and associations to raise their concerns and seek solutions," said Mayank Maheshwari, COO & Co-Founder, University Living told Business Standard.
On a positive note, despite speculations, there have been no changes to the two-year Graduate Immigration Route (GIR). This means that the path remains open for students to explore career opportunities in the healthcare sector. However, those planning to travel with dependents should carefully consider these new immigration policies and make informed decisions," he said.
With PTI inputs