UK Set To Enforce Ban On Nigerian Health Workers

The British government has placed a ban on all international health workers and caregivers including Nigerians.

The ban would make it unacceptable for such persons to bring their dependents to the United Kingdom (UK) on work visas.

In a statement on Monday, the UK Home Office said the country’s new plan will slash migration levels and curb abuse of the immigration system.

On the Home Office X account, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, James Cleverly, explained that the new measure would deliver the biggest-ever reduction in the country’s net migration.

“From today, care workers entering the UK on Health and Care Worker visas can no longer bring dependants.

“This is part of our plan to deliver the biggest ever cut in migration. 120,000 people who arrived last year would no longer be eligible under our new rules.”

The UK Home Office clearly stated that this was a policy revision and it would encourage “businesses to look to British talent first and invest in their workforce.”

It will also help, the Interior Secretary pointed out, in deterring UK employers of labor from over-relying on migration while bringing salaries in line with the average full-time salary for these types of jobs.

“The first of our five points will be to end the abuse of the care visa. We will stop overseas care workers from bringing families, dependants and we will require firms in England to be regulated by the Health Care Quality Commission for them to sponsor visas.

“Approximately, £120,000 dependants accompanied £100,000 care workers in the year ending September 2023, but only 25% of the dependants are estimated to be in work, meaning that a significant number are joining public services rather than helping to grow the economy.”

The Interior Secretary, James Cleverly said the new plan would result in 300,000 fewer people coming to the UK in the coming years.

Under the plan, he said, workers would need to earn at least £38,700 to obtain a visa, up from £26,200, while care workers would be barred from bringing in dependants from next April.