UK visa system forces care workers to stay silent on rape, abuse

Vicky Gayle, Emiliano Mellino, Hajar Meddah and Charles Boutaud ABENA, a migrant worker from Southern Africa, was repeatedly raped by her manager at a United Kingdom care home but felt unable to report him to the police for fear of losing her job and her visa.

Bernice, from Jamaica, was sexually harassed by her landlord in the accommodation arranged by her employer, which sponsored her work in the UK.

Then there is Chidera, a live-in carer from Ghana, who once went nearly four months without a day off.

After complaining to a manager, she was threatened with dismissal and having her visa revoked.

They are among dozens of migrant care workers who have travelled to the UK to fill vacancies, only to find themselves exploited and silenced.

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ), working with Citizens Advice, has gathered testimonies of almost 175 people working for approximately 80 care providers via the health and care worker visa.

Their stories reveal that the people who make up a vital section of the social care workforce fear raising concerns about labour abuses — in large part because the existing visa system makes them dependent on their employer for their right to stay and work in the UK.

And any complaint, even if upheld, can start a ticking clock, leaving them with barely two months to avoid the risk of deportation.

“We work on a lot of difficult issues at Citizens Advice, but this is one of the most heartbreaking because of our limited ability to help people find a way forward,” Kayley Hignell, its interim director of policy, said.

“Our investigation shows that there are potentially thousands of people trapped in a system which leaves them vulnerable to abuse and threats, powerless to complain, and often losing thousands of pounds.

“These people are skilled professionals who keep our healthcare services running yet . . . the best we can sometimes do is help them access a food bank.”

Andrew Gwynne, the UK shadow minister for social care, said the shocking findings highlighted how the government had failed in its promise to fix the crisis in social care.

“It is vital that we ensure we have a system where exploitation of overseas workers is not tolerated, and steps must be put in place to stop those who perpetrate abuse,” he said.

“If she is dismissed, she will have nothing”

Early last year, staff at Citizens Advice, a charity that provides confidential support on issues including debt and housing, noticed an increase in calls from people in the UK who were on the health and care worker visa.

Concerned by the trend, Citizens Advice collected information recorded by its advisers to assess the scale of the problem.

In total, the charity gathered evidence from 150 workers, although the true number of people affected is likely to be far higher. The charity then shared anonymised information about the callers with TBIJ as part of our investigation into exploitative and precarious working conditions faced by migrants in the UK. Read more on: www.sundaymail. co.zw