Migrant care workers face threats when they speak up about poor working conditions. One woman from Zimbabwe paid over £2,000 to a South Yorkshire company that sponsored her visa last year. Her employer threatened to cancel her visa if she complained about long hours with no days off. The Home Office has pulled licenses from exploitative care companies, leaving many workers jobless. Leeds City Council runs a project helping unemployed overseas workers find new positions across Yorkshire.
The woman came on a health care worker visa meant to address staffing shortages. She lived in an unregistered shared house. When she expressed concerns about high rent costs, supervisors told her she seemed ungrateful. The company threatened to end her Certificate of Sponsorship, which she needed for her visa. She often worked 16-hour days with no breaks. Her visa tied her to this specific employer.
Unison wants government control of sponsorship certificates to reduce company power over workers. The union reports migrants paying thousands in illegal fees, working excessive hours, missing breaks, receiving incorrect pay, and facing deportation threats. Between July 2022 and December 2024, officials revoked more than 470 care provider licenses due to exploitation concerns. This has affected over 39,000 workers since October 2022.
The woman came on a health care worker visa meant to address staffing shortages. She lived in an unregistered shared house. When she expressed concerns about high rent costs, supervisors told her she seemed ungrateful. The company threatened to end her Certificate of Sponsorship, which she needed for her visa. She often worked 16-hour days with no breaks. Her visa tied her to this specific employer.
Unison wants government control of sponsorship certificates to reduce company power over workers. The union reports migrants paying thousands in illegal fees, working excessive hours, missing breaks, receiving incorrect pay, and facing deportation threats. Between July 2022 and December 2024, officials revoked more than 470 care provider licenses due to exploitation concerns. This has affected over 39,000 workers since October 2022.
