Update on low paid visa extension story: cross-party Home Affairs Select Committee calls on government to extend free visa extension for all NHS/care workers on the frontline “irrespective of grade, job title or visa route”. Also calls on govt to set out path to citizenship. 
A reminder: some foreign born workers on the frontline, lots of carers and low paid NHS staff, like porters and cleaners are continuing to have to pay for their visa extensions. They weren’t included in the free visa extension programme. They’re having to pay thousands.
On 31st March Home Sec announced that NHS and care staff would have their visas extended for free.
However, an updated on April 17th referred to “Some NHS workers and their families” and linked to a page which said only NHS workers on Tier 2 visas would be included
However, an updated on April 17th referred to “Some NHS workers and their families” and linked to a page which said only NHS workers on Tier 2 visas would be included
That means following NHS staff (lauded as heroes day after day) would be excluded:
✖️doctors, nurses etc not on Tier 2 visas (who would have thought themselves included initially)
✖️those not directly employed by NHS (eg bank staff)
✖️support staff, like cleaners and porters
✖️doctors, nurses etc not on Tier 2 visas (who would have thought themselves included initially)
✖️those not directly employed by NHS (eg bank staff)
✖️support staff, like cleaners and porters
Tier 2 visas require a salary of £30,000 or more
That means in practice govt policy excludes virtually all of the caring profession too
There are 109,000 carers working in our care system of a non-EU nationality
They’re working on the most dangerous setting of all- excluded.
That means in practice govt policy excludes virtually all of the caring profession too
There are 109,000 carers working in our care system of a non-EU nationality
They’re working on the most dangerous setting of all- excluded.
We’re talking about serious money that these carers and NHS workers are going to have to find, some of whom navigating bureaucracy whilst risking their lives every single day. Here is a table of the enormous financial cost they’re being asked to bear (whilst earning little)
The cross party committee, which includes Conservative MPs, is pretty scathing about the gap between rhetoric from ministers on this issue and the reality of their policies.
The Committee roundly rejects the Home Office’s reasoning for excluding care workers from the visa scheme. They say it’s too complicated to obtain the relevant information from the sector. Home Aff committee says that’s not true:
This can seem distant: I repeat my story from Friday. Akeem, a Nigerian carer in a home, looking after some of our most vulnerable people day after day, is being asked to find £3000 by September, if he doesn’t he risks deportation.
If you’ve been treated in a hospital, or have a relative in a care home, you or your relative will almost certainly have been looked after in some way by someone this issue touches. Whilst they’re looking after you, for little reward, this will be weighing on their mind.
The cross party committee says that the best long term way to sort these issues is to offer an easier path to citizenship for those, as I say, we laud as heroes.
Chair of the Home Affairs Sel Committee @YvetteCooperMP: “NHS staff and social care workers have been heroes on the frontline against Covid-19 and they shouldn't be having to wrestle with the immigration system or worry about their status or hefty visa renewal fees...”
“Our NHS/social care system have relied on the contributions of those who have come from abroad throughout this crisis. Making the lowest paid of those workers pay thousands of £ during the Coronavirus crisis when they are helping and caring for everyone else is unfair and wrong”
