The United Kingdom has introduced new visa regulations aimed at reducing reliance on overseas recruitment and ensuring compliance within the immigration system.
These changes, effective from April 9, 2025, impact care providers, foreign workers, and international students.
Under the new regulations, care providers seeking to recruit from abroad must first demonstrate that they have attempted to hire from within England. This policy is intended to ensure that those already in the UK on care worker visas have job opportunities while the government implements broader immigration reforms under the Plan for Change.
The UK government is tightening restrictions on the Short-Term Student visa route, which allows individuals to study English in the UK for up to 11 months.
Authorities have raised concerns that this route is being misused by applicants without genuine study intentions. New rules will grant caseworkers broader powers to refuse applications deemed non-genuine, aiming to prevent visa abuse.
Seema Malhotra, Minister for Migration and Citizenship, stated that the government is committed to protecting international care workers from exploitation and ensuring compliance among employers.
She emphasized that these measures aim to reduce reliance on overseas recruitment and restore order to the immigration system through the Plan for Change.
These new regulations will affect Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking employment or education opportunities in the UK. Prospective care workers must now ensure that employers have prioritized hiring individuals already residing in England before considering overseas applicants. Additionally, international students planning to enroll in short-term English courses should be prepared for increased scrutiny to verify the genuineness of their study intentions.
The UK government continues to implement measures to ensure the integrity of its immigration system while providing opportunities for genuine applicants.
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