Nigerians seeking relocation to the United Kingdom (UK) for greener pasture through application for caregivers job may have to start having a rethink after the government commenced a major overhaul of the immigration system, placing an indefinite ban on issuance of visa for foreigners who aimed to come into the country in order to take up the social care job.
However, care workers, who were already in the country, would be allowed by the government to continue pending when the window for switching their visa types internally will end in July 2028.
The reforms, according to the government, were embarked upon to cut down the number of migrants and citizens reliance on low-paid foreign labourers for works within the country.
The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, who announced this yesterday during parliament session, stressed that the ban would commence on July 22, 2025.
While describing the new rule as a complete reset, Cooper noted that the novel system increases both salary and qualification thresholds for skilled worker seeking visas into the country.
The Secretary added that the foreign job applicants, not caregivers, will need at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent before their visas could be granted by the immigration agency.
“These new rules mean stronger controls to bring migration down, to restore order to the immigration system, and to ensure we focus on investing in skills and training here in the UK.
“We are delivering a complete reset of our immigration system to restore proper control and order, after the previous government allowed net migration to quadruple in four years,” Cooper told the lawmakers.
The UK Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Seema Malhotra, said: “The salary requirements for work visas are being raised in line with the latest Office for National Statistics data,”
Malhotra added that the Migration Advisory Committee would review the new salary bands and related exemptions.
The reforms will also drastically reduce the shortage occupation list, which previously allowed easier access to visas for jobs in high demand.
