Petition calls on U.K. government to reconsider healthcare visa term
The Hindu
Online petition urges U.K. government to extend jobless healthcare workers' stay after sponsor failures, attracting hundreds of signatures.
An online petition which urges the U.K. government to allow foreign healthcare workers, a large chunk of them from India, more time to find a job after their sponsors fail them has attracted hundreds of signatures within days.
Under tougher rules that came into effect earlier this month, care providers in England acting as sponsors for migrants are required to register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) – the industry regulator for Health and Social Care, a move the government said will tackle abuse within the sector.
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However, the consequence of this crackdown is that many workers from countries such as India find themselves abandoned when a previously legitimate sponsor loses their licence, with only 60 days to find alternative employment in the sector.
“Sixty days is a very short notice for a family to arrange departure as it could unsettle their children's schooling, lead to loss of rent or deposit, furnishing costs, air ticket and relocation costs,” reads the petition launched by U.K.-based Indian-origin professional Balakrishnan Balagopal.
“Several healthcare workers who arrived in the U.K. are left without jobs as their sponsors are unable to provide them with one or there wasn't a job available for them when they arrived. Some firms lose their licence to sponsor due to their own mistakes...The request is to extend jobless health workers' stay in the U.K. for one more year for them to secure another job,” it adds.
The petition, launched on the U.K. Parliament website over the weekend, is intended to shed light on a pressing issue and after 10,000 signatures will require a response from the government.
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