Undercover footage from the BBC has uncovered alarming practices by recruitment agents exploiting foreign nationals who aspire to work in the UK care sector. The investigation revealed that some of these agents, including Dr. Kelvin Alaneme, a Nigerian doctor with a background in psychiatry, are illegally selling job opportunities and creating fake documents to facilitate their scams.
The UK Home Office has admitted that the current immigration system is vulnerable to exploitation. The BBC's investigation exposed how these agents can operate without detection, continuing to defraud applicants while maintaining lucrative profits. One alarming observation revealed agents shifting their illegal operations from the care sector to other industries, such as construction, which also face staff shortages.
The surge in immigration scams coincides with the expansion of a government visa scheme that was originally intended for foreign healthcare professionals but was broadened in 2022 to include care workers. Applicants must secure a "Certificate of Sponsorship" (CoS) from a licensed UK employer before applying for their visa. This requirement has become a point of exploitation for illegal relocation agents.
Dora-Olivia Vicol, CEO of the Work Rights Centre, has termed the situation a “national crisis,” highlighting the significant scale of exploitation under the new Health and Care Work visa. She described the sponsorship system as having “systemic risks,” giving employers overwhelming power and enabling the growth of predatory practices among middlemen.
In one hidden camera conversation, Dr. Alaneme attempted to recruit a BBC journalist as an agent for his agency, CareerEdu, which presents itself as a platform catering to young Africans seeking opportunities abroad. He offered significant monetary incentives for the journalist to facilitate the acquisition of care home vacancies he could sell to candidates in Nigeria.
Countless hopeful candidates have fallen victim to these scams, like Praise, who reported paying over £10,000 ($13,000) to Alaneme for a job that did not exist. Praise, arriving in the UK expecting to work for Efficiency for Care, discovered on arrival tha the position was a fabrication, leaving him struggling in a foreign land.
As of 2023, Efficiency for Care, despite employing only a fraction of the foreign workers it claimed, issued over 1,200 Certificates of Sponsorship. The company’s sponsorship was revoked in July 2023, although it continues to operate and refutes any collusion with recruitment agents. The BBC also revealed a sophisticated scam involving false sponsorship documents which promised more freedom of movement within the UK, an illegal notion that misleads many migrants.
Another agent, Nana Akwasi Agyemang-Prempeh, operating his own construction company, was also found to be offering fake CoS documents to individuals hoping to recruit overseas workers. His transition into construction reflects agents adapting to tightening regulations within the care sector.
These agents have reportedly exploited vulnerable individuals, with many paying thousands for sponsorship documents that are nonexistent or fraudulent. The Home Office has recently pushed back against these abuses, announcing intentions to clamp down on rogue employers who exploit foreign workers through stricter regulations and enforcement measures.
As the BBC investigation continues to unravel the extent of these scams, it raises critical questions about the integrity of the sponsorship system and the safety of foreign nationals seeking employment within the UK.
