Fresh UK Visa Rules to Impact Foreign Domestic Workers

Online, March 8, 2012 (Newswire.com) - A number of Campaigners in support of domestic foreign workers have raised severe concerns over new immigration policies that will see domestic workers, who come to Britain to escape abuse, facing the possibility of deportation.
Home Secretary Theresa May stated that: "these new UK Visa rules will go some way to preventing domestic work becoming a basis for immigrants to abuse the system in order to remain in Britain."
The reforms are likely to prevent foreign cooks, nannies and other such staff who come to find employment in private households from changing employers or staying in Britain beyond a period of six months.
Mrs May has explained to MPs that changes are being put in place to ensure that diplomats and other overseas visitors can be accompanied by personal domestic staff, but will also act as a barrier for unskilled workers who intend to use the system as a means of permanent settlement in the UK.
However, Jenny Moss, a spokesperson for the Kaylaan group said: "the decision to remove the right to change employer and therefore remove an important protection from abuse, turns the clock back 15 years to the days when domestic workers were deported for experiencing abuse."
The statement from Jenny Moss was met with support from Audrey Guichon, a spokesperson for Anti-Slavery International; she claimed that tying domestic workers to one employer was in effect sanctioning slavery.
She said: "these proposed changes will give immoral bosses the power to threaten workers with deportation if they do not adhere to their demands."
She went onto add: "circumstances in Britain would now reflect those of the 'kafala' system, which is widespread across the Middle East, where changing employer means giving up the rights of residency.
Theresa May responded to these concerns by saying that she understood there may well be a danger of abusive behaviour under this new legislation, but it was about informing employers what will and will not be tolerated. She stated that terms put down in writing alongside conditions of employment would be a necessary requirement before foreign workers arrived in the UK.

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