Pressmediaofindia
Related Articles
31-03-2025
Recruitment agents who scam foreign nationals applying to work in the UK care sector have been exposed by BBC secret filming.
One of the rogue agents is a Nigerian doctor who has worked for the NHS in the field of psychiatry.
The Home Office has acknowledged the system is open to abuse, but the BBC World Service’s investigation shows the apparent ease with which these agents can scam people, avoid detection, and continue to profit.
Our secret filming reveals agents’ tactics, including;
Illegally selling jobs in UK care companies
Devising fake payroll schemes to conceal that some jobs do not exist
Shifting from care to other sectors, like construction, that also face staff shortages
Reports of immigration scams have increased since a government visa scheme originally designed to let foreign medical professionals work in the UK was broadened in 2022 to include care workers.
To apply for the visa, candidates must first obtain a “Certificate of Sponsorship” (CoS) from a UK employer who is licensed by the Home Office. It is the need for CoS documents that is being exploited by rogue relocation agents.
“The scale of exploitation under the Health and Care Work visa is significant,” says Dora-Olivia Vicol, CEO of Work Rights Centre, a charity that helps migrants and disadvantaged people in the UK access employment justice.
“I think it has turned into a national crisis.”
She says there is “systemic risk inherent” in the sponsorship system, because it “puts the employer in a position of incredible power” and has “enabled this predatory market of middlemen to mushroom”.
The BBC sent two undercover journalists to approach relocation agents working in the UK.
One met Dr Kelvin Alaneme, a Nigerian doctor and founder of the agency, CareerEdu, based in Harlow, Essex.
His website states his business is a “launchpad for global opportunities catering to young Africans”, claiming to have 9,800 “happy clients”.
Believing the BBC undercover journalist was well connected in the UK care sector, Dr Alaneme tried to recruit her to become an agent for his business, saying it would be very lucrative.
“Just get me care homes. I can make you a millionaire,” he said.
As a potential business partner, our journalist was then given unprecedented insight into how immigration scams by agents like Dr Alaneme actually work. Dr Alaneme said he would pay £2,000 ($2,600) for each care home vacancy she was able to procure, and offered £500 ($650) commission on top.
He then said he would sell the vacancies to candidates back in Nigeria.
Charging candidates for a job is illegal in the UK.
“They [the candidates] are not supposed to be paying because it’s free. It should be free,” he said, lowering his voice.
“They are paying because they know it’s most likely the only way.”
The BBC began investigating him following a series of online complaints about his relocation services.
Praise from south-east Nigeria and in his mid-30s was one of those who complained, claiming he paid Dr Alaneme more than £10,000 ($13,000) for a job in the UK. He says he was told he was going to be working with a care company called Efficiency for Care, based in Clacton-on-Sea. It was only when he arrived that he realized the job didn’t exist. (BBC)
