Migrant domestic workers protest UK visa changes
by Patricia R - September 5, 2011
United Kingdom, 5th September: The new proposals by the UK government to reform UK visa rules are being protested by a large number of migrant domestic workers.
The new UK visa rules will make it difficult to switch to different jobs and moving to a new household as they will lose their legal UK immigrant status.
Government’s new rules a threat to migrant workers—As per Justice 4 Domestic Workers campaign, proposed UK visa rules will make the workers vulnerable to exploitation. The government, on the other hand, says the proposals, which will be introduced only after seeing the results of public consultation on this matter, are aimed to reduce net UK migration levels.
The campaign group alleges the changes, if introduced, will result in loss of immigrant visas of migrants if they either change their household or their job in the UK. So, these proposals are nothing but a return to slavery, allege the domestic migrant workers in the UK.
Among migrant workers immigrating to the UK include nanny care-givers, chauffeurs, cooks and gardeners. Majority of 500 protesting migrants against proposed UK visa rules hail from nations including India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and Morocco.
Current UK visa rules- a safeguard against abuse of migrant domestic workers-According to Kalayaan, a charity organization supporting Justice 4 Domestic Workers, the present UK visa system offers a safety for the isolated migrant workers.
And removing the important protections with regard to domestic UK worker visa will result in increasing abuse and human trafficking, said a community advocate at Kalayaan, Jenny Moss.
There are some serious concerns with regard to the proposals of the UK for domestic migrant workers, Moss added.
Such changes, if introduced, would inevitably lead to slavery of workers and spell doom for migrant workers.
Moreover, such proposals will also not bring any noteworthy decline in the net UK migration levels as desired by the UK government.
Meanwhile, the official spokesperson of the UK Home Office stated that the UK government is determined to cut down immigration to sustainable level.
Moreover, the government feels that it is quite appropriate to ask an employer to hire within the UK, the spokesperson further maintained.
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