Filipino Domestic Workers Still Abused But Visa Concession Protection Removed By Home Office

Cynthia Barker writes...Hi from a cloudy but warm London. Tony Blair's government introduced the 1998 Domestic Workers Visa concession to protect victims of abuse from employers. The immigration concession allowed domestic workers, many of whom were Filipino, who escaped from abusive employers to switch their visa to another employer and eventually obtain ILR (indefinite leave to remain - UK permanent residency) in Britain.

The humane safety net has been pulled, and workers now enter the UK on temporary visas tied to their employers. This means the worker is at the mercy of the family and they can no longer switch visas whilst in the UK - even if they are abused.

In a new report, 'Hidden Away Abuses Against Migrant Domestic Workers In The UK', published by Human Rights Watch, the UK government has been slammed for not doing more to protect abused domestic workers. Many domestic worker still come from the Philippines and are brought into the UK on temporary visas by their foreign employers often from the Middle East or Hong Kong.

I have personally helped many runaway victims extend their domestic worker visas with decent employers. Even though they are now British Citizens, most of them still work for the same employer. This is because the employer is paying them very well and they live in some of London's most exclusive addresses!

Some of the workers brought in by overseas employers were either paid a salary they would have received back home, and in some cases nothing at all - despite the fact that their employers were billionaires.

Liz Hurley's billionaire Indian ex-husband brought in a worker under the old system and paid her the same salary as in India.

UK workers must be paid at least the minimum wage or preferably the ‘living’ wage and they have the same rights as British workers. Unfortunately, under the current temporary visa system we have no way of enforcing these regulations or protecting the migrant worker.

If you need advice on any immigration matter, including overstaying your visa, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

UK is a Land of Opportunity for Jobs and Free Courses

Cynthia Barker writes...Good morning on another gorgeous sunny day in London! I have to mention the weather as we don't get too much sun here, which is why the British people are always complaining about it.

Apart from the weather, there shouldn't be too much to complain about if you live in a 'land of opportunity' like the UK, should there?

In theory, no, yet the fact is so many British born people spend half their lives moaning about Britain and complaining about the lack of opportunity!

Yes, it's true, some Brits cannot see all the opportunities they have to progress and are not even grateful for being fortunate enough to have been born in one of the greatest countries on earth. Shame on you.

Try telling that to the guy who hangs on to the axle of a lorry just to set foot on British soil, or the family which spends thousands of pounds applying for permanent residency (ILR) or British citizenship - just to remain in the UK indefinitely.

There are millions of jobs in the UK and, if you lack work based skills, thousands of free vocational courses and inexpensive online courses.

London Cactus College has just announced another load of free Health and Social Care courses where employers and employees can take anything from a 1 day Dementia Awareness course to an NVQ/QCF at level 2, 3 or 5, right up to a Level 7 Diploma - which gives you 67 credits towards a full Bachelors Degree or Masters!

Health and Social Care is one of those industries that will never go 'out of fashion', and hospitals, care homes and domiciliary care providers will always need people - not machines - to look after sick, elderly and mentally ill clients.

There is now a huge shortage of carers and nurses in the UK and it's only a matter of time before international mass recruitment will have to take place in countries like the Philippines - where there is a surplus of nurses and care givers.

Come on all you people looking for jobs or a new secure career, what are you waiting for?

Some EU funded, courses are are also open to EU or EEA nationals from countries such as Spain, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia. Newest EU members, Croatians are restricted from working in the UK, but can work and study on a yellow card permit. After one year they can apply for permanent residence or blue card.

If you need advice on any immigration matter, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 020 8731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com.  Cynthia Barker is an OISC registered Immigration Adviser with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Migrant Domestic Violence Victims Can Apply for Special Leave to Remain or UK Residency

Cynthia Barker writes...good morning. What a beautiful day it is here in sunny London! Working from home today, as I have a Rotary meeting and I'm also drafting a very important case (sometimes you need a bit of peace away from the office to think). My client, a pretty young Filipina married to an older British man, was a victim of domestic violence. Now, before you jump to conclusions, the domestic "violence" was not physical, but mental torture. Yes, mental torture is a form of domestic violence.

When she came to see me last year she was going through hell and after probing a little further the tears began to flood as she revealed that she had been in an abusive relationship for years.

Her manipulative husband, who was staying in the Philippines at the time, was refusing to sign her papers for ILR (indefinite leave to remain or permanent residency in the UK) and basically abusing his power over her, which I felt was mental torture.

She was here in the UK with her Son and when she came to me her visa was about to expire, yet he was delaying supporting her application for residency and even told her that she should return to the Philippines and apply from there - an application which would have almost certainly failed leaving her trapped, without means of supporting her British Son.

He had also threatened to take her child away from her, which he could have done had she been stuck in the Philippines while he skipped back here with the boy.

This bully knew exactly what he was doing to her, but I was so determined that I wasn't going to let him get away with it!

We literally spent days on the case. We took a lot of time to gather all the evidence and put in a special application for ILR on the basis that her British husband was paying games and torturing her. Fortunately, the Home Office agreed and, thank God, they issued her indefinite leave to remain in the UK in just 15 days!

Last week she came back to me to process her application for naturalisation and British Citizenship, which will secure her long term residency in the UK. She looks a different person, happy and confident again.

I just want to say to all migrant spouses or partners (men or women) who may be victims of domestic violence, torture or an abusive relationship, however bad your situation may seem, talk to someone, take advice and see a qualified immigration adviser. Even if you have overstayed or broken the UK Immigration Rules, you should never give up hope of justice.

If you are the victim of abuse or domestic violence, or need advice on any immigration matter, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 020 8731 5972 or email her your details and number Immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is an OISC registered Immigration Adviser with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.