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Recent research on visa programs has revealed that certain migrant care workers receive compensation lower than £5 per hour, and domestic workers brought to the UK by affluent employers are often not paid at all.
Researchers who focus on the issue of exploitation in the United Kingdom have discovered that temporary visa options for individuals working in social care and household positions “contribute to circumstances that facilitate worker exploitation” and make them vulnerable to modern-day slavery.
Last year, after a joint investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and The Independent, evidence was uncovered that agricultural laborers who migrated to the UK were subjected to public humiliation, not adequately compensated for their working hours, and made to live in inadequate living conditions.
Fifteen migrant care workers from the Philippines and several African countries who were previously employed in the UK were interviewed by researchers. Their findings revealed that five of them had exceeded their original care worker visas and were currently working in exploitative situations for very little or no compensation.
Two individuals received wages of less than £5 per hour for their work in the field of caregiving, while one only received roughly £3 per hour, as their employer took out an accommodation fee from their pay.
A single individual with an international domestic worker permit was brought to the UK by their employer from Kuwait to provide care for a family member. They were compensated only £20 for the entire length of their stay and received an extra £10 for purchasing food in London.
According to researchers, the temporary visa options available for caregivers and agricultural workers can lead to situations that allow for exploitative practices.
A second worker, who was also employed under a domestic worker visa, came to the UK to provide care for her sick employer from Hong Kong. However, she did not receive any payment during her time in the UK.
Discover: Confidential evaluation of modern-day slavery in the United Kingdom that the Home Office attempted to keep hidden from the public eye.
Out of the seven interviewees, four were earning less than the national minimum wage while working in private homes and three were in institutional settings like hospitals and care homes.
A care worker reported to researchers that they frequently visited 15 homes per day without being compensated for their travel time. They were only paid for 45 minutes of work at each house, which included tasks such as laundry, dishes, and meal preparation.
Researchers from the University of Bristol, Leicester, London, York, and Durham have discovered that migrant workers frequently experience racial profiling, insults, and continuous surveillance from their employers.
One worker, known as “Indonesia” by their supervisors, would be called upon during work. This would disrupt the work of multiple Indonesian workers, ultimately leading to a decrease in productivity and less wages earned within the given time period.
“I was told by a colleague that she had experienced bullying from her client’s children and grandchildren, and she believed it was because of racism. She mentioned, ‘It could be because of my African background while the other workers are of Caucasian descent.’ Another domestic worker shared that her employer had negative views towards Christians, calling them ‘unclean’.”
Others voiced their worries regarding continuous monitoring, as a colleague reported being questioned through an Amazon Alexa device for standing on a table and confronted about disconnecting the device while vacuuming.
Researchers highlighted a trend for agencies based in the Philippines organising nurses’ and care workers’ travel to the UK and charging significant fees, which may create situations of debt bondage.
According to those interviewed, individuals with a seasonal worker visa reported that some were living in a caravan with three rooms accomodating up to five fruit pickers. This arrangement often resulted in people having to sleep on sofas or share bedrooms.
According to the report, workers were being charged £65-80 weekly for their caravan lodging, not including utilities. The cost to rent a three-bedroom static caravan in Kent was approximately £225, while each worker had to pay over £420 per week.
A representative from the government stated that their point system prioritizes existing skills in the UK and also attracts necessary talent for the economy’s growth. However, they will not condone any illegal activities in the job market and will take swift action against any practices that are deemed abusive.
In order to prevent abuse in the health and care worker industry, providers in England can only sponsor migrant workers who are carrying out activities regulated by the Care Quality Commission.
“The seasonal workers route has been running for four years and each year improvements have been made to stop exploitation and clamp down on poor working conditions while people are in the UK.”
Source: independent.co.uk
