Care workers coming to the UK: The impact of Policy Barriers

This powerful conversation between PhD student Millie Hind (Centre for Care) and Patricia Chinyoka, founder of Women of Zimbabwe, has spotlighted the harrowing challenges faced by migrant careworkers — particularly single mothers — trying to bring with their children to the UK. The discussion, part of an ongoing research collaboration, shares the story behind Women of Zimbabwe, a grassroots organisation that has grown rapidly since its founding in 2023. 

In March 2024, the UK government amended the Health and Care Worker visa route, removing the right for new applicants to bring dependants. However, many migrants who arrived before the policy change — particularly under the 2022 and 2023 schemes — were initially granted this right. Despite this, Patricia says hundreds of these parents remain separated from their children, often facing complex, prolonged, and inconsistent visa processes.

Action for Southern Africa: All Families Matter report: https://actsa.org/new-report-all-families-matter-uncovering-injustice-and-discrimination-in-the-uk-visa-and-immigration-system/

CIRCLE and the Centre for Care have been contributing to the conversation on the challenges faced by migrant careworkers coming to the UK, in particular the policy changes this video explores. In two previous commentaries, Majella Kilkey and Jaynathi Lingham discuss the policy before (“Taking back control of our borders”. It’s the dependants stupid!– 2023) and after it’s implementation (Closing off social care jobs to migrant workers will only harm a sector that’s already in crisis– 2025). 

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Learn more about our research on the Centre for Care website here: https://centreforcare.ac.uk/

The CARE MATTERS Podcast is produced by Dan Williamson at the Centre for Care.

---Intro/outro music: Music: https://www.purple-planet.com is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0