UK Introduces New Visa Rules For Care Workers, Raises Salary To £25,000 Per Year

UK introduces new Visa rules for care workers, raises salary to £25,000 per year. The UK government has announced new visa regulations affecting care workers, employers, and international students as part of efforts to curb immigration and promote local hiring.

Starting April 9, care providers must first attempt to recruit foreign workers already residing in the UK who require new visa sponsorship before hiring from abroad, according to measures introduced in Parliament on Wednesday.

Additionally, the salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas will rise from £23,200 to £25,000 per year (£12.82 per hour) to match the increasing minimum wage.

Prioritizing Existing Care Workers in the UK
Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, emphasized the importance of international care workers while highlighting the need to crack down on exploitative recruitment practices.

“We must ensure victims of exploitation can rebuild their careers in adult social care while reducing reliance on international recruitment,” he stated.

Tighter Rules on Short-Term Student Visas
The UK government is also tightening regulations on short-term student visas amid concerns of system abuse. Foreign students taking English language courses for six to 11 months will face stricter scrutiny, with caseworkers granted more power to reject applications suspected of misuse.

Crackdown on Immigration Violations
These changes follow tougher enforcement against businesses breaching immigration laws.

Between July 2022 and December 2024, the UK revoked over 470 sponsor licenses in the care sector due to repeated violations. Employers failing to comply now face bans on hiring foreign workers.

UK Introduces New Visa Rules

Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Seema Malhotra, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting international workers from exploitation and ensuring fair recruitment practices.

Drop in Visa Applications
The new restrictions have led to a sharp decline in foreign worker and student visa applications. Between April and December 2024, applications fell by 42%, from 942,500 in 2023 to 547,000.

Health and care worker visas saw the biggest drop, plummeting by 79% from 299,800 in 2023 to 63,800 in 2024.

Nigerian Troops Destroy 56 Illegal Refining Sites in One Week

Troops of Operation Delta Safe have intensified efforts against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, dismantling 56 illegal refining sites within a week.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Markus Kangye, disclosed this in Abuja on Friday while presenting the weekly update on military operations.

During the operation, troops recovered 675,266 litres of stolen crude oil, 312,593 litres of illegally refined AGO, and 4,500 litres of DPK. They also destroyed 51 crude oil cooking ovens, 49 dugout pits, 43 boats, 28 storage tanks, and 131 drums.

Additionally, the military seized four pumping machines, four tricycles, three motorcycles, seven mobile phones, and eight vehicles. A total of 31 suspected oil thieves and criminals were arrested, while 103 assorted arms and ammunition, along with three extra magazines, were recovered.

Between March 5 and 10, troops apprehended 11 suspected criminals and rescued four kidnapped victims in parts of Cross River, Rivers, and Delta states.

Troops Destroy 56 Illegal Refining Sites

The air component also carried out patrols and reconnaissance missions over areas including Imo River, Owaza, Ohaji/Egbema, and Abacheke, as well as Nembe, Okpokiri, Tomkiri, Brass, and Belema. These operations contributed to the destruction of illegal refining sites and the seizure of various equipment.

How Natasha Went External To Embarrass Nigeria Before The World — Akpabio

How Natasha went external to embarrass Nigeria before the world — Akpabio. In what appeared to be an emotional appeal, Akpabio urged political stakeholders not to allow the actions of a single individual to tarnish the political aspirations of other women.

“I have four daughters, and I want to plead with politicians to still give them and other women a chance.

“The sins of one should not be used to punish others,” Akpabio stated, emphasizing the importance of fairness and individual accountability in Nigerian politics.

Beyond his concerns about gender representation, Akpabio accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of taking the matter outside the Senate and judiciary, allegedly misrepresenting the issue on major media platforms.

Akpabio, Senator Natasha

“I am aware that after she left the chamber, she went to Brekete Radio and Arise Television to distort the facts.

“She has now externalized the matter, attempting to embarrass Nigeria before the international community by presenting a false narrative at the IPU UN event,” he alleged.