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.

Customs Seizes 34,470L Of Smuggled Petrol At Taraba-Cameroon Border

Customs seizes 34,470L of Smuggled petrol at Taraba-Cameroon border. The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified its crackdown on fuel smuggling, seizing 34,470 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and a heavy-duty transportation truck in a three-hour operation along the Taraba-Cameroon border.

The enforcement, led by the Customs’ Operation Whirlwind unit, targeted smugglers operating through Gembu and Kan-Iyaka in Sardauna LGA, a known smuggling corridor.

Speaking at a public auction in Jalingo, Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed that the operation was carried out with support from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Office of the National Security Adviser.

Adeniyi explained that intelligence from the inter-agency intelligence fusion center detected unusual fuel movement patterns in the Sorofi and Kan-Iyaka areas between March 8 and 9, 2025.

Acting on this, field teams executed a series of coordinated interceptions, disrupting what appeared to be an emerging smuggling route.

The seizure included 1,149 Jerry cans of PMS, each containing 30 liters, totaling 34,470 liters. A specialized transportation truck valued at ₦4 million was also confiscated, bringing the total duty-paid value to ₦37.78 million.

Adeniyi noted that a significant portion of the smuggled fuel was intercepted in Gembu, while 180 Jerry cans and the truck were seized en route to the Kan-Iyaka border crossing.

Cameroon Border

Describing fuel smuggling as a threat to national security and economic stability, Adeniyi urged security agencies to remain vigilant. He stressed that petrol is vital to economic activities and warned that shortages could slow down the economy.

He reaffirmed the NCS’s commitment to tackling smuggling networks and safeguarding Nigeria’s energy sector and economic interests.

Akwa Ibom Lawmaker Covers Medical Bills For Patients At Palmer Memorial Hospital

Akwa Ibom Lawmaker covers medical bills for patients at palmer memorial Hospital. For patients at Palmer Memorial Hospital in Ikot Usen, Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area, financial hardship often stood between them and life-saving treatment. That changed when Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Ime Basy Okon, the Member Representing Itu-Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency, stepped in to settle outstanding medical bills, offering patients a renewed chance at life.

The compassionate gesture came during Day 2 of the ongoing free medical and surgical outreach sponsored by the lawmaker across Itu and Ibiono Ibom Local Government Areas. While inspecting the outreach on Day 1, Okon learned of emergency cases where patients remained stranded due to unpaid hospital bills.

Moved by their plight, he personally cleared their debts a decision he emphasized was outside the outreach’s budget, but a private intervention to support his constituents in urgent need.

Among the beneficiaries was Abasima Offiong, who had suffered a spinal cord injury and required emergency surgery. With no means to cover the cost, his condition was critical, until Hon.Okon’s intervention ensured his procedure was fully funded.

Another case was Idongesit Ndifreke, who had undergone a Caesarean section but remained in the hospital for over two weeks due to unpaid bills. The lawmaker’s generosity not only secured her discharge but also allowed her to return home with her newborn.

Akwa Ibom

One of the most harrowing stories involved a woman whose unborn child had died in the womb. Lacking funds for an emergency procedure, her life hung in the balance. Overcome with emotion, Okon immediately took over the cost of surgery, ensuring swift medical intervention to save her life.

Speaking during the event, the lawmaker reaffirmed his commitment to humanitarian efforts. “When God blesses us, we should also be a blessing to others,” he said, underscoring the importance of compassion and community support. Grateful beneficiaries and their families hailed Okon’s intervention as both timely and life-saving.

As the free medical and surgical outreach continues, it remains a beacon of hope for residents of Itu and Ibiono Ibom, reinforcing Okon’s dedication to accessible healthcare and the well-being of his constituents.