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I am considering setting up an employment agency for care home staff from the Philippines: what is the current visa situation for getting them work permits in the UK?
I am interested it setting up an employment agency specialising in home care or care home staff, recruiting staff from the Philippines. I wondered the best way to go about this? Can I hire the staff on local contract in the Philippines then will be able to get them UK work visas as contractors? Or would I have to recruit them directly to come here so they would be working under UK employment law (minimum wage, insurance, etc.).
You are strongly advised to take detailed advice on this as the situation is constantly changing.
There are currently 25,000 Filipinos working in the UK care system but a change to the new points system means that their positions are not necessarily secure. As many as 10-15% were placed at risk of being returned home because they have been here less than 5 years. Obviously the same points system detrimentally affects those currently without visas for the UK.
According to a briefing paper prepared by the Philippine embassy, carers will need a job offering more than £18,000 a year to stand a fair chance of being approved under the new system. But on average they earn only £11,000 annually.
I think a good place to make some initial enquiries would be the English Community Care Association and see what they up to date situation is.
Also the Philippines embassy should also be able to assist:
http://www.philembassy-uk.org/default.asp?iId=JIEIK
(some good information under "Labour and Welfare")
but you may do better taking a look at European sources for your target workers, particularly from the accession states, as you would immediately get over the visa requirements.
Let me know how you get on...
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