New UK Visa Restrictions Hit Nigerian Care Workers, Others Seeking Opportunities Abroad

The United Kingdom has implemented a new wave of immigration restrictions targeting the care sector, a move that is already generating anxiety across countries like Nigeria, which have seen a surge in migration to the UK for care related roles in recent years.

Under the new policy, which came into effect this week, foreign care workers will no longer be allowed to bring dependents (spouses or children) with them on their visa applications. The UK government says the decision is part of broader efforts to reduce net migration numbers, which hit record highs in 2023.

For thousands of Nigerians many of whom have sold property or taken out loans to pursue caregiving careers in the UK the change is a major blow. The care visa had become one of the most accessible legal migration routes for skilled but non-degree holders, especially amid the UK’s aging population and growing demand for caregivers.

Human rights advocates and diaspora groups have expressed concern about the emotional and economic impact of the new rule, especially on families already split across continents. Many argue that the decision disproportionately affects migrants from Africa and Asia, who have relied on the care sector to establish new lives abroad.

“This policy lacks compassion. It targets low-income migrants who contribute meaningfully to the UK’s healthcare system, while putting families under immense strain,” said a spokesperson for a UK-based migrant support network.

Back home in Nigeria, migration agents and aspiring care workers are scrambling to reassess their plans. Social media is awash with testimonies from affected individuals some mid-application, others on the brink of relocating with their families now left in limbo.

Despite the backlash, the UK Home Office insists the policy is necessary to “bring migration down to sustainable levels,” noting that over 120,000 dependents entered the UK with care workers in the last year alone.

Analysts say the change could have a ripple effect across labor migration corridors, especially in developing countries where caregiving roles in the UK have offered a lifeline in the face of economic hardship and limited local job opportunities.

As the implications continue to unfold, many are watching to see whether this marks a turning point in global labor mobility or the beginning of even tighter immigration regimes ahead of the UK’s next general elections.