LONDON – Thousands of migrant healthcare workers, many of them single mothers from Africa, are fighting for visas for their children who they left behind when coming to work in the United Kingdom.
Women of Zimbabwe, a UK human rights group, is supporting the effort, which comes just days before new, stricter visa rules go into effect.
The workers, who hail from countries including Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Nigeria, argue that the Home Office is unfairly denying visas to their children. They say the children, some as young as two, are being left in unsafe conditions with elderly relatives, friends, or strangers.
Women of Zimbabwe (WoZ) reports that some children have suffered neglect, abuse, and even suicidal thoughts due to the separation. They argue that the Home Office policy is “inhumane” and discriminatory.
The group delivered a petition to the UK Prime Minister this week, urging a review of the children’s visa applications.
They are also seeking a meeting with the Home Secretary, who has been criticized for celebrating the new, more restrictive visa rules.
WoZ argues that these new rules will only exacerbate the problem by preventing future healthcare workers from bringing their families with them.
“We are asking the government to review the Healthcare Workers’ Dependent Children’s Visas,” WoZ founder Patricia Chinyoka said in a video after delivering the petition.
“We believe that the Home Office is systematically barring the children of the healthcare workers from joining their parents in the UK.
“The majority of these visa refusals are affecting single black African mothers predominantly from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and South Africa.”
Many people are leaving poor countries like Zimbabwe going to the UK for care jobs.
Under the new controversial rules introduced by the UK government, care workers are now being barred from bringing family members.
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