Recent undercover investigations by the BBC have highlighted a troubling increase in immigration scams targeting foreign nationals seeking employment in the UK's care sector. Undercover footage has exposed several rogue agents, including a Nigerian doctor who declares that he can easily profit from selling non-existent jobs to desperate candidates.
Dr. Kelvin Alaneme, who has experience working with the NHS, operates a recruitment agency called CareerEdu. His scheme involves offering candidates "Certificate of Sponsorship" (CoS) that falsely promise employment opportunities in the UK. The Home Office has previously acknowledged the systemic vulnerabilities in this sponsorship model, leaving a critical gap for fraudulent actors to exploit.
The BBC's investigation reveals that agents like Alaneme are illegally marketing job vacancies, utilizing deceptive payroll schemes to hide the non-existence of these roles. Many of these scams surged following a broadening of the government’s visa scheme in 2022, which was initially designed for foreign medical practitioners and was later extended to care workers.
Dora-Olivia Vicol, CEO of the Work Rights Centre, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that the current sponsorship system has led to significant exploitation and is contributing to what she describes as a "national crisis." Undercover journalists interacted with Alaneme, who suggested recruitment collaborations that promised riches from staffing care homes while maintaining a facade of legitimacy.
Individuals from Nigeria, like a complainant named Praise, have reportedly lost tens of thousands of dollars, believing they had secured legitimate positions in the UK. Despite the Home Office's efforts to monitor and regulate these practices, agents continue to adapt, shifting their focus from care to other sectors like construction, which equally struggle with staff shortages.
During the investigation, Alaneme hinted at more sophisticated scams involving CoS that are unrelated to actual job placements, indicating a market rife with exploitation. He also provided insights into setting up false payroll systems designed to mislead immigration authorities.
In further investigative efforts, the BBC has also scrutinized Nana Akwasi Agyemang-Prempeh, another UK-based recruitment agent accused of selling fraudulent CoS documents. After the BBC’s inquiry, it became clear that he too had transitioned to construction recruiting, falsely advertising job offers while taking advantage of the vulnerabilities within the immigration system.
In response to these rising issues, the Home Office has recently imposed stricter measures on employers abusing the visa system, pledging to revoke licenses from those flouting regulations. In light of these revelations, there is increasing pressure on the UK government to introduce reforms protecting vulnerable immigrants from opportunistic cons. The urgency to address the failings of the immigration system continues to grow as more reports of scams arise.
