VOI World/ Desk
UK tribunal awards compensation to Kerala care worker after ruling that a British care agency must pay nearly £30,000 in compensation to an Indian migrant worker who was brought to the United Kingdom on a healthcare visa but was allegedly never given any work or wages.
The case centres on Shabin Shaji, a 33-year-old from Kerala, who moved to the UK in 2023 after securing a care worker visa through recruitment agents. According to reports, Shaji paid around £17,000 to obtain the visa and relocate to Britain, expecting employment in the healthcare sector.
However, after arriving in the UK, he allegedly found himself without any work despite being ready and willing to take up the role for which he had been recruited. The employment tribunal heard that Swan Care Solutions Ltd, the company that sponsored his visa, failed to provide him with work opportunities or pay him any wages.
Shaji told investigators that he faced severe financial hardship during the period. According to media reports, he relied on charity support, purchased discounted food close to expiry dates and sought assistance from local community groups and church members to survive.
The tribunal ruled in his favour and ordered compensation of approximately £30,000 for the work he had been available to perform. The case has drawn attention to concerns surrounding migrant worker recruitment practices in the UK’s care sector, which has increasingly relied on overseas workers to address labour shortages.
The UK’s Home Office has since revoked Swan Care Solutions’ licence to issue sponsorship certificates, preventing the company from sponsoring additional overseas workers. Shaji later secured sponsorship from another employer before eventually returning to India.
The case has renewed scrutiny of recruitment agencies and employers involved in overseas hiring programmes. Advocacy groups argue that stronger oversight is needed to prevent migrant workers from being exposed to exploitation after paying substantial sums to secure employment abroad.
UK tribunal awards compensation to Kerala care worker in a ruling that highlights the challenges faced by some migrant workers and the importance of enforcing employment protections for overseas recruits.
