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The South African
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The South African
Zimbabwean nurses affected as UK halts overseas recruitment of care workers
For many Zimbabwean nurses and care workers, the UK has been a beacon of hope. Migrating to the UK has been a chance to escape joblessness and poor working conditions back home. But that door may be closing. On Sunday, UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced that care worker visas for foreign applicants will soon be scrapped. Going forward, care providers in the UK must either hire local citizens or extend the contracts of foreign workers already in the country. Speaking with Trevor Phillips on Sky News , Cooper said: 'We're going to introduce new restrictions on lower-skilled workers, so new visa controls, because we think actually what we should be doing is concentrating on the higher-skilled migration and we should be concentrating on training in the UK. 'Also, we will be closing the care worker visa for overseas recruitment'. According to Cooper, the new policy could lead to a decrease of up to 50,000 low-skilled worker visas in just one year. Despite this, she didn't provide an exact figure for how much the government intends to reduce total net migration, only saying it should come down 'substantially.' For thousands of Zimbabwean healthcare professionals who have been banking on UK opportunities, this comes as a heavy blow. With hospitals at home struggling to absorb trained Zimbabwean nurses and caregivers, and few prospects in the public sector, the UK's new stance could leave many stuck in limbo, trained but with nowhere to go. Zimbabwean nurses remain in limbo Zimbabwean nurses remain stuck in the middle as the healthcare system continues to face challenges. The government recently stepped in and stopped more than 4 000 qualified nurses from leaving for jobs in the UK. The government fears that the exodus of health workers is putting public hospitals at risk, according to Zimbabwe Mail . Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
06-05-2025
- Health
- The South African
Zimbabwe blocks 4 000 nurses from migrating to UK jobs
The Zimbabwean government has blocked over 4 000 local nurses from taking up jobs in the United Kingdom, saying the move is necessary to prevent further strain on the country's already fragile public healthcare system. According to ZimbabweMail, officials say the decision aims to address growing staff shortages and maintain essential services under pressure from a rising disease burden. The move comes as Zimbabwe continues to lose healthcare professionals to countries such as the UK, Australia, and Canada. Low wages, poor working conditions, and limited career growth have pushed many to seek better opportunities abroad. Thousands have already left the country in recent years. According to a senior Ministry of Health and Child Care official, the government has temporarily halted the issuance of verification letters required for nurses to work abroad, particularly in the UK. 'We recognise their right to seek opportunities, but we must also keep our hospitals running,' the official said. The UK's National Health Service (NHS) has actively recruited nurses from Zimbabwe through a bilateral agreement that initially aimed to support development goals. However, Zimbabwean officials have raised concerns that the arrangement is being used to poach critical staff rather than foster mutual benefits. The Health Services Board has warned that the ongoing departure of nurses is undermining operations at major referral hospitals such as Parirenyatwa, Mpilo, and Harare Central. The impact has been even more severe in rural health centres, where resources are already stretched thin. In response, the government is reviewing measures to retain healthcare professionals. Proposed strategies include retention allowances, improved working conditions, and expanded training opportunities. Authorities are also considering revising international migration agreements to include return service obligations or compensation clauses. The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) has condemned the government's decision. Calling it a short-term measure that fails to address systemic problems. 'The state cannot force professionals to stay in a broken system,' a ZINA spokesperson said. 'If working conditions and pay were fair, nurses would not be desperate to leave.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
