Pinoy carers in UK press fight vs new visa policy

When a British official found out that the three Filipino workers he once encountered in the Bay Court will be forced to leave the United Kingdom under its new policy, he decided to come at the hardworking caregivers’ defense. Councilor Ray Franklin, deputy leader of the district council, is backing the plight of three Filipino senior caregivers in Budleigh Salterton whose visas were not renewed because of a new government policy. Franklin is determined to prevent the deportation of Bay Court employees Lea Abad, Grace Ortez and Gloann Guico due to the stringent UK policy against non-European Union workers, according to a report on Exmouth Journal. After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the UK in accordance with EU rules, restricted the employment policy of citizens from non-EU countries starting 2004. This includes the granting of five-year work permits to senior carers, who can apply for permanent residency in the UK. The British government now refuses to grant the renewal of the Filipino carers’ visas. "I remember the women and they were popular with everyone. They work hard and they obviously came over here to get a full-time job. They have proved themselves to be worthy citizens of Britain," recalled Franklin, adding that Budleigh Salterton residents should also ask for the Filipinos' rights. “Somebody has to look after the old people in care and, if we can't get local people, let's get caring Filipinos," Franklin added. Franklin seems to find support from care home owners who value the work of the loyal and caring Filipinos. Last week, a conference of Filipino carers and care home owners was held to set out a plan to exert more pressure to the government in allowing the non-EU staff to remain. Optimistic According to John Ward, owner of the Cranford Nursing Home in Exmouth, East Devon, England, the meeting offered some ray of hope. "One of my Filipino workers attended the conference. The feed back is that there is some optimism. There have been talks behind the scenes and my guess is that the government realize they could lose half the staff in hospitals and care homes," said Ward. Aside from the non-renewal of visas, the increase in the pay of overseas non-EU workers also posed a problem. Although it sounds like good news, the £7.02 per hour minimum pay for senior carers will be too steep for most British employers and might therefore consider hiring workers from neighboring EU states at a cheaper rate. "Wages could be a problem as some care homes just might not be able to afford them. Local authorities are unlikely to increase their pay to care homes if wages go up. They haven't done it in the past," Ward said. "Our view is that we will just have to find the extra money as our Filipino staff has been loyal and good for us, but that might not be possible for all homes," he added. Concerted effort for Filipinos A group of care home representatives and staff from South West England will also coordinate demands to help Filipinos in their plight to remain in the country. Another conference of care home owners was held last week and led by former Unison branch secretary Peter Frier to discuss the legal actions to prevent the deportation of many Filipino workers. They agreed to bombard the British Parliament and the Home Office with demands to lower the criteria for the permit renewal of the Filipino workers to the same level when they first arrived. "At the conference, the overwhelming concern was for care home clientele, then there was anger and frustration with the Home Office," Frier said. "The government brought over the cream of the talent in the Philippines , loyal, caring and conscientious workers who love their job. They offered the carrot of being able to apply for residence after four years, but now the goalposts have changed," he added. Meanwhile, Members of Parliament, including East Devon 's Hugo Swire, have criticized the government for the non-renewal policies and even asserted that this will only hurt its own Health department by rejecting much-valued and needed carers. Frier also said that the government is "turning down visa applications with the excuse they have got new [qualifications] criteria. We may not need to bring more new workers into the country, but to remove people who have been here for years is simply people-trafficking." Hundreds of Filipino carers in the United Kingdom who have settled there with their families are facing deportation after their applications for work visa renewal were denied because of the policy that encourages priority employment for jobseekers from EU-member states. - Mark J. Ubalde, GMANews.TV