THE United Kingdom has granted 20 000 work visas to Zimbabwean emigrants in the health and care sector as of June this year, the British government has revealed.
The figure represents a whopping 372% increase from 2022 as locals continue to flee the country in search of a better life abroad.
In its national statistics report titled: “Why do people come to the UK? To work” dated November 14, the UK government reported that in the year ended June 2023, 20 152 health and care worker visas were granted to Zimbabweans.
The figure rose from 4 270 emigrants in June 2020.
In terms of countries to be granted health and care worker visas, Zimbabwe ranked third after India with 33 669 and Nigeria at 22 278, respectively.
“Those immigrating long-term on work-related visas (main applicants and dependants) made up 33% of non-EU long-term immigration in the YE (year ended) June 2023, with an estimated 322 000 arrivals. This is compared with 198 000 in YE June 2022. This is split fairly evenly between main applicants (169 000) and dependants (154 000),” the UK Office of National Statistics said.
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“The Home Office’s statistics report, ‘Why do people come to the UK to work?’, shows growth in long-term sponsored work visas following the introduction of the ‘Skilled Worker’ and ‘Skilled Worker — Health and Care’ visas in 2020’,” the UK government said.
It said health and care work visas were the most sought-after work visas.
“Home Office data show that Indian nationals represented 38% of all dependants issued a work visa alongside main applicants, followed by Nigerian and Zimbabwean nationals (17% and 9%, respectively),” the office added.
This shows that most worker visas issued to immigrants in the UK, from Zimbabwe, went to those who were bringing in family members.
“In the year ending June 2023 there were 217 786 grants to dependants of people who had been granted a work visa. This was almost double (+99%) the number of grants compared to the year ending June 2022.”
“Worker visas granted to main applicants have increased by 78% in the year ending June 2023 compared with the previous year, primarily due to a large increase in ‘Skilled Worker — Health and Care’ visas granted,” the report read.
The UK office reported that people initially arriving long-term on work-related visas made up 22% of non-EU long-term emigration as of June 2023, with an estimated 45 000 leaving.
“This is driven by both main applicants and dependants.
“Our provisional estimates indicate that we have seen an increase in the net migration of people for work reasons (from 168 000 in the YE June 2022 to 278 000 in YE June 2023),” the UK office said.
“This means the net migration for work makes up a larger proportion in the YE June 2023 (36%) compared with the YE June 2022 (23%).”