Arun George spent £15,000 to secure a care job for his wife in the UK, only to lose it all. He paid Alchita Care, a private care home in Bradford, through an agent in Kerala. Upon arrival, they found no work. After days of unpaid “training,” his wife was given only three days of work. Forced to return to India, the family lost a decade of savings.
Exploitation and Survival Struggles
George is among hundreds from Kerala scammed by recruiters, care homes, and middlemen. Many have lost hope of recovering their money. Alchita Care lost its sponsorship license, but at least three other workers reported similar fraud, arriving in the UK to find no work.
One worker still in the UK, Sridevi (not her real name), survives on charity food. “I can’t go back to India, I’m scared to face my family and friends from whom I took a loan to make this trip,” she said. She endures long hours, sometimes being on call from 4 AM to 9 PM, yet gets paid only for direct patient care. “I struggle to even pay for my rent and meals,” she added.
The Challenges of Seeking Justice
The addition of care workers to the UK’s shortage occupation list during Covid spurred mass recruitment, often under false promises. Cambridge Mayor Baiju Thittala has represented multiple victims, citing jurisdiction issues and legal costs as major barriers to justice. “Because of the cross-border nature of these schemes, it has been incredibly hard to pursue justice,” he said, estimating that 1,000–2,000 Keralites in the UK have been affected.
Fraudulent Agents and Investigations
In Kerala, many lost money before even leaving. In Kothamangalam, 30 victims reported losing millions to Henry Poulos and his agency, Grace International. Poulos allegedly provided fake job offers, even sending people on pointless 2,500km trips for non-existent visa appointments.
Shilpa, a victim, took a high-interest bank loan, believing in a better future for her children. “I thought the UK would offer a good future for my three daughters, but now I am struggling to pay their school fees,” she said. Another victim, Binu, left a stable job in Israel, only to face financial ruin in Kerala. “We were making a comfortable £1,500 in Israel, but now we have had to pull our children out of private school in Kerala because there is no money left,” he said, breaking down.
Poulos, now absconding in the UK, had his offices sealed in India after police complaints. The UK government acknowledged fraudulent visa practices and tightened rules in 2024, raising salary requirements and banning care workers from bringing dependents. Since July 2022, 450 care sector sponsorship licenses have been revoked. Kerala police continue investigations, but for many victims, justice remains out of reach.
