Care Worker’s Family Instructed to Return to Ghana Amid Visa Renewal Difficulties

The family of a care worker has received instructions to return to Ghana, as they were unable to cover the expenses associated with obtaining new visas. Esther Kondu, along with her husband Osei and their three daughters, who are of primary school age, were informed of the requirement to secure new visas after the Home Office rescinded the licence of the company that had sponsored her relocation to Britain. The family stated that they were unable to bear the £2,755 fee, in addition to their initial relocation costs to Britain, especially after the employer did not deliver the promised employment. The Home Office stated its policy of not commenting on specific individual cases. The family relocated to Britain in November 2022, following Esther’s successful application for a health and care worker visa. Esther and Osei, both former teachers in Ghana, initially settled in the Midlands; however, they reported that employment opportunities did not materialise, and the company that sponsored Esther subsequently entered liquidation. Osei secured employment as a carer by virtue of his dependent’s visa and submitted an application to enlist in the army, while Esther dedicated her time to caring for their daughters, currently aged three, four, and six. Subsequently, the family relocated to Reading, having received correspondence in 2023 indicating the cancellation of their visas, notwithstanding that these visas had nearly two years of validity remaining. Esther was allotted a 60-day period to secure a new sponsor, a situation she described as “terrible,” but she successfully found employment as a carer and paid £551 for a new five-year visa. She articulated her experience, stating: “It was frightening, I didn’t know what to do, I was shocked.” Following one month in her new position, the family proceeded to pay for the outstanding visa applications; however, the 60-day deadline had elapsed, resulting in the rejection of all four applications. Osei commented, “It’s really been tough. It’s been hell.” He added, “We came in the country and within one year the sponsor’s licence has been revoked, through no fault of our own, so we think the fee should have been waived.” Consequently, his army assessments and training sessions at Catterick have been suspended due to the prevailing circumstances. Osei further remarked: “I’d put in a lot of hard work, so my kids keep asking me ‘when are you joining the British Army?'” He concluded, “As I speak now, I still don’t have my right to work, so I’m stuck in the house.” Immigration lawyer Clement Mensah is representing the family pro bono as they pursue an administrative review of the Home Office’s determination. Mensah asserted that the Home Office bears a responsibility to conduct more comprehensive background checks on entities it grants licences to sponsor migrants. Matt Rodda, the Member of Parliament for Reading Central, has indicated his intention to correspond with the immigration minister and stated that the Home Office ought to “treat the family decently.” He further commented: “These are people who are working hard, they’re doing vital work for the country, making a real contribution, they should be treated properly.” A spokesperson for the Home Office reported that approximately 450 sponsor licences within the care sector have been revoked since July 2022, as the department “continues to clampdown on abuse.”