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UK Bans Overseas Recruitment for Social Care in Sweeping Immigration Reform

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UK Bans Overseas Recruitment for Social Care in Sweeping Immigration Reform

 

The UK government has announced an immediate ban on international recruitment for social care roles, part of a sweeping crackdown on what it calls “low-skilled migration.” In a firm declaration, the government stated that “skilled must mean skilled.”

 

The new measures, outlined in an 82-page Immigration White Paper released Monday, represent the most significant overhaul of Britain’s immigration system in decades.

 

“We will close social care visas to new overseas applications,” the Home Office announced.

 

“This route has been exploited and overused in ways that damage public confidence and do not support long-term workforce sustainability.”

 

According to a statement published on the UK Home Office website, the changes are aimed at overhauling the current system and restoring public trust.

 

Titled Restoring Control over the Immigration System, the paper sets out a strategy to reduce net migration, which the government says has quadrupled between 2019 and 2023.

 

 

 

Immediate End to Care Worker Visas

 

The ban on new overseas care worker visa applications is effective immediately. Current visa holders already in the UK will be allowed to extend or switch their visas until 2028, during which time the government plans to implement a new domestic workforce strategy.

 

“The health and social care sector must move away from reliance on low-wage overseas recruitment,” the document stated.

 

“We will instead support long-term workforce planning and training within the UK.”

 

 

 

Redefining ‘Skilled Work’

 

Central to the reform is a stricter interpretation of what constitutes skilled employment under the points-based immigration system. The government will increase requirements for salary, qualifications, and English proficiency, and eliminate what it describes as “loopholes for low-skilled migration under a skilled label.”

 

“We are tightening the definition of skilled work — skilled must mean skilled,” the White Paper said. “Work that does not meet the bar will not be eligible for a visa, no matter the sector.”

 

The paper also confirms the abolition of the Immigration Salary List, which previously allowed employers to recruit below the standard salary threshold.

 

“We will remove the Immigration Salary List to prevent undercutting of UK wages and to ensure that migration supports, rather than suppresses, the labour market,” it added.

 

 

 

Employers Expected to Prioritize UK Workers

 

Employers will now be required to prove they have attempted to hire domestically before seeking foreign workers—particularly in industries that have historically depended on overseas labour.

 

“No employer should be allowed to default to migration. We are rebalancing the system to reward training, not reliance,” the Home Office said.

 

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the measures as “a bold, necessary reset.”

 

“We are acting to bring numbers down and restore control. We must rebuild public trust and end the perception that immigration is a substitute for skills planning,” Cooper said.

 

The White Paper closes with an unequivocal message: “We will not allow temporary migration routes to become permanent. Our reforms will restore integrity and ensure immigration works for Britain — not the other way round.”

 

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Finally, Peter Obi Declares 2027 Presidential Bid, Outlines Agenda

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Labour Party presidential candidate in Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has again declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election.

Obi made the declaration on Sunday night during a live session on X Spaces, where he answered questions from supporters both in Nigeria and abroad.

He promised to serve only one four-year term if elected, emphasizing his commitment to transparency and accountability.

He outlined three priorities for his first 100 days in office: security, education, and poverty reduction. “My family will not be involved in corruption. Funds will be channeled into key critical sectors,” he said .

Obi dismissed claims of a possible joint ticket with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar but expressed openness to coalition talks focused on addressing Nigeria’s core problems.

“If the coalition is not about stopping the killings in Benue, Zamfara, how to revive our economy, how to make our industries productive, how to put food on the tables of Nigerians… Count me out,” he stated.

Obi criticized the current administration for misaligned priorities, saying, “Imagine in this country, people are dying in Benue, Borno, and other parts of the country, and our leaders are commissioning bus stops and holidaying.”

He also slammed President Bola Tinubu’s reported trip to St. Lucia, questioning the President’s domestic absence.

On the Labour Party crisis, Obi revealed efforts were ongoing to secure the Independent National Electoral Commission’s recognition for the Nenadi Usman-led faction in line with the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Obi believes in the rotation of government between North and South, citing his experience implementing this policy as governor of Anambra State.

He vowed to promote strong party opposition and end party-switching by elected officials if elected.

Obi urged Nigerians to join him in the mission to rescue the nation, promising to stabilize Nigeria within two years of his administration.

“I will bring stability in Nigeria within two years in office. Leaders of Nigeria should sit down in Nigeria and fix Nigeria,” he added.

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Controversy as 80-year-old Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni Seeks Re-Election

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Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, 80, has confirmed his intention to contest in next year’s presidential election, potentially extending his nearly 40-year rule.

In a statement on Saturday, June 29, 2025, Museveni expressed his interest in running for the position of presidential flag bearer for his National Resistance Movement (NRM) party.

Museveni’s re-election bid is anchored on his promise to transform Uganda into a $500 billion economy within the next five years.

Currently, the country’s gross domestic product stands at approximately $66 billion.

Museveni’s closest opponent is expected to be pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine, who came second in the 2021 presidential election and has already confirmed his intention to run again in 2026.

Wine has been a vocal critic of Museveni’s government, alleging widespread fraud, ballot tampering and intimidation by security forces in previous elections.

Museveni has ruled Uganda since 1986, when he seized power after a five-year guerrilla war.

The NRM has altered the constitution twice to remove term and age limits, paving the way for Museveni to extend his tenure.

Human rights groups have accused him of using security forces and state patronage to suppress dissent and entrench his power, claims he denies.

Tensions have risen in recent months following parliament’s passage of a law allowing military courts to try civilians, a practice the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional in January.

The government insists the change is necessary to tackle threats to national security, while rights organizations and opposition figures argue it is a tool to intimidate and silence critics.

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Trump Ends 30-Year Conflict Between Congo and Rwanda

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