One victim, Praise, a Nigerian man in his mid-30s, paid over £10,000 ($13,000) to Dr. Alaneme’s agency for a job in the UK care sector. Upon arrival, he discovered that the promised position with a company called Efficiency for Care did not exist.
United Kingdom- A shocking undercover investigation by the BBC has exposed recruitment agents who illegally exploit foreign nationals seeking work in the United Kingdom’s care sector.
The report reveals how rogue agents sell job placements, manipulate payroll systems, and shift operations to other industries facing labor shortages, such as construction.
Among those implicated is Dr. Kelvin Alaneme, a Nigerian doctor who has worked in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) as a psychiatrist. Through his agency, CareerEdu, based in Harlow, Essex, he has allegedly been involved in fraudulent job placements, charging desperate job seekers exorbitant fees for non-existent roles.
Illegal Job Sales and Payroll Manipulation
The investigation found that agents were charging thousands of pounds to secure positions within UK-based care companies. Under UK law, workers should not be required to pay for employment opportunities. However, BBC’s covert operation recorded Dr. Alaneme acknowledging that candidates were paying despite the jobs being meant to be free.
“They [the candidates] are not supposed to be paying because it’s free. It should be free,” he was recorded saying in a hushed tone. “They are paying because they know it’s most likely the only way.”
Dr. Alaneme reportedly offered a commission of £500 ($650) per vacancy to a BBC journalist posing as a potential business partner. He also disclosed how he fabricates payroll records to create a financial paper trail for jobs that do not exist.
“That [a money trail] is what the government needs to see,” he explained.
Victims Speak Out
One victim, Praise, a Nigerian man in his mid-30s, paid over £10,000 ($13,000) to Dr. Alaneme’s agency for a job in the UK care sector. Upon arrival, he discovered that the promised position with a company called Efficiency for Care did not exist.
“If I had known there was no job, I would not have come here,” he lamented. “Back home in Nigeria, if you go broke, I can find my sister or my parents and go and eat free food. It’s not the same here. You will go hungry.”
Efficiency for Care saw its sponsorship license revoked in July 2023 after the Home Office identified irregularities in the issuance of Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS). The company, which had an average of 16 employees in 2022 and 152 in 2023, had issued a staggering 1,234 CoS documents between March 2022 and May 2023. The company denies any wrongdoing and has challenged the Home Office’s decision in court.
Fraud Extends to Construction Sector
BBC’s investigation also uncovered similar fraudulent schemes in the construction sector. Another recruitment agent, Nana Akwasi Agyemang-Prempeh, was caught on camera selling CoS documents for fictitious jobs in both the care and construction industries.
Akwasi Agyemang-Prempeh, who set up his own construction firm and secured a sponsorship license, offered to sell CoS for £42,000 ($54,000) for three people. When asked about shifting from care to construction, he admitted that recruiters were now eyeing other industries, stating, “People are now diverting to IT.”
Government Response
The Home Office has revoked the sponsorship licenses of both Efficiency for Care and Akwasi Agyemang-Prempeh’s company. A spokesperson stated that the government is taking “robust new action against shameless employers who abuse the visa system” and will “ban businesses who flout UK employment laws from sponsoring overseas workers.”
In response to mounting reports of abuse, the UK government has introduced new restrictions. From April 9, 2025, care providers in England must prioritize hiring international workers already residing in the UK before recruiting from abroad.
A Growing Crisis
According to Dora-Olivia Vicol, CEO of Work Rights Centre, the exploitation of migrant workers through the Health and Care Work visa scheme has become a national crisis.
“There is a systemic risk inherent in the sponsorship system,” she stated. “It puts the employer in a position of incredible power and has enabled this predatory market of middlemen to mushroom.”
Over 470 care sector sponsorship licenses were revoked between July 2022 and December 2024, affecting more than 39,000 migrant workers. Meanwhile, similar scams have been uncovered targeting job seekers from India and international students in the UK.
Join our Channel...