By Julia Harris, 28th January 2014.

What a day – will it make a difference and do we think they will listen to us?

Today I had a break from my usual routine and travelled to London, where I was asked to give evidence, as an expert on domestic workers, about the current plight of migrant overseas domestic workers at The Houses of Parliament in front of the Joint Committee on the Draft Modern Slavery Bill.

I was on a panel with Chris Randall, a highly respected Immigration lawyer and we were asked a variety of questions about what is the current situation regarding domestic workers and the impact the 2012 changes to the domestic worker visa have had on those domestic workers who arrived in the UK after the changes took place.

Cross Party Committee

I told the cross party Committee, which was made up of members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords that the changes to the Visa have been disastrous for the domestic workers on every level as they are not allowed to change employers, they are bonded to the employer who brought them to the UK, so are open to being abused, working long hours, paid low wages, they can only stay up to six months and have no option to renew their visa. The result of this is that domestic workers are running away and are working unofficially as carers, housekeepers, housekeeper / nannies, often with unscrupulous employers who exploit their vulnerability and lack of options.

Support from Recruitment Agencies

Reputable agencies, such as my company, The Housekeeper Company, are powerless to intervene, as we would have done under the old rules, and we can’t help these workers as they now effectively have no choice but to work illegally in the UK, if they make the decision to stay here.

It is such a shame as the other main downside of the current visa is that there is such a shortage of skilled domestic staff who want to live in and work as carers or housekeeper /nannies. They are not taking jobs from British or European workers, as those workers don’t want to work in live in positions.

We were both asked what we suggested as a possible solution and we both said that they should reinstate the old pre 2012 Domestic Worker Visa, that gave migrant domestic workers the right to change employer, renew and extend their visa and work legally in the UK.

That way as a domestic recruitment agency we would be able to fully support and help them and ensure they are treated properly and with respect. We would ensure that they have contracts of employment, are paid salaries that are in line with UK wages, work the correct number of hours, have proper time off, have employers who pay tax and National Insurance for them. This is what we currently do with the domestic workers registered with us, who came to the UK under the old system.

I also told the Joint Committee of the big shortage we have found in the quantity of live in help available to take on jobs, especially in the Care and Childcare Sectors.

Following our session, we were followed by an additional four panelists: Professor Bridget Anderson (Professor of Migration & Citizenship & Deputy Director of Compass), Dr Virginia Mantouvalou (Reader in Human Rights & Labour Law & Co Director of the Institiute of Human Rights, UCL), Marissa Begonia (Justice for Domestic Workers) and Kate Roberts (Community Advocate at Kalayaan)  all speaking about the plight of domestic workers and the implications regarding abuse etc.

I hope that the fact there were so many of us giving evidence to such an illustrious committee, on the side of the domestic worker, with the same goals, which are that the pre 2012 domestic worker visa be reinstated, is an indication that they realise there is a huge abuse, (both mental and physical) and exploitation problem, going on in the UK right now and that they want to try and help and really want to improve the terrible plight of the domestic workers in the UK.

It would be such a simple thing for the Home Office to agree to quietly go back to the way things were and reinstate the old domestic worker visa, as in terms of annual net migration to the UK we are talking about such a small figure that it will have hardly any impact the overall immigration issue, but it would have such a massive impact on those domestic workers who are in desperate situations and need our help and for our clients who desperately need the type of help that these workers are able to provide.

We also recommend that the Home Office call an amnesty on those workers who are here under the current domestic worker visa and who have left the employer who brought them to the UK and are now working under the radar, as that way we can stop the abuse that is currently going on in our country that we are powerless to stop.

Syrian Refugees?

I read an article in The Financial Times today that Britain is looking to offer Asylum to hundreds of Syrian refugees, who will be a much bigger drain on the UK’s limited resources, as they will need housing, benefits, education etc – if we have the money in the Treasury to aid those people, and add them to the net migration figures, then why can’t we help workers, already in the UK or wanting to come to the UK, who don’t want to take anything from us, but only want to give to our country, by working hard, paying tax & NI in the UK , so that they can earn enough money to support their families back home. ….To me it’s a ‘no brainer!’

Let’s hope the Joint Committee take on board what we all said today and that when their findings and conclusions are published Theresa May and her Immigration advisors actually take notice and it is not another item on an ever growing list that the Home Office just play lip service to and don’t alter.

Julia Harris is one of the most trusted and respected names in childcare and domestic recruitment. She is a passionate advocate for families’ rights to quality and flexible home based childcare. She has advised Granada Media and the BBC on drama story lines featuring nannies and her expert views on childcare and domestic help have featured in the national press. Julia has advised Government Ministers on Childcare Strategy and continues to lobby Parliamentary Committees on the future for domestic workers in the UK.