Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Student visas for UK? Beware!

The public is advised to be wary of an illegal recruitment practice luring Filipino students to go to London on a student visa. The recruiters were Filipinos based in London who promise them work in nursing homes for twenty (20) hours with pay as part of the curriculum.

The Philippine Embassy in London has reported that 34 Filipino students have been victimized by these recruiters. Police authorities raided the school for failure to open the courses offered to the students.

The students are supposed to be attending the London School of Health & Management Studies (LSHMS) after payment of 2,500 - 3,500 British Pounds or some US$5,000 – US$7,000 for tuition and student visa fees. The victims also paid additional 150 British Pounds for transportation expenses upon arrival in the United Kingdom.

2 comments:

Agnes said...

I am a a nurse who is now in the UK. I guess I am one of those lucky ones who found an honest consultant.My mother, in fact, was against my applying because of stories told to her by friends
of how they lost money but after I brought her to meet my agent, she was convinced of the trustworthiness of my agent. So, here I am now earning in POUNDS! I must say though, that your earnings will depend on you. We, as a student of NVQ in Health & Social Care is allowed to work 40 hours a week. Normally as a student one is allowed to work just 20 hours but since in NVQ work is a component of the studies, we are given another 20 hours.

True, we don't work as nurses here but as caregivers. However, I personally doesn't care ! I am a fresh graduate nurse in the Philippines with no hospital to accept me even on volunteer work, now I am receiving GBP1,000 salary a month (at kung mag racket pa ako ng massage, anothe GBP10 an hour (hehehe), not bad di po ba?

But don't expect a bed of roses all the time- malungkot at nakakapagud din ang work. One must be ready and willing to make sacrifices. Many of those who are here ahead of me are now senior carers. Besides gaining a level 3 certificate, kumikita pa kami. Mangyari ba ito sa Pinas?...at tumutulong din naman kami sa bayan natin dahil sa POUNDS na pinapadala namin sa parents namin dyan.

Warning ko lang super mag ingat kayo in choosing your agent May mga sad stories din dito. They arrived here but waited at least 2 months before they were assigned to a placement provider. This was not explained to them before they left. There are those naman na ang school nila is in London, then their placement provider is 3 hours away from their school (karamihan ng nursing homes ay nasa suburbs). Naturally they could hardly save because of their travel expenses. Ingat lang kayo sa agent niyo. Marami naman dyan sa atin na mababait at tunay na may magandang kalooban na agents.

I wish you all the best.

aesterbar

dave said...

Agnes, please can you help me with some information about consultants and reputable agents/agencies. I am trying to find worl for my Philippino G/F but I am wary of who to trust

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