Home Office figures show 180 visas were issued to family members of Cameroon migrants for just 12 workers

MaizieD

The article in question is factually wrong

Economist Jonathan Portes corrects the figures on BlueSky:

‪Jonathan Portes‬
‪@jdportes.bsky.social‬
· 19h
Click bait racist bullshit from the Times/Chris Philp.

12 Cameroonians did not sponsor 15 dependants each.

12 new work visas were issued to Cameroonians.

180 visas were issued to dependants of the (many thousands of) Cameroonians *already here.

He further points out:

The journalist to whom this was credited has accepted this is both garbled and wrong and said that it will be corrected. Let's see..

bsky.app/profile/jdportes.bsky.social/post/3mpysbrty5227

Thanks for the facts from more reliable sources MazieD.

I'd never heard of the EasternEye newspaper in the original link- had to look it up. Apparently it's Asian owned and better known for publishing the annual Asian Rich List and Asian Business Awards annually.

Yes it's good that it isn't true Cossy.

Primrose53

The figures came from the Home Office.

The figures have been misused misinterpreted. The article writer has acknowledged this and said they will correct them.

From AI

A key caveat is that the 180 dependants were not necessarily accompanying those 12 new workers. Dependants can join Health and Care workers who arrived in earlier years, so it is not correct to conclude that each of the 12 workers brought 15 family members. The Home Office statistics record visas issued in the period, not family groupings.

As Portes pointed out.

When my pension goes in , I laugh all the way to Aldi.

NotSpaghetti

I confess that when I got paid I have occasionally laughed all the way to the bank, Cossy

🫣🫣 Haha

MaizieD

The article in question is factually wrong

Economist Jonathan Portes corrects the figures on BlueSky:

‪Jonathan Portes‬
‪@jdportes.bsky.social‬
· 19h
Click bait racist bullshit from the Times/Chris Philp.

12 Cameroonians did not sponsor 15 dependants each.

12 new work visas were issued to Cameroonians.

180 visas were issued to dependants of the (many thousands of) Cameroonians *already here.

He further points out:

The journalist to whom this was credited has accepted this is both garbled and wrong and said that it will be corrected. Let's see..

bsky.app/profile/jdportes.bsky.social/post/3mpysbrty5227

Thanks MaizieD. It’s always good to have a few facts, although it spoils the “story” for those with an agenda.

Overall immigration is actually down, and far fewer care workers are getting visas. The NHS and the Care System, depend on migrant workers to keep functioning.

I can’t imagine many Care Workers “laughing all the way to the bank”. It’s a hard job and poorly paid, as everyone knows.

The figures came from the Home Office.

Nandalot

Thank you, MaizieD and NotSpaghetti , for giving us some factual information about this. I do wish that the divisive rhetoric in the mass media would stop.

When there is news about people from Cameroon, it's OK to post a picture of refugees in a boat?

Would this apply to perhaps news about football teams...any old sporting picture will do. Rugby possibly?

Another Brexit bonus! Thanks Boris and taking back control😂

I confess that when I got paid I have occasionally laughed all the way to the bank, Cossy

Graphite

Thanks, MaizieD. I’m glad I’m not the only person tired of this platform being used for repeated rage-baiting about migrants.

And of course, Reform’s Zia Yusuf and Matt Goodwin are pushing this through X.

Portes writes: The text from the Times article for the record. The journalist to whom this was credited has accepted this is both garbled and wrong and said that it will be corrected. Let's see.

I retract what I said about the Times article. The numbers sounded outlandish.

You and Mazie are certainly not the only two completely and utterly fed up with migrants being completing slated day in, day out.

To add to the insult, today’s “story” isn’t only untrue, but the scheme has stopped!

Maybe those who just don’t appear to be able to stop with this constant outrage, should save their outrage for the likes of Farage?

Thank you, MaizieD and NotSpaghetti , for giving us some factual information about this. I do wish that the divisive rhetoric in the mass media would stop.

Sunshinegirls

Err the Cameroon care workers and dependants are probably laughing all the way to the bank😀 I'm certainly not laughing I feel like crying at what a joke the UK has become.

It wasn’t a true statement! There were no 180 dependents for 12 workers!

Why would they be laughing all the way to the bank? You do understand what “no recourse to public funds” actually means?

Thanks, MaizieD. I’m glad I’m not the only person tired of this platform being used for repeated rage-baiting about migrants.

And of course, Reform’s Zia Yusuf and Matt Goodwin are pushing this through X.

Portes writes: The text from the Times article for the record. The journalist to whom this was credited has accepted this is both garbled and wrong and said that it will be corrected. Let's see.

I retract what I said about the Times article. The numbers sounded outlandish.

Smileless2012

I'd have preferred it to have never been allowed in the first place. 180 dependants for 12 migrant workers!!!

Well, your preference has been met, because, in fact, it turns out it wasn’t 180 for 12 migrant workers!!!

So, that’s good isn’t it!!

NotSpaghetti

Cameroonians (and other overseas care workers) didn'tjust come on a "small boat". We actively invited them to come via legal routes because our social care system was on the brink of collapse.

I've just looked this up and by 2022, there were over 160,000 unfilled vacancies in the care sector - it was a crisis compounded by Covid and Brexit.

Cameroon is on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Red List so they can't be targeted for mass recruitment. The people who came must have been quite driven individuals - who took the initiative and actively sought out care homes in the UK for themselves and applied to them directly.

Under UK immigration law, a Dependant Visa (which is how the family members came) has different rules than the main worker came under but either way these families have no recourse to public funds
They don't even get child benefit.

To get here, they also had to pay for the visa and pay thousands of pounds for use of the NHS.
They are having to work immediately, and pay taxes.

They are legally unable to claim benefits for (depending on circumstances) either 5 or 15 years. Meanwhile they have to keep working to self-finance so that they can finally get indefinite leave to remain.

I think people are overly cross about this.

AND as several people have said now, this scheme is over!.

Goodness! Facts, that’s a novelty!

It is utter “click-bait” but then again some people just cannot help themselves.

It’s a scheme which clearly needed overhauling, and has been, it’s been deliberately written to “mis-lead” and there are so many more things to be outraged about.

The scheme was flawed, the scheme no longer operates. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

President Donald Trump for a start.......

Primrose53

If there was a couple living here illegally for 18 years they were never part of the scheme in question as that only started in 2022 - and those people would never have been illegal.

I think this is a conflation.

Maybe some of them will have found some form of employment in the multitude of Vape Shops.

NotSpaghetti

It's also absurd that the article is illustrated with a picture of people on a dinghy type boat!

Of course it is. Clickbait again...

Cameroonians (and other overseas care workers) didn'tjust come on a "small boat". We actively invited them to come via legal routes because our social care system was on the brink of collapse.

I've just looked this up and by 2022, there were over 160,000 unfilled vacancies in the care sector - it was a crisis compounded by Covid and Brexit.

Cameroon is on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Red List so they can't be targeted for mass recruitment. The people who came must have been quite driven individuals - who took the initiative and actively sought out care homes in the UK for themselves and applied to them directly.

Under UK immigration law, a Dependant Visa (which is how the family members came) has different rules than the main worker came under but either way these families have no recourse to public funds
They don't even get child benefit.

To get here, they also had to pay for the visa and pay thousands of pounds for use of the NHS.
They are having to work immediately, and pay taxes.

They are legally unable to claim benefits for (depending on circumstances) either 5 or 15 years. Meanwhile they have to keep working to self-finance so that they can finally get indefinite leave to remain.

I think people are overly cross about this.

AND as several people have said now, this scheme is over!.

The article in question is factually wrong

Economist Jonathan Portes corrects the figures on BlueSky:

‪Jonathan Portes‬
‪@jdportes.bsky.social‬
· 19h
Click bait racist bullshit from the Times/Chris Philp.

12 Cameroonians did not sponsor 15 dependants each.

12 new work visas were issued to Cameroonians.

180 visas were issued to dependants of the (many thousands of) Cameroonians *already here.

He further points out:

The journalist to whom this was credited has accepted this is both garbled and wrong and said that it will be corrected. Let's see..

bsky.app/profile/jdportes.bsky.social/post/3mpysbrty5227

Usual rage-baiting.

I find it ridiculous that current Tory Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp is blaming the current government for a policy it introduced in a hurry when James Cleverly was Home Secretary.

Facts:

commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9920/

Note Parliament were not allowed a vote on this. It was all done quickly through statements of changes to the Immigration Rules. Rushed policy is often flawed.

A more balanced version from The Times:

removepaywalls.com/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/migrant-care-workers-family-members-dependants-rules-b6z776xs7

Current rules:

www.gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa/your-partner-and-children

The current government is tightening the rules. House of Commons briefing paper on immigration white paper dated 3 June 2026:

commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10267/

NotSpaghetti

It's also absurd that the article is illustrated with a picture of people on a dinghy type boat!

You are free to look at the same news from other sources.

I have no idea why they chose that photo but this case was featured on TV last week. The couple were also from Cameroon and it was later discovered (although Lord knows why it took so long) that they had been living here illegally for 18 years! He claimed to be paraplegic but was caught on CCTV walking perfectly well, no stick, nothing.

Our system must be so weak if people whose first language is not English can get round it and claim £1 million in benefits. Not only that but they were given a council flat which they never lived in after they were able to buy two other properties in London.

love.lambeth.gov.uk/married-couple-who-illegally-claimed-1-million-in-benefits-sentenced-to-over-15-years-in-prison-following-lambeth-council-probe/