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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Shanti Das, Marjan Kalanaki and Zeke Hunter-Green

‘Pretty dodgy’: alarm over suspect care agencies granted Home Office licence to act as visa sponsors

Stovk shot of a younger person's hands clasped over an older person's hands, artistically lit
Visa sponsorship powers for care workers have been granted to 268 companies who have never been inspected by the Care Quality Commission. Photograph: Alvaro Calvo/Getty Images

Hundreds of newly-established care providers have been granted licences by the Home Office to sponsor workers from abroad despite having no track record of providing services in Britain, the Observer can reveal.

Suspected bogus companies with copy-and-paste websites, fake-looking reviews and PO boxes as addresses are among those granted licences allowing them to sponsor workers to come to the UK.

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