Over the last few months, the UK government has given many an opportunity to live and work in the UK. We have on this blog run a series of how you can migrate to the UK as a health worker. Health Care Assistants/Support Workers/Nurse Aides migrated in droves to the UK in 2021 and 2022 mainly because getting a Nurse Aide qualification is not a long tedious process. Given the recession that is blanketing many economies in the world, unemployment at its highest in most countries, many flocked to Nurse Aides training centres and obtained the qualifications.

However, after qualifying and meeting some of the requirements needed to obtain a UK Health and Care Work VISA many are still trying to find a sponsor to give them a job and a sponsorship certificate as per UK government requirements for one to obtain a VISA. Hundreds if not thousands are stuck on that stage and possibly despairing as weeks turn into months with no sponsor in sight.

Well, optimists are all for looking for a silver lining on every dark cloud and today I will try and detail 2 options that you might sparingly call silver lining to the dark cloud that might be engulfing your horizons. If you are a qualified Nurse Aide who can’t find a sponsor in the UK, you can try and find Support Work In Canada and you can use the Nurse Aide qualification and English Test you have obtained to look for a job. All you need to do is go on social media and on Google to find agents and or recruiters who can hire you and try to figure out the rest by constantly checking with the Canadian Embassy in your country or via their website. According to an officer at a Canadian Immigration firm the author spoke to, here is a checklist of the requirements for one to obtain a Home Support Worker Pilot Permit (HSWPP):

• Language proficiency – IELTS General Training (Band 5)

• Academic assessment – WES

• Certification in basic first aid/CPR

• All degrees or professional certificates

• CV tailored to show your experience as a caregiver

• Reference letter from your service user to prove that you are working as their caregiver

• Questionnaire to be filled

• 2 Passport photographs – https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/new-immigrants/pr-card/apply-renew-replace/photo.html

• Police certificate (Any country you have lived in for up to 6 months)

• International Passport of the applicant and all dependents (Must have more than 6 months validity left

• Birth certificate of applicant and all dependents

• Marriage certificate, change of name and newspaper publication for all applicants (If married and changed name)

Perhaps Canada is not for you, you have another option, of finding work on the cruise ships which recruit many people in different roles especially those that speak many languages and have basic first aid training. Ask your friends to give you links to recruiters recruiting cruise ship workers. If you have none of those, Google is your friend.