Migrant Domestic Workers who work for wealthy families in the UK are currently allowed to change employers without breaking the law so long as they continue working full-time as a domestic worker in a private household.
Under proposed changes to the immigration rules in the UK, migrant domestic workers will lose this right to change employers. They will be brought to the UK on a 6 month long 'business visitors visa' which will be non renewable and not permit them to change employers even if they are abused in their employment. Kalayaan, a UK charity which works with migrant domestic workers, is campaigning against the proposed changes which will in practice make it impossible for migrant domestic workers to challenge abuse or to access UK employment law.
On 25 June 2008 migrant domestic workers and campaigning organizations such as Kalayaan and Unite won a huge success. The UK government announced that it committed to the continued protection of this group of workers and would not proceed with plans to end the domestic worker visa and with it the rights of this group of workers to change employers, which allows them to escape abuse.
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