The British government has ordered Nigerian nurses suspected of cheating in the Computer-Based Test (CBT) for UK nursing recruitment to leave the country immediately. Reports indicate that affected nurses were discreetly advised to leave once their visas expired, but the issue gained public attention when some sought legal help after receiving deportation notices from the Home Office. Authorities have warned that overstaying would be a criminal offense, leading to possible legal action.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) initiated an investigation into recruitment fraud linked to a Nigerian agency. This follows a similar case involving Malayali nurses from Kerala, India, who allegedly obtained fraudulent certificates from a Kottayam-based agency. Though proceedings against them were paused on humanitarian grounds, there are indications that the NMC will resume its probe.
Reports suggest that around 2,000 Nigerian nurses may be affected, with some already returning to Nigeria after being removed from the NMC register. A group of 50 affected nurses has hired Broadstreet Solicitors to challenge their deportation, accusing the NMC of delaying hearings and denying them a fair chance to defend themselves.
The scandal has also put the Occupational English Test (OET) under scrutiny, with its Australian administrators considering changes following allegations of exam fraud in Kerala. The controversy has already impacted the migration of Malayali nurses to the UK, raising concerns of stricter measures by British authorities.
Adding to the crackdown on fraudulent recruitment, a Malayali woman in the UK was recently found to have secured a radiography job with a fake certificate. With the Labour government seeking to expose irregularities in foreign healthcare hiring under the previous Conservative administration, scrutiny on recruitment fraud is intensifying. Many Malayali healthcare workers in the UK are now considering migration to Australia or other countries to avoid potential legal troubles.
