Caroline Russell AM urges Mayor to intervene as more than 200 TfL workers at risk of deportation under sudden visa changes

Caroline Russell AM urges Mayor to intervene as more than 200 TfL workers at risk of deportation under sudden visa changes

Caroline Russell, Green Party London Assembly Member, has called on the Mayor to take urgent action in response to the Government's sudden changes to the UK's Skilled Worker visa route, which have placed more than 200 Transport for London (TfL) employees at risk of losing both their jobs and their immigration status within a matter of weeks.

At today's Mayor's Question Time, Caroline Russell asked the Mayor to publicly acknowledge the devastating impact these visa changes are having on TfL workers. She also raised concerns about how TfL is engaging with workers affected by the recent visa changes, and she urged TfL to engage with workers in person rather than just directing them to a website, which has left many workers feeling unsupported.

Caroline further urged the Mayor to call on the Government to pause implementation of the changes until the Migration Advisory Committee completes its review in order to prevent workers from losing their jobs in the coming weeks.

In response, the Mayor acknowledged the severity of the situation and revealed the Deputy Mayor for Transport, Seb Dance, has written to the Government requesting immediate transitional protections for workers threatened by these new visa changes.

Prompted by Caroline, the Mayor also agreed to reconsider how TfL is supporting workers and suggested the need for bespoke advice.

Caroline Russell, Green Party London Assembly Member and Leader of the Green Group at City Hall said:

"It's encouraging to see the Mayor take a firm stand in lobbying the Government and defending TfL workers on graduate visas who have been left in limbo unable to transition to Skilled Worker visas following the sudden legislative changes in July.

"I've heard directly from TfL workers who feel abandoned by a system they trusted. One worker told me he can't sleep at night; he doesn't know what to tell his wife and family. Another, expecting her first child, should be filled with joy, but instead she's terrified she'll be forced to leave the country before her baby is even born.

"These are workers who took jobs with TfL on graduate visas, with every reason to believe they could transition to a Skilled Worker visa and continue to build their lives in London. They've spent thousands of pounds to be here, worked hard to gain qualifications, invested everything and now they're being told they have no place here and to just look at a website for advice as their dreams of a future with TfL are shattered. It's a complete betrayal of the promise they were given and I'll keep pushing TfL to provide more compassionate support and advice for workers who have been so seriously let down by the Government's abrupt immigration changes."