Staff ReporterIn an unprecedented migration trend, over 21,000 Zimbabwean professionals have joined the United Kingdom’s health system in the past 12 months, a development that underlines a significant loss of skilled talent from Zimbabwe. This exodus, driven by the search for better economic opportunities amid Zimbabwe’s challenging conditions, has seen a notable influx of healthcare workers into the UK, marking a 169% increase from the previous year.
The latest UK immigration data reveals that from the year leading up to September, exactly 21,130 Zimbabwean health workers were granted visas to work in the UK. This figure is 13,284 more than the number recorded in the same period the year before. The sharp rise is indicative of the growing appeal of the UK health sector for Zimbabweans, who are grappling with high inflation and unemployment at home.
A significant portion of these professionals, about 16,619, are employed as care workers and home carers in the UK. This surge in Zimbabwean healthcare workers is part of a broader trend that has seen ‘Care workers and home carers’ make up 58% of the ‘Skilled Worker – Health and Care’ visas issued by the UK in the past year. Additionally, the increase in dependents’ visas, which has risen by 232% to 22,235, suggests that many Zimbabweans are relocating to the UK with their families, seeking a more stable and prosperous life.
This migration wave has been facilitated by the UK’s recent easing of entry rules, aimed at addressing the skills shortage caused by Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, care work has become a prominent pathway for Zimbabweans seeking employment opportunities in the UK.
Back in Zimbabwe, this brain drain is exacerbating the skills crisis in critical sectors. According to a report by Zimstat, there has been a “steady increase” in emigration since 2001, peaking sharply in 2021. The report further highlights that professionals, service and sales workers, and craft and related trades workers, who account for 58% of the emigrants, are among the most affected. This trend not only impacts the healthcare sector but also other essential services in Zimbabwe, potentially hindering the country’s development and economic recovery.
The situation poses a dual challenge: while it offers Zimbabwean professionals better opportunities abroad, it also depletes the already strained human resources in Zimbabwe’s health and education sectors, raising concerns about the long-term impacts on the country’s ability to provide essential services to its population.
