14 November 2005 – Philippine Ambassador to London Edgardo B. Espiritu informed the Department of Foreign Affairs  that the United Kingdom government has NOT issued any new policy on the hiring of domestic workers also known as nannies from Manila.

Ambassador Espiritu reported to Acting Secretary Sonia Cataumber-Brady that upon his instruction, the Labor Office headed by Atty. Jainal Rasul, Jr., Labor Attaché, came out with an advisory on 04 November 2005, due to numerous phone calls and inquiries from interested Filipino workers who heard about the alleged "new policy" from a report of a Philippine TV network that made a feature story on OFWs in the UK.

Ambassador Espiritu said most of the callers were of the impression that they could now easily bring their relatives and loved ones to the United Kingdom to act as their "nannies" without having to satisfy the existing visa requirements of the British Embassy in Manila.

The UK Immigration and  Nationality Directorate (Home Office) clarified that the existing visa requirement for domestic worker have not been revised or changed. The domestic worker category includes nannies, cooks, gardeners, chauffeurs and other household workers.

Under the current UK Immigration rules, an applicant for domestic worker visa must satisfy the following requirements: (1) be aged 18-65; (2) was employed for one (1) year by the employer prior to visa application; (3) intends lo travel to UK in the company of the employer or the latter's spouse or minor child; (4) intends to work full-time with the employer; and (5) can maintain and accommodate himself/herself adequately, as certified by the employer, without recourse to public funds.

All Filipino workers with families in the UK who wish to hire a domestic worker are advised to comply with the said requirements when submitting their applications at the British Embassy. They are also advised to obtain a verified and authenticated employment contract from the Philippine Embassy in London (Labor & Consular sections), which will be needed for POEA processing in Manila should their visa application be granted by the British Embassy, Ambassador Espiritu said. END