A London-based care recruitment company has been shut down after investigators found it defrauded overseas job seekers of more than £19,000 by promising UK care jobs and visa
sponsorship it was never legally able to provide.
The High Court ordered the winding up of Medrecruiter Limited on 16 July following an investigation by the Insolvency Service, which concluded the business had never submitted a single visa application or secured employment for any of its clients.
At least 23 people from Nigeria, Pakistan and the Philippines paid upfront fees after being offered care jobs in the UK. Victims were charged as much as £1,199 for "consultation" services, along with additional fees for training, uniforms and application processing.
Investigators found that the company had no physical office, no Home Office sponsorship licence and no evidence of carrying out the recruitment services it advertised.
Despite claiming on its website to have almost 6,000 carers registered and partnerships with more than 500 UK care homes, the company operated from a virtual office in central London. Officials found no proof that these claims were genuine.
According to the Insolvency Service, applicants were invited to interviews, told they had been approved for jobs and asked to sign contracts before paying substantial fees. When they later requested updates, they received misleading explanations blaming delays on Home Office backlogs and assurances that their applications were progressing through a queue.
Investigators concluded that no visa applications had ever been lodged. Requests for refunds were routinely rejected.
Colette Mooney, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said the company had deliberately exploited vulnerable people hoping to build a new life in Britain.
She said Medrecruiter had taken money from people while knowing it could not deliver the promised employment or visa sponsorship. She urged anyone seeking sponsorship to verify that recruiters are listed on the Home Office's register of licensed sponsors before making any payments.
The company was incorporated in December 2023, although its website claimed it had been operating since 2020. It described itself as a temporary employment agency and advertised services for hundreds of care homes across the UK.
During the investigation, 23 victims reported losses exceeding £19,000. Seven were able to recover part of their payments through their credit card providers.
The Insolvency Service also found that Medrecruiter failed to submit mandatory accounts and confirmation statements to Companies House. Neither the company nor its directors cooperated with investigators or provided requested documents.
The Official Receiver has been appointed as liquidator and will oversee the company's closure and remaining affairs. Photo by Canley at the English-language Wikipedia.
