Apurv Patel handed over £3,600 to Synetal Solutions Ltd in early 2025, hoping it would secure him a sponsored healthcare job in the UK. Eight months later, the job never materialised. No interviews. No offers. Just mounting frustration.
Patel, who arrived in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa in 2023, said the company promised “guaranteed sponsored jobs” alongside training. He and a friend paid fees split across February and March. “I’m frustrated. I paid money, I wasted my time. I did whatever they wanted without any result,” he said. “It’s had a miserable effect on my family and finances.”
The training he received, Patel said, was poor quality and “ultimately worthless.” A trainer was unable to answer basic questions about healthcare work, raising doubts among attendees about the company’s credibility. Patel added that communication deteriorated after his second payment, with responses taking several days. He has since complained to his bank and sought assistance from Citizens Advice.
Synetal Solutions Ltd, registered in 2025, claims to offer career-focused training programmes for healthcare and IT sectors. Its website once promised “the right support, guidance, and guaranteed job placement to help you succeed.” After the BBC contacted the company, references to guaranteed jobs were removed.
London Citizens Advice reported a rise in recruitment-related scams after the UK government stopped overseas recruitment for care workers. Daniel Blake, director of London Citizens Advice, described Synetal Solutions’ approach as “exploitative.” He said, “The promises that were made are impossible promises. They are targeting people with vulnerable immigration status.” Blake added that no reputable agency guarantees outcomes without assessing candidates and urged people asked to pay large sums upfront to seek independent advice. “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” he said.
Emails seen by the BBC advertised a “three-month recruitment programme” including “training and placement with sponsorship” for £5,500. The Home Office allows agencies to charge for services like training or CV writing but forbids fees solely for finding employment.
Synetal Solutions disputed broad allegations that its services or candidate outcomes are fictitious. The company acknowledged the wording around “guarantees” in its emails and said contractual terms alone do not resolve concerns about those assurances.
As part of its programme, Synetal Solutions created trainee accounts on iHasco, a health and social care training platform. iHasco confirmed the company was a customer but said its terms do not allow reselling training content to individuals who are not employees. The platform said it is reviewing Synetal Solutions’ account and would take action if necessary. Synetal Solutions maintains it acted according to its agreement with iHasco.
The Care Quality Commission confirmed there is no single qualification that automatically qualifies someone as a care worker. Providers are responsible for ensuring employees are trained and competent.
The BBC contacted healthcare organisations whose logos appeared on Synetal Solutions’ website. Those that responded said they had no links to the company, had not authorised use of their branding, and some would not accept certificates issued through Synetal Solutions.
Sarah and Rahul, names changed for privacy, paid £3,000 to Synetal Solutions while seeking sponsored employment before their student visas expired. Rahul, a former dentist from India, said they borrowed money and took out a loan to pay the fee. “The mentor didn’t know anything about healthcare,” he said. They were shown names of established providers such as Bupa as potential employers. Bupa told the BBC it had no connection to the company.
Synetal Solutions said some candidates “told us they had secured employment with Bupa” but the reference was “not intended to suggest a formal partnership with Bupa.” The company has not verified those outcomes.
London Citizens Advice described the firm’s practices as “unethical.” Synetal Solutions said it “takes these concerns seriously” but disputed the claims.
The company’s social media channels promoted healthcare as “one of the most reliable paths” for visa-sponsored work in the UK. Since the BBC’s inquiries, mentions of job guarantees were removed from its website.
The issue comes amid a backdrop of increased scams targeting migrants seeking work in the UK healthcare sector. Patel’s experience is one among several where promised jobs remain elusive, leaving individuals out of pocket and uncertain about their futures.
According to Joy Online.
