Indian Woman Offers to Work for Free in UK, Faces Backlash on Social Media

A LinkedIn post by an Indian woman offering to work for free in the UK has sparked widespread debate on social media. Swetha Kothandan, who moved to the UK in 2021 with dreams of making a significant impact, shared her struggle to secure employment. Despite earning her MSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Leicester, Swetha has been unable to find a visa-sponsored position since graduating in 2022. Now, with her graduate visa expiring soon, she made a desperate appeal to employers, pledging to work unpaid for a month in hopes of staying in the country.

"Please hire me for free for one month. If I don’t deliver, fire me immediately without hesitation. My Graduate Visa expires in three months—repost this to help me stay in the UK," Swetha wrote in her LinkedIn plea.

She explained that she has applied to over 300 jobs but received only limited feedback, making this post her "last chance" to secure a future in the UK. Swetha, looking for a visa-sponsored role as a Design Engineer, offered to work 12 hours a day, seven days a week without weekly time off. She even said that if her work was unsatisfactory, her employer could fire her without notice or compensation.

Swetha’s post, which was initially shared a month ago, has since gone viral on LinkedIn and Reddit, eliciting a wide range of reactions. While some criticized her approach as extreme and detrimental to other international job seekers, others empathized with her situation.

One user criticized her post, stating, "Irresponsibly damaging the image of Indians abroad and diminishing the chances for genuinely capable candidates. This desperation is often due to unrealistic expectations about life overseas."

Another commenter expressed disbelief, writing, "Offering to work for free in this job market is outrageous. These recent grads are setting themselves up for exploitation. Why go to such lengths just to stay in the UK?"

Others, however, empathized, speculating that her desperation might stem from a heavy student loan. "I can’t imagine what she’s going through right now—facing the prospect of having to return to India with significant debt and no job prospects," one user commented.

Despite the backlash, there were those who offered words of encouragement, urging Swetha to keep believing in herself. "There’s no need to resort to this to stay in the UK. If you’re talented and capable, you’ll find success anywhere in the world," said another supportive user.

The debate continues as Swetha’s post remains a symbol of the challenges faced by international students and graduates striving to establish themselves abroad amidst tough job markets and visa restrictions.