Rogue employers may be banned from recruiting international workers for at least two years
The UK government is introducing new measures that will ban employers found guilty of serious breaches from hiring overseas staff as part of its crackdown on the exploitation of migrant workers.
The crackdown, which aims to tackle abuse in the immigration and employment systems, will target rogue employers who repeatedly flout visa rules or fail to meet basic employment standards.
Under the proposed changes, companies found guilty of repeated offences will be banned from recruiting international workers for at least two years, doubling the current penalty period.
"No longer will employers be able to flout the rules with little consequence or exploit international workers for costs they were always supposed to pay if they choose not to recruit domestically," said Seema Malhotra MP, Minister for Migration and Citizenship, in a statement.
The new rules will also expand the duration of "action plans" for businesses that commit minor visa violations. These plans, which require businesses to take corrective actions to improve their compliance, will now be enforced for up to 12 months, four times longer than the current limit.
"Worker exploitation is completely unacceptable," Malhotra said. "Shamefully, these practices have been seen particularly in our care sector, where workers coming to the UK to support our health and social care service have all too often found themselves plunged into unjustifiable insecurity and debt. This can, and must, end."
The government's wider efforts to tackle exploitation are particularly focused on the care sector, where international workers have been vulnerable to abuse.
The government intends to stop employers from passing sponsorship costs onto workers, which has led to severe financial strain in some cases. In certain instances, workers have been burdened with unsustainable debts from their employers, especially in the care sector.
Stephen Kinnock MP, Minister for Care, addressed the importance of protecting vulnerable migrant workers in the care sector.
"Migrant workers are a valuable part of our social care workforce, supporting vulnerable people across the country every day. Many have travelled to the UK with the promise of a rewarding and fulfilling career," he said.
"However, there has been an unacceptable rise in the exploitation and abuse of overseas social care workers from rogue operators. Cracking down on these unethical employers will protect migrant workers from unacceptable and shameful exploitation."
The government has already taken action, revoking around 450 sponsor licences in the care sector since July 2022. These measures are part of the government's broader efforts to address concerns about the exploitation of migrant workers and ensure better standards across the immigration system.
The new policies will also be supported by the government's Employment Rights Bill, which is currently progressing through Parliament.
