The government plans to substantially increase the fines levied against employers for employing illegal workers.
It’s already a criminal offence to knowingly employ someone who does not have the right to work in the UK. Employers will be fined £15,000 per illegal worker for a first breach, and £20,000 for repeated breaches.
The proposal is to triple these levels so that, for a first breach, the fine will be £45,000 and for repeated breaches, £60,000. The government has said that this increase is now required in response to the number of migrants trying to enter the UK illegally.
Further existing sanctions include disqualification as a company director, being prohibited from sponsoring migrants and the seizure of earnings made because of the illegal work.
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By discouraging companies from employing illegal migrants, the government hopes that this will then prevent migrants coming to the UK illegally if there are fewer job opportunities.
“Making it harder for illegal migrants to work and operate in the UK is vital to deterring dangerous, unnecessary small boat crossings. Unscrupulous landlords and employers who allow illegal working and renting enable the business model of the evil people smugglers to continue” Minister for Immigration Robert Jenrick said.
“There is no excuse for not conducting the appropriate checks and those in breach will now face significantly tougher penalties”.
The process of checking a prospective employee’s right to work is not changing. Under the existing system, there are various ways to make the check depending on the nationality of the individual and the types of documents they can provide. For example, an IDVT check via an IDSP provider can be used only for British and Irish nationals who can produce a live passport.
For answers to your questions on checking the right to work in the UK, visit BrAInbox today where you can find answers to questions like Can a prospective employee use an expired passport to evidence their right to work through an ISDP?