[UK] Rogue employers to be barred from hiring overseas workers

Rogue employers in the UK found committing serious offences will be banned from hiring overseas workers as part of a government crackdown on visa abuse and preventing exploitation, GOV.UK reports.

As part of a key manifesto commitment, the government will ensure that businesses repeatedly flouting visa rules or committing serious employment breaches, such as not paying the National Minimum Wage, will be subject to the ban.  

At present, employers who flagrantly flout visa rules can only be sanctioned for a maximum of 12 months. Under its changes the government stated that it intends the period for repeat offences to be at least 2 years, double the current length. Final cooling-off periods will reportedy be announced in due course.

In addition, the government will not wait until employers have committed serious breaches of the law before taking action when there are already signs of rule-breaking. Action plans bind businesses who commit minor visa breaches to a set of specific actions to help them improve and correct any issues. These are being strengthened further and the maximum time they can be applied quadrupled from 3 to 12 months, ensuring long-term and sustained compliance with visa rules.

The measures reportedly form part of wider efforts to tackle the root causes behind the UK’s long-term reliance on international workers and action to link migration policy with skills and wider labour market policy.

According to a government statement, the wide-ranging crackdown will also protect vulnerable workers from exploitation, prohibiting unprincipled companies from engaging in the unethical practice of charging skilled workers for the cost of sponsorship. These costs, which can be passed onto workers at grossly inflated levels, have led to the exploitation and unfair treatment of staff, particularly within the care sector, in some cases burdened with unsustainable levels of debt to their employers.  

Seema Malhotra MP - Minister for Migration and Citizenship - said, “We committed in our manifesto to do everything in our power to ensure those who abuse our immigration system face the strongest possible consequences.  

“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.  

“Worker exploitation is completely unacceptable. 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.”

Stephen Kinnock - Minister for Care - said, “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.

“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.”

Source: GOV.UK

(Quotes via original reporting)

Rogue employers in the UK found committing serious offences will be banned from hiring overseas workers as part of a government crackdown on visa abuse and preventing exploitation, GOV.UK reports.

As part of a key manifesto commitment, the government will ensure that businesses repeatedly flouting visa rules or committing serious employment breaches, such as not paying the National Minimum Wage, will be subject to the ban.  

At present, employers who flagrantly flout visa rules can only be sanctioned for a maximum of 12 months. Under its changes the government stated that it intends the period for repeat offences to be at least 2 years, double the current length. Final cooling-off periods will reportedy be announced in due course.

In addition, the government will not wait until employers have committed serious breaches of the law before taking action when there are already signs of rule-breaking. Action plans bind businesses who commit minor visa breaches to a set of specific actions to help them improve and correct any issues. These are being strengthened further and the maximum time they can be applied quadrupled from 3 to 12 months, ensuring long-term and sustained compliance with visa rules.

The measures reportedly form part of wider efforts to tackle the root causes behind the UK’s long-term reliance on international workers and action to link migration policy with skills and wider labour market policy.

According to a government statement, the wide-ranging crackdown will also protect vulnerable workers from exploitation, prohibiting unprincipled companies from engaging in the unethical practice of charging skilled workers for the cost of sponsorship. These costs, which can be passed onto workers at grossly inflated levels, have led to the exploitation and unfair treatment of staff, particularly within the care sector, in some cases burdened with unsustainable levels of debt to their employers.  

Seema Malhotra MP - Minister for Migration and Citizenship - said, “We committed in our manifesto to do everything in our power to ensure those who abuse our immigration system face the strongest possible consequences.  

“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.  

“Worker exploitation is completely unacceptable. 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.”

Stephen Kinnock - Minister for Care - said, “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.

“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.”

Source: GOV.UK

(Quotes via original reporting)