The Home Office is picking up the pace on immigration compliance matters – we have seen increased activity on everything from right to work enforcement to visa curtailments as well as requests for further evidence across all aspects of sponsorship. We will be focusing on these and other challenges in our webinar on 14 September … Continue Reading
Businesses employing staff without the right to work face civil penalties of up to £20,000 per illegal employee. These can be imposed without proof of illegal working (or the employer’s awareness of it) – it is then up to the employer to demonstrate that the employee did have the right to work or that it … Continue Reading
Home Office scrutiny of illegal working has increased significantly over recent months – businesses with large, diverse multi-sited workforces appear to be particularly at risk, but civil penalties are no longer something which only happens to other people. The civil penalty regime has the very laudable aim of deterring UK employers from hiring staff without … Continue Reading
Just when we were beginning to worry that a week had passed without a decent immigration story, our own Immigration Minister comes up trumps! Mark Harper MP has resigned from his Cabinet post because his (now former) cleaner, Ms Isabella Acevedo, does not have the right to work in the UK. Mr Harper has denied … Continue Reading
If you ever thought that “reality” television programmes like “UK Border Force” are far-fetched, I can officially report that what you see is what you get. Whilst briefly slipping out of the office for lunch at a nearby restaurant this week, my main course was rudely interrupted by the fast and furious arrival of around … Continue Reading
The Home Office has announced that it is currently considering measures to reform the civil penalty scheme to prevent illegal working. These proposed changes follow the Prime Minister’s pledge that the Government intends to “take tougher action against employers of illegal migrant workers, and double the maximum civil penalty against them”. Employers already have a … Continue Reading
According to recent reports, the US Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) team has begun a new wave of illegal working audits, targeting employers in industries including fast-food, retail, hospitality and agriculture. These new “silent raids” are consistent with the Administration’s strategy of targeting employers in lieu of worksite round-ups of unauthorized … Continue Reading
