Strengthening Work Checks: A New Strategy to Combat Illegal Migration

Yvette Cooper, the UK Home Secretary, announced plans to enhance checks on unauthorized work as a strategy to reduce illegal migration during an interview on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg. She emphasized that criminal gangs exploit the opportunity of illegal employment to entice individuals into attempting to enter the UK unlawfully. In anticipation of a major summit addressing organized immigration crime, Cooper outlined plans that would broaden companies’ liability for conducting right-to-work checks on casual workers, extending requirements to self-employed contractors as well.

Currently, companies must verify the right to work for those they employ directly, while recruitment agencies hold this responsibility for agency workers. Violations can lead to hefty fines, amounting to £60,000 per unauthorized worker found. The new measures aim to include the gig economy—an area not adequately addressed by existing checks. Cooper pointed out the connection between the promise of illegal work and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals by criminal gangs.

She acknowledged the challenge in estimating how many illegal workers the new measures might prevent, stating that the focus needs to be on empowering employers to take proactive steps against illegal employment, alongside increased enforcement from the government.

The Home Office confirmed that these changes would be enacted via amendments to the ongoing Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill. A comprehensive consultation with businesses, particularly in sectors such as construction and food delivery, will follow. In the interview, Cooper also mentioned that the government is reevaluating the application of international human rights law in migration cases, responding to pressure from the Conservative party to adjust legal frameworks surrounding deportation and asylum claims.

Conservative shadow minister Alex Burghart criticized the Labour government’s approach, arguing that scrapping the previous Rwanda deportation plan removed a deterrent against unauthorized entry into the UK. The lack of effective responses to the issues of illegal migration and employment remains a significant point of contention between the parties.