UK Introduces Tougher Penalties for Employers Exploiting Foreign Workers

New measures will double bans on hiring overseas workers for labor law violations and target exploitation in the care sector.

Employers violating visa rules or labor laws, such as failing to pay minimum wage, could face a two-year ban on hiring foreign workers under new legislation.
The Employment Rights Bill strengthens enforcement by extending mandatory improvement plans for offending companies from three months to a year.
Businesses will be prohibited from passing visa sponsorship costs onto workers, addressing a practice that has left many migrant workers in significant debt.
The care sector, identified as a hotspot for worker exploitation, has seen 450 sponsor licenses revoked since mid-2022, with efforts underway to assist affected workers.
Critics argue the measures are insufficient, calling for systemic reforms to the sponsorship system to better protect migrant workers from abuse.