UK Immigration Enforcement Intensifies: What HR & Global Mobility Professionals Need to Know
The UK Home Office continues to ramp up enforcement activity against illegal working, reinforcing its commitment under the government’s Plan for Change to restore integrity to the immigration system. For HR and Global Mobility professionals, understanding these developments is crucial to maintaining compliance and safeguarding your organisation’s reputation.
Key Highlights of the Enforcement Drive
Announced last December, the government’s Plan for Change aims to deliver significant milestones during their time in office —including increased enforcement against illegal working. Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle, emphasised the government’s zero-tolerance stance:
“Illegal working undercuts honest businesses, depresses wages, and fuels criminal gangs. We are committed to cracking down on this activity through stronger legislation and proactive enforcement.”
Enforcement in Action: The Numbers
Recent data underscores the scale of the crackdown:
– Visits to UK businesses by Immigration Enforcement have surged by approximately 40% compared to the previous year.
– Arrests related to illegal working have increased by 42%, totalling 4,779 arrests between July 2024 and March 2025.
– The Home Office issued 1,508 civil penalty notices, with fines reaching £60,000 per illegal worker for employers found liable.
These figures reflect a clear intensification of enforcement efforts. The increased visits often involve surprise checks at various workplaces including hospitality, construction, and retail.
Spotlight on the Gig Economy
The government is expanding its focus to include gig economy and zero-hours sectors – areas historically prone to enforcement challenges. Under the proposed Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, businesses hiring gig workers—including food delivery and beauty service providers—will be legally required to perform robust right-to-work checks.
Some companies, like Deliveroo and Uber Eats, are already adopting enhanced verification measures. These include facial recognition and fraud detection technologies, to ensure only eligible workers are engaged within their organisations. By discouraging illegal practices within the gig economy, this move not only aligns with the government’s enhanced enforcement priorities but also levels the playing field with those more traditional UK employers.
The ongoing enforcement drive signals a heightened risk environment for employers. Non-compliance can result in severe penalties, damage to reputation and even license suspension. HR and Global Mobility team must adapt their processes to meet evolving legal standards.
Given all businesses are expected to assume responsibilities akin to immigration officers or risk substantial fines for non-compliance, training hiring managers and HR staff on the latest immigration compliance requirements is always a wise investment. One single mistake can be extremely costly. As The Guardian reported this month, a single ‘clerical error’ can result in fines of up to £45,000. In this instance, an individual within the company failed to strictly adhere to the Right-to-Work regulations. Despite the employer’s efforts to engage with the Home Office to address the issue, the penalty was still imposed. This case highlights the critical importance of comprehensive and continuous training for all staff responsible for on-boarding new employees, to help prevent such costly mistakes.
Key area to focus on include:
– Rigorous Right-to-Work checks: Conduct comprehensive right-to-work checks before on-boarding new employees and ensure every team member understands what is required to comply with UK Immigration Rules. Regularly reviewing and updating internal control procedures can prevent costly penalties.
– Sponsor Licence responsibilities: Maintain your sponsorship duties including reporting and record-keeping standards to avoid sanctions and the potential lose of your licence. Review and strengthen internal sponsorship policies to ensure they meet the evolving migrant workforce enforcement measures.
– Stay Ahead with Technology: Certain firms may wish to consider the cost vs. benefit of investing in technology solutions such as enhanced facial verification to bolster their capability to maintain Right-to-Work compliance and mitigate risks.
Therefore, as enforcement activity intensifies, proactive compliance is not just a legal obligation but a strategic safeguard for each and every organisation. Staying informed and prepared will help you and your business navigate the evolving immigration landscape smoothly.
A better way to manage global immigration
Smith Stone Walters can advise your business on all aspects of immigration and sponsorship compliance. To learn more about our business immigration services, please contact us today.
