New legislation has gone into effect which will increase penalties for employers who take on illegal migrant workers. The Immigration Act 2016 makes it easier to hold bosses accountable for taking on illegal migrant workers, giving courts the power to impose a fine of up to £20,000 and a prison sentence of up to five years for businesses and individuals who fall foul of the new law. It also includes an additional power to shut a business down for 48 hours if an employer is found to have persistently broken the law.
Legal migrant workers are without question an important part of our economy across a wide range of sectors, so conducting proper checks is important to protect their right to work for you. There are three initial checks you must carry out. If you don’t complete these checks thoroughly then there is a real risk you will be found liable under the new legislation.
It is wise to apply these checks to any potential employee once the initial selection process has been completed, to avoid the risk of a discrimination claim.
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