Record numbers of employers have been banned from sponsoring
foreign workers under a crackdown on abuse of the immigration
system, as ministers continue to roll up sleeves and pursue real
solutions to secure our border.
Between July 2024 and June 2025, 1,948 licences allowing
companies to bring in migrant workers were revoked – more than
double the number in the previous 12 months (937).
Many of the employers had been using work visas to help migrants
circumvent immigration rules, as well as undercutting domestic
workers by underpaying and exploiting migrant staff reliant on
their jobs to stay in the country.
Adult social care, hospitality, retail and construction are among
the sectors with the highest levels of abuse, data shows.
Based on current trends, sponsor revocations for this year are
expected to exceed the record high once again. This surge in
compliance activity follows just 261 and 247 licences being
revoked in the same period in 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.
This is part of the government's efforts to clamp down on
exploitation of our border system and sky high migration. This
includes expanding sanctions on rogue employers, including
financial penalty notices, business closure orders and potential
prosecution.
It follows an announcement earlier this week that the UK will cut
access to visas for countries who don't comply with returns of
migrants with no right to stay in the UK. It is further evidence
that the government will do what it takes to deliver the
reduction in migration the public wants to see, as part of its
Plan for Change.
The government has also surged illegal working arrests by 51%
compared to the previous year, addressing one of the fake
promises sold to migrants making dangerous journeys in small
boats that they will be able to work in the UK.
Removals of those with no right to be here have also risen
significantly under this government, with 35,000 people removed -
13% more than the same period 12 months prior. Work to smash the
gangs at source also continues at pace, with NCA enforcement
activity at the highest level on record.
Minister for Migration and Citizenship, MP, said:
Those who abuse our immigration system must face the strongest
possible consequences.
We will not hesitate to ban companies from sponsoring workers
from overseas where this is being done to undercut British
workers and exploit vulnerable staff.
My message to unscrupulous employers is clear: these shameful
practices will not be tolerated.
Improved data and intelligence sharing across government and law
enforcement has resulted in more employers being held to account
for breaking the immigration rules.
A new approach, which was previously heavily reliant on physical
compliance visits, has helped increase the number of licence
revocations exponentially.
Licences have been revoked from companies for a wide range of
rule breaking, which includes:
- underpayment of workers
- facilitating the entry of individuals to circumvent the
immigration rules
- failing to provide promised work
