Employing illegal workers – it isn’t worth the risk…
15 August 2017
The disqualification follows an investigation by the insolvency service, which found Mr Ahmed had failed to comply with statutory obligations under immigration law; specifically that he failed to ensure relevant immigration checks were completed and documents retained. This resulted in the employment of an illegal worker and consequently a penalty notice of £15,000 being issued by the home office.
The disqualification prevents the ex-director from directly or indirectly becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a limited company until July 2023.
A home office spokesperson said:
“Illegal working is not victimless. It undercuts honest employers, cheats legitimate job seekers out of employment opportunities and defrauds the taxpayer.
Businesses should be aware that they have a duty to check that their staff have permission to work in the UK.
We are happy to work with employers who play by the rules but those who do not, should know that they will not go under our radar.”
Employers can face criminal prosecution and hefty fines; the maximum civil penalty for illegally employing an immigrant increased from £10,000 to £20,000 in May 2014.
On GOV.UK the UK Visas and Immigration and Immigration Enforcement have published updated guidance 'An employer’s guide to right to work checks' which details:
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What a right to work check is
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Why you need to do right to work checks
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Whose documents you should check
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How to carry out checks
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When to carry out initial checks, follow-up checks and what happens under TUPE
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What documents are acceptable