Britain has introduced more stringent sanctions against employers who take advantage of foreign workers, particularly in the social care sector, following research revealing widespread abuses.
The government announced that businesses repeatedly violating visa rules or committing serious employment breaches, such as failing to pay the minimum wage, will be prohibited from recruiting foreign workers for two years, an increase from the current one-year ban.
Seema Malhotra, the Minister for Migration and Citizenship, condemned worker exploitation as unacceptable. 'Shamefully, these practices have been particularly prevalent in our care sector, where workers coming to the UK to support our health and social care service often find themselves in unjustifiable insecurity and debt. This must end,' she said.
In 2021, Britain introduced a new visa route for social care jobs to address thousands of vacancies. However, factors such as low pay and poor working conditions have made migrant workers in this sector more susceptible to exploitation.
Nearly a third of care workers in England are migrants, hailing from countries like India, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and the Philippines. Recent research revealed that nearly 200 British social care providers authorized to employ foreign workers had records of labor violations.
Since July 2022, approximately 450 licenses allowing employers to recruit foreign workers in the care sector have been revoked. Additionally, action plans requiring companies with minor visa breaches to take specific corrective actions will now be enforced for 12 months, up from three.
These changes will be incorporated into the new Labour government's Employment Rights Bill.
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