Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Modern slaveryRight to workBrexitLatest NewsImmigration

UK’s immigration rules could create low-skilled worker ‘black market’

by Ashleigh Webber 21 Feb 2020
by Ashleigh Webber 21 Feb 2020 Image: Shutterstock
Image: Shutterstock

The government’s points-based immigration rules could increase the risk of worker exploitation, human trafficking and modern slavery by criminal gangs, charities have warned.

The proposed immigration policy could lead to the creation of a “black market” for low-paid workers from abroad, they said, and some employers might feel they have no choice but to hire undocumented workers if the supply of “low-skilled” workers from overseas is cut off in 2021.

Modern slavery

Businesses find themselves in modern slavery limbo

Hotel sector failing to protect ‘vulnerable workforce’ from modern slavery

How HR can safeguard against modern slavery in supply chains

Barbara Drozdowicz, the chief executive of the East European Resource Centre, a charity that advises Eastern Europeans in the UK, told the Guardian: “Even now, as eastern Europeans have full access to labour market, Poles and Romanians are two of five top nationalities who are reported victims of modern slavery in the UK.

“It is easy to imagine how increasing pressure to drive down labour costs will translate into much more severe coercion and abuse.”

Concerns were also expressed by Emily Kenway, a senior policy adviser at Focus on Labour Exploitation, who said: “If you take away the legal routes, people are just going to fall into the hands of traffickers. If we think of the tragedy in October when 39 Vietnamese people were killed, you see the terrible consequences of that.”

Under the points-based immigration system, overseas workers that want to live and work in the UK will need to meet certain criteria, including having a job offer at an appropriate skill level; having an approved sponsor; a salary of at least £25,600 (for most sectors); qualifications and their ability to speak English.

The government said the system will favour highly-skilled migrant workers, while “lower-skilled” workers would not be offered a visa.

According to the Migration Observatory at Oxford University, roughly 15% of low-skilled workers in the UK (an estimated 500,000 people) come from the EU.

Around 7,000 people were referred to the National Crime Agency as potential victims of modern slavery in the UK in 2018.

Home secretary Priti Patel said that with 20% of the working age population currently economically inactive, employers should look to this group to fill lower-paid roles.

The agricultural sector, which currently relies on overseas labour for seasonal work, will this year be able to recruit more non-EU workers on a temporary basis under an expanded seasonal workers pilot scheme. Farmers will be able to hire up to 10,000 workers in 2020, an increase from the previous 2,500 per year.

Environment secretary George Eustice said the pilot will act as a test for a future seasonal labour policy.

Ashleigh Webber
Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is editor at OHW+ and HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support. Prior to joining Personnel Today in 2018, she covered the road transport sector for Commercial Motor and Motor Transport magazines, touching on some of the employment and wellbeing issues experienced by those in road haulage.

previous post
Ill health costs firms 38 days per employee in lost productivity
next post
Kronos and Ultimate Software merge to form HR systems giant

1 comment

Avatar
Lisa Powell 24 Feb 2020 - 3:48 pm

And to boot, our universities depend on a high proportion of foreign students to increase their income, but who after their studies, will require a work visa. So we’ll support their up-skilling via industrial placements but then not necessarily reap the rewards. These principles are not complementary.

Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Trust seeks better language and employability support for...

13 Jun 2022

Modern slavery: 10% of companies fail to publish...

26 Apr 2022

H&M signs pledge to protect female workers in...

1 Apr 2022

Dyson faces supply chain labour abuse claim

11 Feb 2022

Seasonal workers left without running water and unfairly...

12 Jan 2022

MPs critical of government rejection of Uyghur proposals

10 Jun 2021

Workers’ rights watchdog to be launched

8 Jun 2021

Modern slavery statement registry launched

11 Mar 2021

MPs ask Boohoo for evidence of progress on...

5 Mar 2021

Employment law in limbo: Key proposals to resurrect...

4 Feb 2021
  • NSPCC revamps its learning strategy with child wellbeing at its heart PROMOTED | The NSPCC’s mission is to prevent abuse and neglect...Read more
  • Diversity versus inclusion: Why the difference matters PROMOTED | It’s possible for an environment to be diverse, but not inclusive...Read more
  • Five steps for organisations across the globe to become more skills-driven PROMOTED | The shift in the world of work has been felt across the globe...Read more
  • The future of workforce development PROMOTED | Northumbria University and partners share insight...Read more
  • Strathclyde Business School expands its Degree Apprenticeship offer in England PROMOTED | The University of Strathclyde is expanding its programmes...Read more
  • The Search for Talent: Six Major Employer Pitfalls PROMOTED | The Great Resignation continues unabated...Read more
  • Navigating the widening “Skills Confidence Gap” in 2022, and beyond PROMOTED | Cornerstone OnDemand conducted a global study...Read more
  • Apprenticeships are the solution to your recruitment problems PROMOTED | Apprenticeships have the pulling power...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+