Companies
that employ illegal immigrants could face tougher measures under a newly
proposed code of conduct.
High
profile prosecutions of employers will form part of a new strategy to combat
illegal working as part of the Government’s White Paper on Asylum.
Lord
Rooker told The Independent that law abiding small firms are being undermined
by companies which undercut them by employing illegal workers.
He
also said the government is investigating sectors where the use of illegal
workers is widespread.
"We
are having a look, sector by sector. We have areas where it is known there is a
propensity to have labour that is not legal. For example, construction, hotel
and catering," he said.
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The
government is expected to draw up a code of conduct for employers employing
foreign staff as part of the white paper.