Illegal migrant worker fines net government £700,000

The new points-based system for bringing skilled workers into the UK has added more than £700,000 to government coffers since April.

A list of fines issued to employers using illegal workers has been published on the UK Border Agency website, complete with the names of businesses, owners, and the number of illegal workers.

A total of £722,500 in fines have been imposed since early May for the use of illegal workers, with London and the South East accounting for more than a third of the fines, and some employers facing penalties in excess of £20,000.

More than 135 illegal workers had been used by 97 employers since 1 May, 2008.

A UK Border Agency statement said it will not publish details of those employers whose cases are still subject to investigation, objection, appeal or where operations are ongoing. However, details are released to the national and local media.

Meanwhile, a government adviser who helped create the new points-based immigration system has warned employers that they will not be able to bring in workers from outside the EU unless they also demonstrate their efforts to train existing UK workers.