Home Office raises civil-penalty stakes for UK employers hiring illegal workers

In an update published on 18 July, immigration consultancy Five Star International reports that Immigration Enforcement teams are ratcheting up on-site raids and penalty notices as the Home Office prepares to double its enforcement budget by 2028/29. Figures released to the firm show a 34 % increase in illegal-working visits and a 25 % rise in arrests since the Starmer administration took office in 2024. From August 2026, the maximum civil penalty for employing someone without the right to work will climb from £60,000 to £100,000 per worker—the largest jump since sanctions were introduced in 2008. Repeat offenders may also face naming-and-shaming on GOV.UK and disqualification from holding a sponsor licence for up to five years. The Home Office says the tougher regime reflects persistent abuse in construction, hospitality and adult social care, sectors already grappling with acute labour shortages. For multinational employers, the message is blunt: right-to-work checks conducted only at onboarding are no longer sufficient. Mobility and HR teams must introduce rolling audits—especially for sponsored workers approaching visa expiry—and ensure that document-verification technology is up to date with the latest BRP and eVisa formats. Businesses that rely on agency labour should write compliance clauses into contracts and demand proof of status for every worker supplied. Legal practitioners also advise reviewing global mobility policies. Many international assignees enter the UK on short-term secondment visas that do not permit local external placements; inadvertently breaching these rules now carries heavier financial and reputational risks. The uptick in site raids means companies should brief reception and security staff on how to respond if enforcement officers arrive with warrants. While Parliament must still sign off the new penalty levels, officials indicate there is bipartisan support. Employers therefore have only weeks to close compliance gaps before the higher fines bite—making proactive auditing an urgent board-level priority.