The Home Office today confirmed that it has eliminated the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) backlog of modern-slavery cases, cutting the number of files awaiting a ‘conclusive-grounds’ decision from more than 31,000 in 2023 to just 6,277 as of 30 September 2026. Victims on Skilled Worker visas will now be free to move to any lawful employer for the balance of their permission. Background – Until now, a positive NRM decision could take two years or more, during which sponsored workers who had been trafficked or exploited were technically tied to the very employers who abused them. Law-firms and NGOs argued that this deterred whistle-blowing and pushed some victims underground. The change flows from Statement of Changes HC 584, which amended paragraph SW 18.3 of the Immigration Rules to relax sponsorship conditions once an individual receives a positive conclusive-grounds decision. Practical implications – • Employers can recruit recognised victims without applying for a fresh Certificate of Sponsorship, provided the original visa is still valid. • Businesses must still conduct full right-to-work checks but will see fewer requests to assign ‘rescue’ CoS or bear relocation costs. • Mobility managers should review global mobility policies to ensure that anti-slavery clauses cover supply-chain partners as enforcement activity is expected to rise. • Sponsorship teams should update internal guidance: once the Home Office notifies a change of conditions, the worker’s digital status (eVisa) will show “Work permitted – any employer except as a professional sportsperson”. Wider context – Clearing the backlog fulfils a 2024 ministerial pledge and removes a major brake on removals of refused asylum-seekers whose cases were stalled in the NRM. It also supports the forthcoming Immigration and Asylum Bill, which will place statutory duties on large employers to eradicate modern-slavery risks in their operations. Businesses in hospitality, care and construction—sectors that rely heavily on sponsored workers—should prepare for more unannounced compliance visits. Looking ahead – The Home Office says it will publish an expanded victim-support package in early 2027 and consult on mandatory reporting for sponsors that discover indicators of exploitation. Global mobility teams should watch for secondary legislation setting out how quickly sponsors must update the Sponsor Management System when a victim transfers employment.
Source: Home Office (GOV.UK)
