5 Ways to Challenge a Civil Penalty UK Immigration Fine

It’s a distressing experience for an organisation when, without warning, it receives a civil penalty UK immigration notice. A civil penalty notice informs an organisation it has employed someone who did not or does not have permission to work in the UK, in breach of the prevention of illegal working regime. It is in every […]

How to Avoid Employing Illegal Immigrants

Employers across all sectors are falling foul of immigration compliance and facing allegations of employing illegal immigrants. Under current immigration rules, employers operate under onerous duties for the prevention of illegal working. Where employers are found to be in breach of their immigration compliance duties and are alleged to be employing illegal immigrants, they face […]

Reporting Illegal Immigrants (Employer Advice)

What should you do if you establish your business has been employing an illegal worker? What is the process for reporting illegal immigrants? It is a legal requirement on all UK employers to carry out prescribed document checks on their employees and prospective employees to verify their right to work in the UK. The checks must […]

3 Signs of Breaching Immigration Duties

The Home Office’s tough, low-tolerance stance toward illegal working contuses to push immigration compliance high up the business risk agenda. UKVI has extensive powers to investigate and enforce illegal employment issues across all sectors and types of organisation. Civil penalties also provide a welcome income stream for the Home Office. UK employers should be under no […]

Civil Penalty Immigration: Businesses Challenging Home Office Fines

Civil Penalty Immigration Case Study: How we helped an independent restaurant defeat a £30,000 Home Office fine “We’re a small, hard-working family-run restaurant, and we refused to have our business’s name tarnished unfairly. Thanks to the team at DavidsonMorris, we can move on with our name cleared and without the crippling financial hit of a […]

8 Reasons to Appeal a Civil Penalty for Immigration

The ramifications of a civil penalty for immigration can extend far beyond a £20,000 fine. When considering whether to object or appeal a civil penalty immigration notice for employing illegal workers, businesses should be aware of the possible consequences. While these fines can be significant, recent cases show the cost of a civil penalty can […]

Why you might not have to Pay a Fine for Illegal Workers

The Home Office is continuing in its highly stringent approach to illegal employment enforcement. For employers, failure to meet your UK immigration compliance duties can result in a fine for illegal workers. Immigration breaches are more common than you may think. They can result from a number of areas, including what may seem relatively minor administrative […]

Avoiding Civil and Criminal Penalties

Now more than ever, employers have to ensure that they carry out the government-prescribed document checks when hiring new employees. Failing to do so exposes employers to high civil penalties and since 12 July 2016, possible criminal prosecution. The statutory excuse The law does not explicitly require employers to perform document checks on all new employees. […]

New Criminal Offences for Employing Illegal Workers

From 12 July 2016 employers face hefty fines and significant jail terms if there is ‘reasonable cause to believe’ they have been employing illegal workers. Before these amendments an employer could plead ignorance when it came to employing illegal workers. Employers would only have criminal charges brought against them if it could be proved they […]