The Home Office will share information about the location of asylum hotels in a bid to tackle illegal working, which the Government says encourages small boat crossings
Food giants Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats have signed up to new measures to stop asylum seekers working illegally.
The delivery companies have committed to crack down further on account sharing. A new agreement with the Home Office will see locations of asylum hotels shared with them – allowing them to see “patterns of misuse”.
The Government says this will tackle gangs who use the promise of jobs to sell places on small boats. By law those seeking asylum in the UK are not allowed to work while their application is being processed.
But there is growing evidence that some are earning cash working for delivery firms. The companies are required to suspend accounts that are shared with asylum seekers who are not allowed to do paid jobs.
They have already agreed to bring in facial verification checks and fraud detection tools. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Illegal working undermines honest business, exploits vulnerable individuals and fuels organised immigration crime.
“By enhancing our data sharing with delivery companies, we are taking decisive action to close loopholes and increase enforcement. The changes come alongside a 50% increase in raids and arrests for illegal working under the Plan for Change, greater security measures and tough new legislation.”
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Since Labour came to power there have been more than 10,000 illegal working visits, leading to 7,130 arrests. This is an increase of 50% compared to the year before.
In one operation in South London, three asylum seekers arrested for working in a car wash and deported within a month. The Indian nationals, who had overstayed their visas, were removed in late May and early June.
Border Security Minister Dame Angela Eagle told The Mirror : “This operation is a clear example of our commitment to not only disrupt people who ignore the rules and try to work in the UK illegally, but to remove those who do as quickly as possible.”
New laws will make it a legal requirement for all companies – including the gig economy – to check that anyone working for them has the legal right to do so. This will be introduced as part of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill.