The risks in employing illegal immigrants

As illegal immigration into the UK continues, a new risk is evolving for employers of domestic and household staff.

A BBC documentary recently showed footage of suspected illegal immigrants entering the country, filmed by a member of the public, and of other illegal immigrants being offered part-time work for cash. We cannot stress strongly enough the risks of employing immigrants without proper documentation, and of paying anyone in cash.

The UK government is further strengthening its penalties for both situations and the previous get-out clause of not being aware the person was not legally allowed to work will no longer apply. The employer must make proper checks before taking them on.

The maximum sentence for employers found guilty will be raised from two to five years, in addition to the fines already in force.

And criminals bringing illegal immigrants into the UK are not above supplying forged documentation.

All this reinforces the fact that that the safest way to recruit your domestic staff is to use a credible and experienced agency. The Graham Agency has close to 30 years experience of matching applicants to families and is ideally placed to help you.