Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill published

Employers who knowingly take on illegal employees will face a
two-year custodial sentence as part of a raft of measures outlined
in the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill published
today.

Those knowingly exploiting illegal workers will also face an
unlimited fine, according to the bill published today by the Home
Office.

“The new civil liberties scheme will help to ensure those
people who benefit from the contribution migrant workers make also
share responsibility for making our immigration system work
effectively,” said immigration minister Tony McNulty.

The bill, which is part of the government’s ongoing
five-year strategy on immigration and asylum, also includes
measures to:-

• Allow data sharing between border agencies to control
borders

• Support the global roll-out of fingerprinting visa
applicants by giving powers to immigration officers to verify
identity against biometrics contained in travel documents

• Limit the right to appeal for those refused entry to the UK
to work or study.

McNulty added: “We will also shortly be issuing a
consultation paper on the options for the points based system
announced in the five-year plan, to provide a transparent mechanism
for those coming to work or study so people understand who is
allowed into the country and why and that the system operates to
the advantage of the UK.”

Maeve Sherlock, chief executive of the Refugee Council said:
“We hope this new bill will tackle the real problems of our
asylum system and include some positive measures to help asylum
seekers and refugees.”

“Above all we hope ministers have realised that a good
asylum system is one that gives protection to those who need it
rather than simply keeping numbers as low as possible,” she
concluded.

The Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill can be found at www.homeoffice.gov.uk