UK skilled visa: Advertising fake sponsorships to become a criminal offence

New law makes advertising false skilled worker visa sponsorships a criminal offence as the UK steps up action against organised immigration fraud

A new law in the United Kingdom will make it a criminal offence to advertise the sale of false visa sponsorships, a move the government says is meant to crack down on organised fraud in the skilled worker visa system.

 

The British government said on Thursday, “Next week, it becomes a standalone criminal offence to advertise the selling of false visa sponsorships through online adverts, thanks to laws brought in by this government.”

 

The change follows an undercover investigation by The Times, which found fake jobs being openly marketed online to help migrants, including Indians, fraudulently secure skilled worker visas.

 

How fake sponsorships are being sold

 

The Times investigation secretly filmed agents offering “certificates of sponsorship” linked to non-existent jobs. These certificates are required for a skilled worker visa application and must show that the migrant meets Home Office salary thresholds.

 

According to the newspaper, the salary often exists only on paper. A web of bank transfers involving thousands of pounds is used to create the appearance that the required pay has been made.

 

“Anyone convicted faces an unlimited fine. These cases will be investigated, alongside resulting instances of illegal working, as we have no tolerance for fraudsters exploiting our immigration system,” a Home Office spokesperson said in a press release.

 

What changes under the new offence

 

Selling sponsorship linked to fake jobs is already illegal. The new provision, which comes into effect from Monday, makes advertising such sponsorships a specific criminal offence.

 

The Times said its investigation pointed to a fast-growing market of middlemen charging large sums for illegal visa sponsorship, with hundreds of fake jobs offered by criminal networks.

 

Secret filming showed unregulated agents claiming they could secure visas using sponsorship certificates issued by companies approved by the Home Office.

 

“Over four months, The Times went undercover to investigate the networks behind the schemes. We spoke to 26 agents and company representatives selling sponsorship and documented more than 250 examples of fake jobs being offered. The jobs were offered at businesses including hospitality, logistics, social care, IT, finance, marketing and graphic design,” the newspaper said.

 

How does the skilled worker route work

 

The skilled worker visa route was introduced in 2020 under the Conservative government led by Boris Johnson and later expanded to address labour shortages, particularly in social care.

 

It allows overseas workers, including from India, to be sponsored by one of about 87,000 approved employers for roles classified as skilled, such as executive and management positions or shortage occupations like nursing.

 

Key features of the route include:

 

• Sponsorship by a Home Office-approved employer

• Minimum salary thresholds set by the government

• Eligibility for settlement, currently after five years in the UK

 

Crackdown and unintended effects

 

In recent years, the route has been tightened. Minimum salaries have been raised, care worker recruitment has been restricted, and more than 100 medium-skilled roles have been removed from eligibility.

 

This tightening has also fuelled a black market for sponsorships, aimed at migrants seeking permanent residency or indefinite leave to remain. The qualifying period for settlement, currently five years, is expected to double under upcoming changes.

 

The Labour government said that since taking office after the July 2024 general election, enforcement activity has increased sharply.

 

It said over 17,400 enforcement visits have led to more than 12,300 arrests, a rise of 77 per cent and 83 per cent respectively.

 

The government also pointed to the Online Safety Act, which requires social media platforms to act against illegal content, including material linked to illegal immigration and people smuggling.

 

Failure to comply can result in:

 

< Fines of up to 10 per cent of global revenue, or

< 18 million pounds, whichever is higher

 

What are politicians saying

 

UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has described tackling rising immigration, both legal and illegal, as her “moral mission”, with tougher visa and residency rules expected in the coming months.

 

The Opposition Conservatives responded sharply to the Times investigation.

 

“Fraudsters are enabling immigrants to enter or stay in this country illegally at will, this makes a mockery of the laws Parliament passes. Shabana Mahmood must urgently grip this problem and end the rampant fraud she is presiding over,” said Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary.