UK crackdown: 2,000 firms lose sponsor licences over immigrant visa abuse

UK revoked nearly 2,000 employer licences in a year for exploiting migrant workers, double the figure from the previous year

The UK has stepped up enforcement against companies abusing the immigration system, with thousands of employer licences revoked in the past year.

 

According to Home Office figures, 1,948 sponsor licences were revoked between July 2024 and June 2025. The figure is more than double the 937 revocations recorded the year before.

 

Sectors with high levels of abuse

 

Officials said many employers have misused the system, helping migrants bypass visa rules while also underpaying and exploiting staff who rely on their sponsorship to remain in the country.

 

Adult social care, hospitality, retail, and construction were named among the sectors with the highest levels of abuse.

 

 

The latest action follows earlier surges in enforcement, with 261 licences revoked in 2021–22 and 247 in 2022–23. If current trends continue, this year could set a new record.

 

Rogue employers warned

 

“Those who exploit our immigration system must face the strongest possible consequences. We will not hesitate to bar companies from sponsoring workers abroad when it is used to undercut British workers or exploit vulnerable staff,” said Mike Tapp, Minister for Migration and Citizenship.

 

“My message to unscrupulous employers is clear: these shameful practices will not be tolerated.”

 

Wider border measures

 

The tougher stance comes alongside wider measures in the government’s Plan for Change, including restricting visa access for nationals of countries that do not cooperate with returning people who have no right to remain.

 

Illegal-working arrests have risen by 51% year on year, while removals of those without permission to stay have reached 35,000—an increase of 13% compared with the previous year.

 

Officials say efforts to dismantle criminal networks at source are continuing, with enforcement by the National Crime Agency at record levels.

 

Improved intelligence sharing

 

The government said better intelligence sharing across departments and law enforcement has allowed more employers to be held to account.

 

Previously, checks relied heavily on physical compliance visits. The new approach, backed by data and cross-agency cooperation, has sharply increased revocations.

 

Reasons for licence revocation

 

Sponsor licences have been revoked for breaches such as:

 

• Underpaying workers

• Facilitating entry to bypass immigration rules

• Failing to provide promised work