Jessica O'ConnorAs cases of exploitation among sponsored migrant workers continue to mount, a report by the Work Rights Centre (WoRC) has called on the Government to radically reform its visa sponsorship system to uphold international human rights standards.
The report, Safeguarding Sponsored Workers: A UK Workplace Justice Visa, outlined urgent reforms based on a six-country comparative study, prompting over 130 legal and civil society experts to write to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper demanding immediate action.
The report argued that the current UK sponsorship system risks breaching international obligations, particularly under Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits forced labour and servitude.
According to testimonies gathered during WoRC’s research, sponsored workers frequently reported being overworked, underpaid, or coerced into roles different from those they agreed to – all while facing the constant threat of visa revocation.
In more severe cases, the conditions described may also contravene Articles 3 and 8, which protect against inhumane treatment and uphold the right to family and private life.
The report said: “Time and again clients disclosed being overworked or underpaid, or being coerced to undertake work that was entirely different from what was originally agreed.
“Similar situations of destitution, irregular migration status and the burden of large debts may also indicate potential breaches.”
Despite some enforcement efforts, such as increasing sanctions against non-compliant sponsors, the report argued that the Government’s response has fallen short.
Workers who suffer abuse receive little to no compensation and are left with few safe avenues to report mistreatment.
Existing protections, like the National Referral Mechanism for victims of modern slavery, are described as inadequate — too narrow in scope and failing to offer meaningful immigration security.
The authors argued that current policies do not meet the UK’s obligations under Article 4 of the ECHR.
They warned: “Overall, we found that policy responses to date fall short of the UK’s positive duty […] to put in place an appropriate framework to protect against exploitation and trafficking.”
To address these shortcomings, the Work Rights Centre examined systems in six high-income countries — Australia, Canada, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United States — all of which use employer-sponsored visas similar to the UK’s.
The findings revealed that most of these nations offer immigration pathways to support exploited workers, something the UK currently lacks.
Based on this international comparison, the report recommended three key reforms.
First, the introduction of a UK Workplace Justice Visa, modelled on systems already in place in countries like Australia and Finland, which would allow victims of labour exploitation to stay in the country, find new employment, and access legal remedies.
Second, the grace period for switching employers should be extended from 60 days to six months, aligning the UK more closely with global best practice and giving workers a realistic chance to escape abusive conditions.
Third, the Government should impose stricter penalties on sponsors who exploit workers, using fines to fund a compensation scheme for victims.
These proposals were formally submitted to the Home Secretary in an open letter endorsed by a broad coalition, including the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), Focus on Labour Exploitation, the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA), and immigration barrister Colin Yeo.
As of publication, the letter had garnered 139 signatories — 54 organisations, 52 lawyers, and 33 other professionals across civil society, legal, and academic fields.
