New measures to tackle illegal working
It is a criminal offence under the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 ("the 1996 Act"), punishable by a fine of up to £5,000 per employee, to employ a person who does not have permission to live and work in the UK.
Under s.8 of the 1996 Act, the employer has a defence if, before the employment started, it required the employee to produce certain documents.