UK Lets Modern-Slavery Victims on Skilled Worker Visas Leave Sponsors

The United Kingdom has changed its immigration rules to allow Skilled Worker visa holders who are formally identified as victims of modern slavery to leave the employer that sponsored them without immediately losing the right to work.

The change is aimed at people who may be trapped by an abusive or exploitative sponsor. Under the revised rules, an identified victim can work for another employer for the rest of their existing permission.

The Home Office said the Skilled Worker route normally requires a person to work in the specific sponsored job. It said the new exception applies after its Competent Authorities identify the visa holder as a victim of modern slavery.

The policy is not limited to any nationality and the UK documents do not name Nigerian beneficiaries or give an estimate of those who could use it. But it is relevant to Nigerians on the Skilled Worker route because it reduces the immediate immigration risk of leaving an exploitative sponsor after formal identification.

The change was included in the Home Office’s 3 September Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules. The accompanying explanatory memorandum said it was intended to encourage victims to come forward early and prevent sponsorship from being used to exploit vulnerable workers.

Sources: GOV.UK