Record numbers of visa sponsor licences revoked for rule breaking
More than twice the number of licences were revoked in the first year of this government than the year before, showing delivery of real action to secure our border.
Record numbers of employers have been banned from sponsoring foreign workers under a crackdown on abuse of the immigration system, as ministers continue to roll up sleeves and pursue real solutions to secure our border.
Between July 2024 and June 2025, 1,948 licences allowing companies to bring in migrant workers were revoked – more than double the number in the previous 12 months (937).
Many of the employers had been using work visas to help migrants circumvent immigration rules, as well as undercutting domestic workers by underpaying and exploiting migrant staff reliant on their jobs to stay in the country.
Adult social care, hospitality, retail and construction are among the sectors with the highest levels of abuse, data shows.
Based on current trends, sponsor revocations for this year are expected to exceed the record high once again. This surge in compliance activity follows just 261 and 247 licences being revoked in the same period in 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.
This is part of the government’s efforts to clamp down on exploitation of our border system and sky high migration. This includes expanding sanctions on rogue employers, including financial penalty notices, business closure orders and potential prosecution.
It follows an announcement earlier this week that the UK will cut access to visas for countries who don’t comply with returns of migrants with no right to stay in the UK. It is further evidence that the government will do what it takes to deliver the reduction in migration the public wants to see, as part of its Plan for Change.
The government has also surged illegal working arrests by 51% compared to the previous year, addressing one of the fake promises sold to migrants making dangerous journeys in small boats that they will be able to work in the UK.
Removals of those with no right to be here have also risen significantly under this government, with 35,000 people removed - 13% more than the same period 12 months prior. Work to smash the gangs at source also continues at pace, with NCA enforcement activity at the highest level on record.
Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Mike Tapp MP, said:
Those who abuse our immigration system must face the strongest possible consequences.
We will not hesitate to ban companies from sponsoring workers from overseas where this is being done to undercut British workers and exploit vulnerable staff.
My message to unscrupulous employers is clear: these shameful practices will not be tolerated.
Improved data and intelligence sharing across government and law enforcement has resulted in more employers being held to account for breaking the immigration rules.
A new approach, which was previously heavily reliant on physical compliance visits, has helped increase the number of licence revocations exponentially.
Licences have been revoked from companies for a wide range of rule breaking, which includes:
- underpayment of workers
- facilitating the entry of individuals to circumvent the immigration rules
- failing to provide promised work