UK grants visa reprieve to care workers and others fleeing modern slavery
From Thursday, the UK will let recognised victims of modern slavery on skilled worker visas switch employers without losing their immigration status. The change targets care workers, chefs and others exploited by rogue sponsors.
The UK Home Office has announced changes to immigration rules aimed at protecting migrant workers who become victims of modern slavery. Previously, skilled worker visa holders' status was tied to a single sponsoring employer, under a scheme introduced in 2021 by Boris Johnson's Conservative government to address post-Brexit labour shortages.
Because these workers have no recourse to public funds, losing a job could mean having to leave the UK if a new sponsor wasn't quickly found. Campaigners have long warned that rogue employers exploited this vulnerability, forcing workers into long hours, underpayment, or precarious zero-hour conditions.
From Thursday, workers who receive a positive "conclusive grounds" decision formally recognising them as victims of modern slavery through the national referral mechanism will be allowed to work for any employer for the rest of their visa period.
The Salvation Army's deputy director for anti-trafficking, Maj Heather Grinsted, called the change a crucial step in helping survivors rebuild their lives with dignity. However, Work Rights Centre CEO Dr Dora-Olivia Vicol cautioned that the real-world impact will depend on how accessible the modern slavery recognition process turns out to be.
Last week it emerged that a record number of employers have had their sponsorship licences revoked. More than 6,600 sponsors have lost their licences since Labour took power, including over 4,400 in the past year alone — a 140% increase on the previous year.
The government has also committed to making it easier for sponsored workers generally to change employers. Last year 111,000 skilled worker visas were granted, 76% fewer than the 2023 peak, a drop linked partly to the decision to stop granting new overseas care worker visa applications from July 2025.
