LONDON (dpa-AFX) - The number of illegal workers arrested in the U.K. has skyrocketed by 63 percent as Immigration Enforcement carry out highest level of raids in British history.
Under Operation Sterling, the government invested 5 million pounds into Immigration Enforcement, to arrest and deport illegal workers in takeaways, fast food drivers, beauty salons and car washes, the UK Home Office said.
New figures show more than 8,000 illegal migrants have been arrested after 11,000 raids were carried out by Immigration Enforcement between October 2024 and September 2025.
Marking the largest enforcement crackdown on illegal working since records began, the data reveals a significant increase year on year of 63 percent and 51 percent for arrests and visits, respectively. more than 1,050 foreign nationals encountered on these operations have been removed from the country.
This comes as government is expanding right to work checks under tough new laws, to ensure it covers categories of employers where there are higher levels of illegal migrants seeking work, including gig economy employers.
While it is a criminal offence for migrants to work illegally, only companies using traditional employer to employee contracts are obliged to verify someone's immigration status and whether it permits them to work in the UK.
The new laws close this loophole so there will be no hiding place for illegal workers who flout the rules in the gig, casual, subcontracted and temporary worker economy.
Bosses who fail to conduct these checks could be jailed for up to five years, face fines of 60,000 pounds per illegal worker and have their businesses closed.
UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said, 'Illegal working creates an incentive for people attempting to arrive in this country illegally. No more. Those found to be illegally working in beauty salons, car washes and as delivery drivers will be arrested, detained and removed from this country'.
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