Prime Minister David Cameron has announced details of a new Immigration Bill that would make it an offence for businesses and recruitment agencies to recruit abroad without advertising in the UK.

Ahead of the PM’s speech on immigration this morning, the government released a statement revealing details of the bill, due to be announced next week in the Queen’s Speech. 

The bill will also contain a commitment to create a new labour market enforcement agency to crack down on the worst cases of labour market exploitation, as well as a new offence of illegal working that would allow police to seize wages of illegal workers.

Responding to the government’s plans, Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) chief executive Kevin Green said: “Recruiters are already required to advertise all new jobs in English and in the UK at the same time as being advertised overseas, as this is enshrined in the Conduct Regulations. We welcome this enforcement activity being extended to all employers. 

“We have been saying that there should be parity in the laws that govern recruiters and the wider business community. We’ll be closely monitoring any new legislation in the Queen’s Speech that could have an impact on recruiters.”

But Derek Kelly, managing director of umbrella group Parasol, claimed the government was “going after the wrong people” by targeting illegal workers instead of the companies that employ them.

He said: “These new measures will do nothing to deter the rogue employers that exploit vulnerable workers. Depriving illegal migrants of their wages feels like a gimmick.

“I believe directors of companies that hire illegal workers should face the threat of a jail term or having their personal assets seized. Only then will a genuine deterrent have been created.

“There is also the question of how, on a practical level, police will be able to track and seize the wages of illegal workers. As everyone knows, payments in these cases are often made on a cash-in-hand basis and with no audit trail.”

Commenting on what the introduction of a new new labour market enforcement agency might mean for the GLA, a spokesman for the body, said in a statement: “Until the full detail of these plans is revealed it is not appropriate for the GLA to comment on this announcement. 

"However, we would welcome any steps that would assist in tackling those who seek to profit through exploitation in the UK labour market.”

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