Fines for employing illegal workers doubled from £11.2m to £22.1m last year, compared with 2008.

According to data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by web-based back office solutions provider giant precision, in 2009 the UK Border Agency imposed 2,210 civil penalties, up from 1,164 civil penalties in 2008. 

Matthew Brown, managing director of giant precision, says: “These figures show that identity checking is fast becoming one of the biggest compliance risks for employers and recruitment suppliers.

“With immigration an increasingly thorny political issue, the level of fines for employing illegal workers is likely to rise still further. The manual, paper-based identity checks which recruiters and HR departments often still rely on, need to be adapted to this new reality.”