UK Visa Reform Protects Migrant Workers
New UK visa rules will let recognised modern slavery victims leave abusive employers without losing their immigration status.
Care workers, chefs, hospitality staff and other migrant workers will gain greater protection under UK visa reform aimed at helping victims of modern slavery escape abusive employers.
From Thursday, Skilled Worker visa holders who receive a positive Conclusive Grounds decision confirming they are victims of modern slavery will be allowed to work for another employer for the rest of their existing visa.
The UK visa reform ends a rule introduced in 2021 under Boris Johnson’s government that tied a worker’s immigration status to a specific sponsor. Under that system, people who left an abusive job risked losing their right to remain if they could not quickly secure another approved sponsor.
Campaigners said the system left vulnerable workers open to exploitation. Some rogue employers allegedly used their control over sponsorship to underpay workers, demand excessive hours and create insecure working conditions.
Maj Heather Grinsted of The Salvation Army welcomed the change, saying: “Allowing survivors to work for another sponsor for the remainder of their visa is a crucial way to help them rebuild their lives safely and with dignity.”
Dr Dora-Olivia Vicol, chief executive of the Work Rights Centre, described the reforms as a possible gamechanger. However, she warned that their success would depend on how easily victims can access the modern slavery system.
She added: “For almost three years we have warned the Home Office that the sponsorship system instituted after Brexit is a recipe for labour exploitation, and have urged officials to free people’s visas from their employers’ control.”
Migration and Citizenship Minister Jo White said: “No victim of modern slavery should be trapped with an exploitative employer because of their immigration status.
The UK visa reform comes as the government continues to take action against employers accused of breaking sponsorship rules. More than 6,600 sponsors have reportedly lost their licences since Labour came to power.
Of those, more than 4,400 licences were reportedly removed in the year to June 2026, representing a 140 percentage rise from the previous year.
The new measure gives recognised victims an important route away from exploitation while allowing them to keep working legally in the UK for the remainder of their visa.
Could this UK visa reform make it easier for exploited migrant workers to escape abusive employers?
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