Home Office opens probe into migrants ‘buying fake jobs to remain in UK illegally’
Migrants ‘buying fraudulent job offers to secure skilled worker visas’ in UK
- The Home Office is investigating reports that migrants are buying fraudulent job offers to secure skilled worker visas and remain in the UK.
- An investigation by The Times uncovered 'visa agents' offering false job records, identifying 250 examples of fake jobs used to support skilled worker visa applications.
- Migrants reportedly paid up to £13,000 for falsified documentation, including CVs and bank records, to obtain certificates of sponsorship for non-existent employment.
- The skilled worker visa sponsorship scheme, established in 2020, allows migrants to live in the UK with a certificate from an approved employer, intended to fill vacancies in shortage occupations.
- The government stated it is investigating the illegal activity, while opposition parties criticised the Home Secretary for a perceived lack of control over the immigration system, despite a recent sharp fall in visa applications.