New UK Visa Rules Grant Migrant Workers Abused by Sponsors To Change Employer

Migrant workers on skilled visas who are formally recognised as victims of modern slavery will be allowed to change employers for the rest of their visa term from Thursday, ending rules that tied them to the bosses who abused or exploited them.

The change applies UK-wide and covers care workers, chefs, hospitality staff and other migrants whose immigration status is currently linked to a single sponsor.

It will apply once a migrant worker has been formally recognised as a victim of modern slavery through the national referral mechanism, the official framework for identifying and supporting victims of trafficking and exploitation.

Once an individual receives a positive 'conclusive grounds' decision, the condition binding their visa to a specific employer will be lifted, officials said. From that point, they will be able to work for any sponsor for the rest of their visa's duration, rather than being forced back to the workplace that exploited them or facing removal from the UK.

Sponsorship Rules 'Open To Abuse'

The overhaul follows years of complaints that the post-Brexit sponsorship regime, introduced under Boris Johnson's government in 2021, left thousands of workers at the mercy of bad employers. Under that system, a skilled worker's visa was linked to a named sponsor. Losing that job meant risking their right to remain unless a new sponsor could be found quickly. With no recourse to public funds, many felt unable to walk away from abuse.

Campaigners and unions say the arrangement created clear risks of exploitation, with workers reporting underpayment, excessive hours and unagreed zero-hour contracts. The Home Office says modern slavery in this context can include harsh or degrading conditions, withheld wages, deception over contracts, intimidation, threats, violence, restricted movement or confiscated passports, often occurring in combination.

The Salvation Army, which holds the government contract to support identified victims, welcomed the move. Its deputy director of anti-trafficking and modern slavery, Maj Heather Grinsted, called the ability to change sponsor 'a crucial way to help them rebuild their lives safely and with dignity.'

Dr Dora-Olivia Vicol, chief executive of the Work Rights Centre, was more cautious, saying the changes 'could be a game-changer' only if workers can actually access the referral system. Many never do, she said, because they fear losing their job, do not know their rights, or are unaware the mechanism exists.

Tougher Action on Abusive Employers

The protections arrive as enforcement against rogue employers has sharply escalated. Home Office figures show more than 6,600 employers have lost their sponsor licence since Labour took power, with over 4,400 of those removals in the year to June 2026, a 140% rise on the previous year. Where evidence of criminality is found, sponsors will be referred to police.

Migration minister Jo White said the government was balancing support for victims with tougher action against exploitative employers. 'No victim of modern slavery should be trapped with an exploitative employer because of their immigration status,' she said. 'These changes will give victims the freedom to leave abusive workplaces and rebuild their lives... Rogue sponsors who exploit workers will face the full force of the law.'

The government's immigration white paper also includes wider, as-yet-unspecified proposals to make it easier for sponsored workers to change employers.

Unions have already been working to fill gaps in protection. Unison has partnered with councils and migrant care workers on a charter setting minimum standards on pay, housing and workplace rights.

The reforms come amid a broader tightening of migration policy: 111,000 skilled worker visas were granted last year, down 76% from the peak in the year to December 2023, following the halt of new overseas applications for care worker visas from July 2025.