Care workers, chefs, hospitality staff, and other migrant workers in the United Kingdom facing exploitation will now be permitted to leave abusive employers without losing their immigration status, following major policy adjustments announced by the UK Home Office.
Under the new regulations, Skilled Worker visa holders who receive a positive “conclusive grounds” decision identifying them as victims of modern slavery will be granted permission to seek employment with new sponsors for the remaining duration of their visas.
The reform addresses long-standing criticisms of the post-Brexit sponsorship system introduced in 2021.
Under previous rules, a worker’s legal status was strictly tied to a single employer, leaving many hesitant to report or leave abusive work environments due to the risk of immediate deportation if alternative sponsorship was not secured quickly.
Campaigners and ministers welcome sponsorship reforms
Human rights organisations and labour advocates have long argued that tying visas to specific sponsors created systemic vulnerabilities, enabling unscrupulous employers to enforce excessive hours, withhold wages, and subject staff to precarious working conditions.
“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,” said Major Heather Grinsted of The Salvation Army.
Dr. Dora-Olivia Vicol, Chief Executive Officer of the Work Rights Centre, noted that while the change could be a major turning point, its success will hinge on how accessible the modern slavery framework is for vulnerable workers.
“For almost three years we have warned the Home Office that the sponsorship system instituted after Brexit is a recipe for labour exploitation,” Vicol said.
Addressing the rule change, UK Minister for Migration and Citizenship Jo White stated that no victim of modern slavery should remain trapped with an exploitative employer due to immigration constraints.
The regulatory shift coincides with intensified enforcement against non-compliant businesses.
Reports indicate that over 6,600 employer sponsorship licenses have been revoked under the current administration, including more than 4,400 revocations in the year leading up to June 2026—representing a 140 per cent surge compared to the previous year.
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