The United Kingdom Government has amended its immigration rules to allow recognised victims of modern slavery holding Skilled Worker visas to leave exploitative employers and take up employment elsewhere without jeopardising their immigration status.
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The UK Home Office announced the change on Thursday, September 3, saying it was intended to prevent abusive employers from exploiting migrant workers through the visa sponsorship system.
“No victim of modern slavery should be trapped with an exploitative employer because of their immigration status,” the Home Office said.
It added: “From today, recognised victims on Skilled Worker visas can leave abusive employers and work elsewhere without risking their immigration status.”
The measure is contained in the Explanatory Memorandum to the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules: HC 584, presented to the UK Parliament and published by the government on September 3, 2026.
Under the usual Skilled Worker route, a migrant is permitted to work in a specific job sponsored by an approved employer and cannot ordinarily take up another job outside the employment for which the visa was granted.
The amended rules lift that restriction for Skilled Worker visa holders identified by the Home Office Competent Authorities as victims of modern slavery.
Recognised victims will now be permitted to work for any employer for the remaining duration of their existing immigration permission, without first losing their lawful status.
The exemption applies specifically to persons formally identified as victims of modern slavery by the relevant Home Office authorities and does not constitute a general relaxation of the employment restrictions attached to Skilled Worker visas.
The UK Government said the measure was designed to encourage victims to report exploitation at an early stage and prevent unscrupulous employers from using the sponsorship system to control vulnerable migrant workers.
According to the government, the amendment would “incentivise victims to come forward early” and guard against employers who seek to “weaponise the sponsorship system” to exploit workers.
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