Sponsorship: Prosecutions

Question

The Ministry of Justice publishes information on the number of prosecutions, convictions, and sentences across various offences in the Outcomes by Offence data tool, including a range of immigration and fraud offences. This can be found via the following link: Criminal Justice System statistics quarterly: June 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

However, information on specific instances of fraud related to the illicit sale or issuance of Certificates of Sponsorship for health and care workers is not held, and to produce such estimates would require examining individual court records, incurring disproportionate costs. It is not an offence to pass on the costs of assigning a certificate of sponsorship. However, where disproportionate fees for a Certificate of Sponsorship and other immigration costs are levied on workers, either charged upfront, or sought in recovery after the fact, the Home Office will investigate the sponsor and take action, up to and including revocation of their licence, where there has been a breach in sponsorship duties. If potential offences under the relevant offence codes, such as immigration offences or offences under the Modern Slavery Act, as presented through the above link are identified, those sponsors and others involved will be referred for criminal investigation and prosecution.