A greater percentage of UK work permits and visas will be linked to biometric data from today (February, Monday 27th).
The Home Office confirmed that the use of Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) will be issued to twice as many foreign nationals as last year, with figures rising to 400,000.
It is hoped that tracking people with more detail will allow the government to tackle UK immigration abuse by making it harder for fraudsters to fabricate proof of the right to work or live in Britain.
Damian green, the UK immigration minister, commented on the extension to the scheme: “This will help ensure only those with the right to be here can take a job legally in the UK and enjoy the services to which they are entitled.
“The new measures are a deterrent to all foreign nationals who are looking to exploit the UK for personal gain by breaking the law.”
Meanwhile, the government is set to provide a new online employers checking service for BRPs. This will permit employers to access checks on potential employees to ensure they are legally permitted to work in the UK.
It is hoped that this will cut down on the number of illegal immigrants taking jobs in the country, but it should also help businesses to avoid the fines that they can receive for doing so.