Asylum and Immigration Act 1996

8 Restrictions on employment. U.K.

(1) Subject to subsection (2) below, if any person (“the employer”) employs a person subject to immigration control (“the employee”) who has attained the age of 16, the employer shall be guilty of an offence if—

(a) the employee has not been granted leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom; or

(b) the employee’s leave is not valid and subsisting, or is subject to a condition precluding him from taking up the employment,

and (in either case) the employee does not satisfy such conditions as may be specified in an order made by the Secretary of State.

[F1 (2) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that before the employment began any relevant requirement of an order of the Secretary of State under subsection (2A) was complied with.

(2A) An order under this subsection may—

(a) require the production to an employer of a document of a specified description;

(b) require the production to an employer of one document of each of a number of specified descriptions;

(c) require an employer to take specified steps to retain, copy or record the content of a document produced to him in accordance with the order;

(d) make provision which applies generally or only in specified circumstances;

(e) make different provision for different circumstances.]

(3) The defence afforded by subsection (2) above shall not be available in any case where the employer knew that his employment of the employee would constitute an offence under this section.

(4) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

(5) Where an offence under this section committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of—

(a) any director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate; or

(b) any person who was purporting to act in any such capacity,

he as well as the body corporate shall be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

(6) Where the affairs of a body corporate are managed by its members, subsection (5) above shall apply in relation to the acts and defaults of a member in connection with his functions of management as if he were a director of the body corporate.

[F2 (6A) Where an offence under this section is committed by a partnership (other than a limited partnership) each partner shall be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

(6B) Subsection (5) shall have effect in relation to a limited partnership as if—

(a) a reference to a body corporate were a reference to a limited partnership, and

(b) a reference to an officer of the body were a reference to a partner.]

(7) An order under this section shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(8) In this section—

• “contract of employment” means a contract of service or apprenticeship, whether express or implied, and (if it is express) whether it is oral or in writing;

• “employ” means employ under a contract of employment and “employment” shall be construed accordingly.

[F3 (9) Section 28(1) of the Immigration Act 1971 (c. 77) (extended time limit for prosecution) shall apply in relation to an offence under this section.

(10) An offence under this section shall be treated as—

(a) a relevant offence for the purpose of sections 28B and 28D of that Act (search, entry and arrest), and

(b) an offence under Part III of that Act (criminal proceedings) for the purposes of sections 28E, 28G and 28H (search after arrest).]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 8(2)(2A) substituted for s. 8(2) (1.4.2003 for specified purposes, 1.5.2004 in so far as not already in force) by Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (c. 41), ss. 147(2), 162(1) (with s. 159); S.I. 2003/754, art. 2(1), Sch. 1; S.I. 2004/1201, art. 2

F2 S. 8(6A)(6B) inserted (1.4.2003) by Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (c. 41), ss. 147(3), 162(1) (with s. 159); S.I. 2003/754, art. 2(1), Sch. 1

F3 S. 8(9)(10) inserted (1.4.2003) by Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (c. 41), ss. 147(4), 162(1) (with s. 159); S.I. 2003/754, art. 2(1), Sch. 1

Commencement Information

I1 S. 8 wholly in force at 27.1.1997; s. 8 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 13(3); s. 8 in force for certain purposes at 1.12.1996 and wholly in force at 27.1.1997 by S.I. 1996/2127, art. 2