Pursuant Section 15 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act, 2006 an employer may be required to pay a penalty where they employ an adult subject to immigration control who has not been granted leave to remain in the United Kingdom or whose leave to remain is invalid or has ceased to have effect.

Following enforcement visits from the NI ICE team, civil penalty notices were issued to a car dealership, a nail bar and a number of takeaways. 

Paul McHarron, immigration enforcement and compliance lead for Northern Ireland, said: “Our enforcement activity continues day in, day out, across Northern Ireland.

“We want our communities to know we are cracking down on this illegal activity and ensuring businesses play by the rules.”

From October, companies hiring gig economy and zero-hours workers, including in the delivery sector, will be legally required to carry out checks to confirm anyone working in their name is eligible to work in the UK. Those who fail to do so could face hefty penalties, including fines of up to £60,000 per worker, director disqualifications and potential prison sentences of up to five years.

Home secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “Illegal working undercuts honest workers and legal businesses. This government has put more resources into Immigration Enforcement to crack down on it.

“This surge in enforcement activity takes us to the highest level in British history. Illegal workers and rogue employers have nowhere to hide.”