In February 2008, UK immigration regulations began enforcing a new regime of fines on employers found to be employing migrants without official permission to work.  UK Border Agency officials may now issue on-the-spot fines to employers of up to £10,000 per unauthorised worker – a measure which has been accompanied by a series of highly publicised immigration raids on workplaces. The new regime has led to a huge increase in demands on the part of employers for passports and other identity documents from their workers.

PAPERS PLEASE is the first attempt to look at the impact of this new regime on migrant workers themselves.  Based on interviews with migrants affected by the changes, trade union officials, and employer associations, it identifies worrying trends towards discrimination and an increase in tensions in workforces where migrant workers are present.

PAPERS PLEASE relates these developments to wider concerns about increases in the vulnerability of migrant workers to exploitation and the erosion of basic employment rights.  It calls for civil society organisations to better engage with the range of problems emerging in this troubled area, and for determined efforts to counter the effects of discrimination and the abuse of power.

Download a free copy of PAPERS PLEASE from MRN’s website

For a free copy of the published report, within the UK, send an A4-size SAE with a 56p stamp to ‘Papers Please’ report, Migrants’ Rights Network, 253 Upper Street, London N1 1RY.

For delivery outside the UK, or to inquire about receiving multiple copies of the report, email info@migrantsrights.org.uk to inquire about terms of delivery.