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The United Kingdom Government has changed its immigration rules to allow recognised victims of modern slavery on Skilled Worker visas to leave exploitative employers and take up new jobs without losing their immigration status.
The UK Home Office announced the change on Thursday, saying it was designed to prevent vulnerable workers from being trapped in abusive employment because of their immigration status.
“No victim of modern slavery should be trapped with an exploitative employer because of their immigration status,” the Home Office said in a post on X.
It added: “From today, recognised victims on Skilled Worker visas can leave abusive employers and work elsewhere without risking their immigration status.”
The change is contained in the Explanatory Memorandum to the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, HC 584, published by the UK Government on Thursday.
Under the Skilled Worker route, migrants are generally required to work in the specific sponsored job for which their visa was granted and cannot normally take up another job outside the terms of their sponsorship.
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However, the new provision in Appendix Skilled Worker removes that restriction for workers identified by the Home Office Competent Authorities as victims of modern slavery.
Qualifying victims can now work for another employer for the remaining duration of their existing immigration permission, without having to remain with the employer linked to their original sponsorship.
The government said the measure was also intended to encourage victims to report exploitation earlier, rather than remain silent because they fear losing their right to stay and work in the UK.
It said the change would “incentivise victims to come forward early” while helping to “guard against those who seek to weaponise the sponsorship system in order to exploit vulnerable workers.”
The new provision took effect on September 3, 2026, and applies specifically to recognised modern slavery victims holding Skilled Worker visas.
