BUSINESSES employing illegal workers face large fines and prison sentences, according to a new marketing campaign unveiled by the Government today.

Employers will be fined up to £10,000 for every illegal worker they negligently hire or could face up to two years in prison.

This stark message will be driven home in a new marketing campaign laying out the new rules due to come into effect in February.

To build awareness of the changes, which will affect recruitment and employment practices, the Government is launching a three week radio and newspaper campaign starting today on 14 January 2008.

Any employers found to be breaking the law could lose the right to recruit from outside the European Union.

Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said: "Illegal working attracts illegal migrants and undercuts British wages. That's why we're determined to shut it down.

"The message is clear for employers — we will not tolerate illegal working.

"This highly visible marketing campaign will ensure employers have no excuse for breaking the rules."

The crackdown on illegal working is part of the biggest shake-up of the immigration system for 40 years. The year ahead will also see:

�� a tough Australian style points based system for managing immigration;
�� the roll out of Britain's new e-Borders programme allowing people to be counted in and out of the country; and
�� biometric ID cards for any foreign national in the country for more than three months, tying people to one identity.

The Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) undertakes regular enforcement operations against illegal working throughout the UK. In 2006 alone, the BIA carried out over 5,200 illegal working operations. In 2006, both at ports and within the UK, the BIA removed nearly 64,000 people — that's the equivalent of someone every eight minutes. In the first three quarters of last year another 45,000 were removed.

Employers unsure of the steps they need to take to ensure they don't employ illegal workers can visit www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/employingmigrants