Thousands of businesses in the UK, ranging from car washes and kebab shops to vape stores and off-licences, have acquired licenses to sponsor migrants on 'skilled worker' visas. Critics argue this system is being exploited, allowing individuals to work in roles not typically considered skilled, while potentially exacerbating issues with the UK's welfare system.
Firms pay a fee of £611 for a Home Office license, which theoretically allows them to hire 'skilled workers' from abroad who can then apply for permanent residency after up to five years. While the list of eligible occupations includes professions like engineers and doctors, it also features less demanding roles such as 'newsagents,' 'sales supervisors,' and 'shopkeepers,' which are classified as 'medium-skilled' by the government. These visa holders are required to be paid a minimum salary of £41,700 annually, or the 'going rate' for the job, whichever is higher.
Some businesses, like Kalar Car Wash near Huddersfield, employ workers on these visas, though the employees were unable to speak English when approached by reporters. Conservative MP Neil O’Brien called the practice of bringing in overseas workers for jobs in vape shops and car washes "farcical," describing the visa scheme as "yet another back door in our broken immigration system."
The Home Office stated that recent tightening of the skilled worker scheme, including increased salary requirements and a focus on graduate-level professions, has led to higher refusal rates and made it unlikely for businesses like kebab shops to be eligible. A spokesperson added that over 100 occupations have been removed from overseas recruitment access and skilled sponsor revocations increased by 950% between 2023 and 2025.
Despite these measures, investigations suggest the scheme remains a route for individuals seeking to work in Britain. One vape shop owner in Middlesbrough, Shehzad Iqbal, stated that local people are often unwilling to work, prompting him to hire from abroad. He suggested that a more robust benefits system would encourage local residents to take jobs. His employee on the skilled worker scheme arrived from Pakistan two years ago.
The skilled worker visa also permits the applicant's partner and children to join them as dependants. Brothers Irslan and Irfan Rabani, who work at a convenience store in Stockton-on-Tees, obtained skilled worker visas to work in roles they described as 'retail managers.' They noted that local people have not applied for jobs at their store, necessitating hiring from outside the UK. Irslan earns approximately £26,500, a salary that was compliant with older visa requirements.
Similar claims have been made by other businesses. A shopkeeper at the Bargain Stonegate off-licence in Leeds, also from India, stated that prospective local employees often work for only a week before leaving. Her employee, who earns less than the current minimum salary, was hired before rule changes. Another business, Sam's Chicken in Harrow, reportedly arranged to bring in 12 migrants on skilled worker visas over four years.
Critics argue that such practices highlight a disconnect between immigration rules and the availability of local labor, exacerbated by a generous benefits system that may disincentivize employment. The government faces the challenge of managing immigration while also encouraging its own citizens to fill labor market gaps.