A new report by the Work Rights Centre (WoRC) has raised serious concerns that migrant construction workers in the UK could face high risks of exploitation, similar to those already reported in the social care sector. The warning comes after the Government announced plans to expand access to migrant construction workers through the new Temporary Shortage List.
The policy briefing highlights that while the UK Government has committed £625 million to train 60,000 skilled construction workers by 2029, an additional 240,000 workers will still be needed in the next five years to meet housebuilding goals. To fill the gap, ministers have proposed including construction roles on the Temporary Shortage List, allowing employers to recruit from abroad at lower skill levels. However, these workers will not be able to bring dependents and will face strict restrictions on settlement, making them vulnerable to exploitation.
WoRC argues that this approach treats migrant workers as a disposable labour force. The organisation stresses that new arrivals under these visa rules will remain in precarious situations, with little chance of applying for permanent residency in the future. The report also warns that this mirrors the care sector, where many migrant workers faced abuse and exploitation after being brought in under the Health and Care Worker visa.
The report highlights several risks for construction workers, including the transient and flexible nature of the sector, which clashes with rigid visa sponsorship rules. Many roles are based on self-employment or short-term contracts, making it difficult for workers to meet requirements such as full-time employment. WoRC warns that if enforcement action is taken, workers could be left in sudden legal limbo.
Another major concern is the possible introduction of a labour provider model similar to the Seasonal Worker visa, which has previously led to problems such as debt bondage and concentrated power among labour operators. WoRC stresses that strong safeguarding measures must be built into immigration rules to avoid repeating the same mistakes.
To address these risks, WoRC proposes several solutions. These include removing employers from the visa-granting process entirely to allow workers more mobility, or at least adopting a sector-based sponsorship system. The report also suggests extending timeframes for workers to switch sponsors and introducing a “Workplace Justice visa” to protect workers’ rights.
Despite earlier government statements indicating that such measures might be considered, WoRC notes that no concrete action has been taken to date. The organization concludes that the Government faces a difficult challenge: balancing its tough immigration stance with the urgent need for migrant labour to sustain economic growth, particularly ahead of the next general election.