Asylum seekers who work in the UK without permission should be placed “on the next plane home”, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has said.
Ms Badenoch and her shadow home secretary Chris Philp criticised the UK as being a “soft touch” and that illegal working acts as a “pull factor” for those making the dangerous journey across the English Channel.
While people who have asylum claims that are yet to be processed are not usually allowed to work, if they have been waiting for a year or longer for a decision they can apply for permission to work.
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Earlier in the summer, Mr Philp made an unannounced visit to an asylum hotel where he said he found “clear evidence of illegal working for Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats”.
There are reports that asylum seekers can rent legitimate delivery driver accounts within hours of arriving in the country – skipping employment legality checks.
Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat have previously told Sky News they are continuing to strengthen the technology they use to remove anyone working illegally.
Last month, the Home Office struck an agreement with the firms to equip them with tools to identify patterns of misuse and riders who are not allowed to work in the UK.
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As part of the deal, the government will share the locations of asylum hotels.
However, the Conservatives have said asylum seekers who are caught working illegally should be barred from becoming a refugee.
“If you come here illegally, take advantage of our asylum system, and then break our laws by illegally working, your asylum claim must be rejected and you should be on the next plane home,” Ms Badenoch said.
“Under my leadership, the Conservatives will never allow Britain to become a soft touch for those who think they can break the rules and profit from it.”
She also said illegal working “rewards illegality, protects perpetrators and mocks hard-working taxpayers”.
Mr Philp added: “Illegal working is a pull factor sold by smugglers as a reward to break in to our country and cross the Channel.
“That is why we are calling for new action: anyone who plays the system should have their status stripped, wages confiscated, and be deported.”
Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, previously said illegal working “undermines honest business, exploits vulnerable individuals and fuels organised immigration crime”.
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She described the Home Office’s data-sharing deal as “decisive action to close loopholes and increase enforcement”, and added it sat alongside “a 50% increase in raids and arrests for illegal working”.
Ministers have also pointed to the Border Security Bill working its way through parliament, which could see companies fined £60,000 for each illegal worker discovered.
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Last month Angela Eagle, the border security and asylum minister, told Sky News arrests for illegal working were up over the past year by 51% from the year before, to more than 7,000.
“If we find you working, you can lose access to the hotel or the support you have [been] given under false pretences,” she said.
“We are cracking down on that abuse, and we intend to keep doing so.”
