Legislation – Immigration Act 2016

New Search

Introduction

PART 1
Labour market and illegal working

CHAPTER 1 Labour market

1 Director of Labour Market Enforcement

2 Labour market enforcement strategy

3 Non-compliance in the labour market : interpretation

4 Annual and other reports

5 Publication of strategy and reports

6 Information gateways

7 Information gateways: supplementary

8 Information hub

9 Restriction on exercising functions in relation to individual cases

10 Renaming of Gangmasters Licensing Authority

11 Functions in relation to labour market

12 PACE powers in England and Wales for labour abuse prevention officers

13 Relationship with other agencies: requests for assistance

14 Power to request LME undertaking

15 Measures in LME undertakings

16 Duration

17 Further provision about giving notice under section 14

18 Power to make LME order on application

19 Applications

20 Power to make LME order on conviction

21 Measures in LME orders

22 Further provision about LME orders

23 Variation and discharge

24 Appeals

LME

25 Code of practice

26 Investigative functions

27 Offence

28 Offences by bodies corporate

29 Application to unincorporated associations

30 Application to partnerships

31 Consequential and related amendments

32 Regulations under Chapter 1

33 Interpretation of Chapter 1

CHAPTER 2 Illegal working

34 Offence of illegal working

35 Offence of employing illegal worker

36 Licensing Act 2003: amendments relating to illegal working

37 Private hire vehicles etc

38 Illegal working closure notices and illegal working compliance orders

PART 2
Access to services

39 Offence of leasing premises

40 Eviction

41 Order for possession of dwelling-house

42 Extension to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

43 Powers to carry out searches relating to driving licences

44 Offence of driving when unlawfully in the United Kingdom

45 Bank accounts

PART 3
Enforcement

46 Powers in connection with examination, detention and removal

47 Search of premises in connection with imposition of civil penalty

48 Seizure and retention in relation to offences

49 Duty to pass on items seized under section 48

50 Retention of things seized under Part 3 of the Immigration Act 1971

51 Search for nationality documents by detainee custody officers etc

52 Seizure of nationality documents by detainee custody officers etc

53 Amendments relating to sections 51 and 52

54 Amendments to search warrant provisions

55 Supply of information to Secretary of State

56 Detention by immigration officers in Scotland

57 Powers to take fingerprints etc. from dependants

58 Interpretation of Part

59 Guidance on detention of vulnerable persons

60 Limitation on detention of pregnant women

61 Immigration bail

62 Power to cancel leave extended under section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971

PART 4
Appeals

63 Appeals within the United Kingdom: certification of human rights claims

64 Continuation of leave: repeals

65 Deemed refusal of leave to enter: repeals

PART 5
Support etc for certain categories of migrant

66 Support for certain categories of migrant

67 Unaccompanied refugee children: relocation and support

68 Availability of local authority support

69 Transfer of responsibility for relevant children

70 Duty to provide information for the purposes of transfers of responsibility

71 Request for transfer of responsibility for relevant children

72 Scheme for transfer of responsibility for relevant children

73 Extension to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

PART 6
Border security

74 Penalties relating to airport control areas

75 Maritime enforcement

76 Persons excluded from the United Kingdom under international obligations

PART 7
Language requirements for public sector workers

77 English language requirements for public sector workers

78 Meaning of “public authority”

79 Power to expand meaning of person working for public authority

80 Duty to issue codes of practice

81 Procedure for codes of practice

82 Application of Part to Wales

83 Interpretation of Part

84 Crown application

PART 8
Fees and charges

85 Immigration skills charge

86 Power to make passport fees regulations

87 Passport fees regulations: supplemental

88 Power to charge for passport validation services

89 Civil registration fees

PART 9
Miscellaneous and general

90 Duty regarding the welfare of children

91 Financial provisions

92 Transitional and consequential provision

93 Regulations

94 Commencement

95 Extent

96 Short title

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 1 Persons to whom Director etc may disclose information

SCHEDULE 2 Functions in relation to labour market

SCHEDULE 3 Consequential and related amendments

SCHEDULE 4 Licensing Act 2003: amendments relating to illegal working

SCHEDULE 5 Private hire vehicles etc

SCHEDULE 6 Illegal working closure notices and illegal working compliance orders

SCHEDULE 7 Bank accounts

SCHEDULE 8 Amendments to search warrant provisions

SCHEDULE 9 Duty to supply nationality documents to Secretary of State: persons to whom duty applies

SCHEDULE 10 Immigration bail

SCHEDULE 11 Support for certain categories of migrant

SCHEDULE 12 Availability of local authority support

SCHEDULE 13 Penalties relating to airport control areas

SCHEDULE 14 Maritime enforcement

SCHEDULE 15 Civil registration fees

Changes to legislation:

Immigration Act 2016, Cross Heading: Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 23 October 2025. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Changes and effects yet to be applied by the editorial team are only applicable when viewing the latest version or prospective version of legislation. They are therefore not accessible when viewing legislation as at a specific point in time. To view the ‘Changes to Legislation’ information for this provision return to the latest version view using the options provided in the ‘What Version’ box above.

PART 1Labour market and illegal working

CHAPTER 1Labour market

Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority

10Renaming of Gangmasters Licensing Authority

(1)

The Gangmasters Licensing Authority is renamed the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority.

(2)

In any enactment passed before the day on which this section comes into force, and in any instrument or other document made before that day, references to the Gangmasters Licensing Authority are to be read, in relation to any time on or after that day, as references to the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority.

11Functions in relation to labour market

(1)

Schedule 2 (functions in relation to labour market) has effect.

(2)

The Secretary of State may by regulations confer other functions on the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority or its officers.

12PACE powers in England and Wales for labour abuse prevention officers

(1)

After section 114A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 insert—

“114BApplication of Act to labour abuse prevention officers

(1)

The Secretary of State may by regulations apply any provision of this Act which relates to investigations of offences conducted by police officers to investigations of labour market offences conducted by labour abuse prevention officers.

(2)

The regulations may apply provisions of this Act with any modifications specified in the regulations.

(3)

In this section “labour abuse prevention officer” means an officer of the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority who—

(a)

falls within subsection (4), and

(b)

is authorised (whether generally or specifically) by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this section.

(4)

An officer of the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority falls within this subsection if he or she is—

(a)

acting for the purposes of the Employment Agencies Act 1973 (see section 8A of that Act),

(b)

acting for the purposes of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 (see section 13 of that Act),

(c)

acting for the purposes of the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 as an enforcement officer within the meaning of section 15 of that Act,

(d)

acting for the purposes of Part 1 or 2 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (see sections 11A and 30A of that Act), or

(e)

acting for any other purpose prescribed in regulations made by the Secretary of State.

(5)

The investigations for the purposes of which provisions of this Act may be applied by regulations under this section include investigations of offences committed, or suspected of having been committed, before the coming into force of the regulations or of this section.

(6)

Regulations under this section are to be made by statutory instrument.

(7)

Regulations under this section may make—

(a)

different provision for different purposes;

(b)

provision which applies generally or for particular purposes;

(c)

incidental, supplementary, consequential, transitional or transitory provision or savings.

(8)

Regulations under subsection (4)(e) may, in particular, make such provision amending, repealing or revoking any enactment as the Secretary of State considers appropriate in consequence of any provision made by the regulations.

(9)

A statutory instrument containing regulations under subsection (4)(e) may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament.

(10)

Any other statutory instrument containing regulations under this section is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(11)

In this section—

enactment” includes an enactment contained in subordinate legislation within the meaning of the Interpretation Act 1978;

labour market offence” has the meaning given in section 3 of the Immigration Act 2016.”

(2)

In section 18 of the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 (obstruction of officers), in subsection (1)(a), after “this Act” insert
or functions conferred by virtue of section 114B of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (application of that Act to Authority officers)
.

13Relationship with other agencies: requests for assistance

(1)

The Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 is amended as follows.

(2)

Before section 23 (but after the italic heading before it) insert—

“22ARelationship with other agencies: requests for assistance

(1)

The Authority may request any of the following to provide assistance to the Authority or any of its officers—

(a)

a chief officer of police for a police area in England and Wales;

(b)

the Director General of the National Crime Agency;

(c)

a person appointed as an immigration officer under paragraph 1 of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971;

(d)

any other person prescribed or of a prescribed description.

(2)

The Authority may make a request under subsection (1) only if it considers that the assistance would facilitate the exercise of any function by the Authority or any of its officers.

(3)

Any of the following persons may request the Authority to provide assistance to the person—

(a)

a chief officer of police for a police area in England and Wales;

(b)

a person appointed as an immigration officer under paragraph 1 of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971;

(c)

any other person prescribed or of a prescribed description.

(4)

A person may make a request under subsection (3) only if the person considers that the assistance would facilitate the exercise by the person of any function.

(5)

A request under this section must—

(a)

set out what assistance is being requested, and

(b)

explain how the assistance would facilitate the exercise of the function.

(6)

A person who receives a request under this section must respond to it in writing within a reasonable period.

(7)

Regulations under this section must not make provision which would be—

(a)

within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament if contained in an Act of that Parliament,

(b)

within the legislative competence of the National Assembly for Wales if contained in an Act of that Assembly, or

(c)

within the legislative competence of the Northern Ireland Assembly if contained in an Act of that Assembly made without the consent of the Secretary of State.”

(3)

In section 25 (regulations, rules and orders), in subsection (5)—

(a)

omit the “or” at the end of paragraph (a);

(b)

at the end insert“, or

(c)

section 22A(1)(d) or (3)(c) (regulations regarding persons whom the Authority may request to provide assistance and who may request assistance from Authority).”