From politicians to the media, there is a prevailing narrative that migrants with irregular status have chosen to commit some moral failure. If only migrants did the right thing, we are told, then irregularity would simply never happen.

But the factors leading to irregular migration are complex. Many individuals who are classified as having irregular migration status in the UK have entered through formal migration routes and then lost their status – through no fault of their own. This includes situations where people are misled by their sponsors, or are given wrong immigration advice, or cannot afford this advice. Others might be being abused or exploited by their employer, who sponsors their visa; if they leave, they are suddenly in breach.

In “Precarious by design: How the Seasonal Worker Scheme can drive irregularity”, we analyse how irregularity is directly connected to the government’s design of migration routes. The consequences are severe: increased risks of exploitation for workers, and the removal of vital options to access decent work and enforce their rights in the UK.

In particular, the briefing looks at the Seasonal Worker Scheme. It shows how the UK Government’s design and implementation of the Scheme, and its interactions with “Hostile Environment” policies, Labour Market Enforcement, and support systems, can push workers into irregular migration status.