Kate Roberts
@k8roberts.bsky.social
Migration, migrant rights, labour rights, labour exploitation, anti-trafficking
Reposted by Kate Roberts
Labour’s sister party in Spain doing the right thing from a humanitarian perspective, a social cohesion perspective and an economic perspective….
But of course mainstream UK politicians are allergic to evidence-based policy on immigration.
But of course mainstream UK politicians are allergic to evidence-based policy on immigration.
January 27, 2026 at 8:19 PM
Labour’s sister party in Spain doing the right thing from a humanitarian perspective, a social cohesion perspective and an economic perspective….
But of course mainstream UK politicians are allergic to evidence-based policy on immigration.
But of course mainstream UK politicians are allergic to evidence-based policy on immigration.
Reposted by Kate Roberts
New report released today:
"Politics over people?" - detailing how the UK’s “one in one out” knowingly harms and forcibly removes torture and trafficking survivors to France.
Read the report here medicaljustice.org.uk/politics-ove...
"Politics over people?" - detailing how the UK’s “one in one out” knowingly harms and forcibly removes torture and trafficking survivors to France.
Read the report here medicaljustice.org.uk/politics-ove...
Politics over people? - Medical Justice
How the UK’s “one in one out” knowingly harms and forcibly removes torture and trafficking survivors to France Medical Justice press release 21 January 2026 for immediate release Medical Justice today...
medicaljustice.org.uk
January 21, 2026 at 5:07 PM
New report released today:
"Politics over people?" - detailing how the UK’s “one in one out” knowingly harms and forcibly removes torture and trafficking survivors to France.
Read the report here medicaljustice.org.uk/politics-ove...
"Politics over people?" - detailing how the UK’s “one in one out” knowingly harms and forcibly removes torture and trafficking survivors to France.
Read the report here medicaljustice.org.uk/politics-ove...
Reposted by Kate Roberts
January 22, 2026 at 12:49 PM
Reposted by Kate Roberts
FLEX held an event in Parliament to launch our report, Unravelling the Nets, attended by politicians, regulators, retailers, producers and more.
The consensus was clear: the UK urgently needs a fishing visa, to stop the risks of labour exploitation via the transit loophole.
The consensus was clear: the UK urgently needs a fishing visa, to stop the risks of labour exploitation via the transit loophole.
January 22, 2026 at 10:03 AM
FLEX held an event in Parliament to launch our report, Unravelling the Nets, attended by politicians, regulators, retailers, producers and more.
The consensus was clear: the UK urgently needs a fishing visa, to stop the risks of labour exploitation via the transit loophole.
The consensus was clear: the UK urgently needs a fishing visa, to stop the risks of labour exploitation via the transit loophole.
Our Policy Officer role closes on the 21 January; do please have a look/ share ahead of the weekend ⬇️
Looking for something new?
FLEX is currently hiring for two positions - Policy Officer and Administrator.
For job descriptions, person specifications and how to apply, go here: labourexploitation.org/about-us/opp...
FLEX is currently hiring for two positions - Policy Officer and Administrator.
For job descriptions, person specifications and how to apply, go here: labourexploitation.org/about-us/opp...
January 16, 2026 at 12:20 PM
Our Policy Officer role closes on the 21 January; do please have a look/ share ahead of the weekend ⬇️
There is important learning here for the future Fair Work Agency. If people are prevented from reporting abuse and exploitation because of their immigration status, it’s obvious the exploitation will thrive ⬇️
A new report out today by Unseen, a leading charity which manages the modern slavery helpline, has found that immigration laws brought in since 2022 have helped trafficking thrive.
The changes have contributed to a "culture of disbelief" in victims.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2026...
The changes have contributed to a "culture of disbelief" in victims.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2026...
UK immigration law has helped modern slavery thrive, says damning…
New findings point to a ‘growing culture of disbelief’ within government towards victims of trafficking
www.thebureauinvestigates.com
January 16, 2026 at 10:25 AM
There is important learning here for the future Fair Work Agency. If people are prevented from reporting abuse and exploitation because of their immigration status, it’s obvious the exploitation will thrive ⬇️
Still time to apply to join @focusonlabour.bsky.social as a Policy Officer ⬇️
Looking for something new?
FLEX is currently hiring for two positions - Policy Officer and Administrator.
For job descriptions, person specifications and how to apply, go here: labourexploitation.org/about-us/opp...
FLEX is currently hiring for two positions - Policy Officer and Administrator.
For job descriptions, person specifications and how to apply, go here: labourexploitation.org/about-us/opp...
January 13, 2026 at 11:50 AM
Still time to apply to join @focusonlabour.bsky.social as a Policy Officer ⬇️
Reposted by Kate Roberts
The last time I checked a couple of years ago, the Home Office cost recovery target on visa processing was 202%, but in the latest annual report it was 241% - meaning that for every £100 it costs to administer the visa system, the department aims to raise £241 in fees.
January 8, 2026 at 10:16 AM
The last time I checked a couple of years ago, the Home Office cost recovery target on visa processing was 202%, but in the latest annual report it was 241% - meaning that for every £100 it costs to administer the visa system, the department aims to raise £241 in fees.
Happy New Year.
Want to spend 2026 working to end labour exploitation?
We are recruiting for a Policy Officer and Administrator at @focusonlabour.bsky.social
labourexploitation.org/about-us/opp...
Want to spend 2026 working to end labour exploitation?
We are recruiting for a Policy Officer and Administrator at @focusonlabour.bsky.social
labourexploitation.org/about-us/opp...
Job opportunities
Current vacancies: We currently have two job vacancies: 1. Policy Officer (Click here for info...)+ FLEX is looking for a passionate advocate with a good understanding of the UK political system, of l...
labourexploitation.org
January 5, 2026 at 12:22 PM
Happy New Year.
Want to spend 2026 working to end labour exploitation?
We are recruiting for a Policy Officer and Administrator at @focusonlabour.bsky.social
labourexploitation.org/about-us/opp...
Want to spend 2026 working to end labour exploitation?
We are recruiting for a Policy Officer and Administrator at @focusonlabour.bsky.social
labourexploitation.org/about-us/opp...
Start 2026 working to build rights for all workers.
We at FLEX are recruiting for a policy & an admin role. Please share widely ⬇️
labourexploitation.org/about-us/opp...
We at FLEX are recruiting for a policy & an admin role. Please share widely ⬇️
labourexploitation.org/about-us/opp...
Job opportunities
Current vacancies: We currently have two job vacancies: 1. Policy Officer (Click here for info...)+ FLEX is looking for a passionate advocate with a good understanding of the UK political system, of l...
labourexploitation.org
January 2, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Start 2026 working to build rights for all workers.
We at FLEX are recruiting for a policy & an admin role. Please share widely ⬇️
labourexploitation.org/about-us/opp...
We at FLEX are recruiting for a policy & an admin role. Please share widely ⬇️
labourexploitation.org/about-us/opp...
2025 has been quite a year & it’s clear that there will be no shortage of challenges to migrant workers’ rights in 2026.
That makes it all the more important to pause & look back over the year at what was achieved ⬇️
That makes it all the more important to pause & look back over the year at what was achieved ⬇️
Today is #InternationalMigrantsDay. We mark this in an increasingly tough environment, where the political consensus is evermore hostile to migrant workers.
We take this day as an opportunity, at the end of the year, to mark FLEX's work advocating for migrant workers and challenging exploitation.
We take this day as an opportunity, at the end of the year, to mark FLEX's work advocating for migrant workers and challenging exploitation.
December 19, 2025 at 10:25 AM
2025 has been quite a year & it’s clear that there will be no shortage of challenges to migrant workers’ rights in 2026.
That makes it all the more important to pause & look back over the year at what was achieved ⬇️
That makes it all the more important to pause & look back over the year at what was achieved ⬇️
Reposted by Kate Roberts
The Migration Advisory Committee has released its 2025 annual report.
The report looks at the impact of migration on the UK's public finances, Overseas Domestic Workers, and migrants' English language abilities.
Here are three things they found 👇
The report looks at the impact of migration on the UK's public finances, Overseas Domestic Workers, and migrants' English language abilities.
Here are three things they found 👇
December 17, 2025 at 12:55 PM
The Migration Advisory Committee has released its 2025 annual report.
The report looks at the impact of migration on the UK's public finances, Overseas Domestic Workers, and migrants' English language abilities.
Here are three things they found 👇
The report looks at the impact of migration on the UK's public finances, Overseas Domestic Workers, and migrants' English language abilities.
Here are three things they found 👇
As the immigration white paper is implemented migrant fishers must not be left adrift.
We’ve set out policies to make sure they are recognised as workers & able to exercise rights
We’ve set out policies to make sure they are recognised as workers & able to exercise rights
December 10, 2025 at 7:30 PM
As the immigration white paper is implemented migrant fishers must not be left adrift.
We’ve set out policies to make sure they are recognised as workers & able to exercise rights
We’ve set out policies to make sure they are recognised as workers & able to exercise rights
Reposted by Kate Roberts
''The Home Office believes that despite these points the changes are justified for a number of policy reasons including reducing net migration and ending reliance on overseas recruitment. ''
The points:
The points:
December 9, 2025 at 3:10 PM
''The Home Office believes that despite these points the changes are justified for a number of policy reasons including reducing net migration and ending reliance on overseas recruitment. ''
The points:
The points:
Reposted by Kate Roberts
Government has now - belatedly -published the impact assessment for the changes to skilled worker and care worker visas announced in May.
Impact is estimated between -£2 billion and £-10 billion (central - £10 billion).
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6937e6...
Impact is estimated between -£2 billion and £-10 billion (central - £10 billion).
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6937e6...
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
December 9, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Government has now - belatedly -published the impact assessment for the changes to skilled worker and care worker visas announced in May.
Impact is estimated between -£2 billion and £-10 billion (central - £10 billion).
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6937e6...
Impact is estimated between -£2 billion and £-10 billion (central - £10 billion).
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6937e6...
Reposted by Kate Roberts
if someone can show me where the automatic settlement and citizenship exists, can we have our fourteen grand in fees back please
genuinely infuriating www.gov.uk/government/n...
November 20, 2025 at 7:45 AM
if someone can show me where the automatic settlement and citizenship exists, can we have our fourteen grand in fees back please
Reposted by Kate Roberts
'Nursing leaders told the Guardian the plans were “immoral” and treated highly skilled migrants as “political footballs”. They said a mass exodus of nurses would threaten patient safety'.
Combine this with the number of UK universities shrinking or closing their nursing programmes....
Combine this with the number of UK universities shrinking or closing their nursing programmes....
Up to 50,000 nurses could quit UK over immigration plans, survey suggests
Exclusive: union leaders say proposed changes are immoral and could threaten patient safety if there is staff exodus
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:50 AM
'Nursing leaders told the Guardian the plans were “immoral” and treated highly skilled migrants as “political footballs”. They said a mass exodus of nurses would threaten patient safety'.
Combine this with the number of UK universities shrinking or closing their nursing programmes....
Combine this with the number of UK universities shrinking or closing their nursing programmes....
Rather than addressing the visa structures which exposed health & social care workers to such risks of exploitation gvt proposals will repeat these mistakes with other key workers including nurses creating insecurity & dependencies on employers
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
November 20, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Rather than addressing the visa structures which exposed health & social care workers to such risks of exploitation gvt proposals will repeat these mistakes with other key workers including nurses creating insecurity & dependencies on employers
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by Kate Roberts
Exactly this. The expansion of immigration policies creating permanent temporariness is known the world over to create fresh opportunities for unscrupulous employers to exploit and abuse workers ➡️
Keeping people temporary makes it harder to find work and more difficult to challenge exploitation if in work. Further limiting support for asylum seekers will increase destitution & remove options creating huge risks of exploitation. This policy making is cruel and will do much harm
The proposed changes to refugee protection in the UK are performatively cruel, and will drive labour exploitation.
Read FLEX's statement on the Home Secretary's asylum reform: labourexploitation.org/news/flex-st...
Read FLEX's statement on the Home Secretary's asylum reform: labourexploitation.org/news/flex-st...
November 18, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Exactly this. The expansion of immigration policies creating permanent temporariness is known the world over to create fresh opportunities for unscrupulous employers to exploit and abuse workers ➡️
Keeping people temporary makes it harder to find work and more difficult to challenge exploitation if in work. Further limiting support for asylum seekers will increase destitution & remove options creating huge risks of exploitation. This policy making is cruel and will do much harm
The proposed changes to refugee protection in the UK are performatively cruel, and will drive labour exploitation.
Read FLEX's statement on the Home Secretary's asylum reform: labourexploitation.org/news/flex-st...
Read FLEX's statement on the Home Secretary's asylum reform: labourexploitation.org/news/flex-st...
FLEX Statement on Asylum Reforms: Forcing Exploitation or Destitution – FLEX
Following today’s announcement from Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, FLEX CEO Lucila Granada made the following statement: “The proposed changes to refugee protection in the UK are performatively…
labourexploitation.org
November 17, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Keeping people temporary makes it harder to find work and more difficult to challenge exploitation if in work. Further limiting support for asylum seekers will increase destitution & remove options creating huge risks of exploitation. This policy making is cruel and will do much harm
Incredibly grateful for B. Hamwee for tabling an amendment to the Border Security, Immigration & Asylum Bill to make sure migrant domestic workers have protections as workers
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www.kalayaan.org.uk
October 31, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Incredibly grateful for B. Hamwee for tabling an amendment to the Border Security, Immigration & Asylum Bill to make sure migrant domestic workers have protections as workers
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Reposted by Kate Roberts
The big hole in the new Employment Rights Act is that some workers still have to risk deportation to report labour abuses.
So pleased that Baroness Hamwee is supporting our call for migrant workers to be able to report bad employers without fear: bills.parliament.uk/bills/3929/s...
So pleased that Baroness Hamwee is supporting our call for migrant workers to be able to report bad employers without fear: bills.parliament.uk/bills/3929/s...
Unnumbered amendment to Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament
Baroness Hamwee's amendment After Clause 48 () to Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, proposed during Report stage
bills.parliament.uk
October 29, 2025 at 10:46 AM
The big hole in the new Employment Rights Act is that some workers still have to risk deportation to report labour abuses.
So pleased that Baroness Hamwee is supporting our call for migrant workers to be able to report bad employers without fear: bills.parliament.uk/bills/3929/s...
So pleased that Baroness Hamwee is supporting our call for migrant workers to be able to report bad employers without fear: bills.parliament.uk/bills/3929/s...
Great to see B. Hamwee's amendment calling for Secure Reporting tabled at Report Stage of the Border Security, Immigration & Asylum Bill. This is key to support encourage victims and witnesses of crime including labour exploitation to seek help labourexploitation.org/app/uploads/...
labourexploitation.org
October 29, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Great to see B. Hamwee's amendment calling for Secure Reporting tabled at Report Stage of the Border Security, Immigration & Asylum Bill. This is key to support encourage victims and witnesses of crime including labour exploitation to seek help labourexploitation.org/app/uploads/...
Always wonderful to spend time with @voiceofdws.bsky.social
This weekend @focusonlabour.bsky.social staff met with Voice of Domestic Workers to discuss the intersecting challenges of employment and migration.
We also looked at how the government's upcoming Fair Work Agency needs to work, for domestic workers to be able to work without risk of exploitation.
We also looked at how the government's upcoming Fair Work Agency needs to work, for domestic workers to be able to work without risk of exploitation.
October 20, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Always wonderful to spend time with @voiceofdws.bsky.social
Changes to the immigration rules will mean that from Nov agricultural Seaonal worker visa holders will be able to come to the UK twice in a 10 month period (down from 12). freemovement.org.uk/date-set-for...
Date set for commencement of new student, graduate and work immigration rules - Free Movement
New immigration rules were published today affecting a wide range of immigration routes. Most of the changes had already been announced in the earlier
freemovement.org.uk
October 15, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Changes to the immigration rules will mean that from Nov agricultural Seaonal worker visa holders will be able to come to the UK twice in a 10 month period (down from 12). freemovement.org.uk/date-set-for...